Valuing Female Domestic and Informal Work Through Capacity Building

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The U.S. Embassy Praia of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to economically empower and increase employment opportunities for at least 100 female, informal workers, through targeted capacity building, awareness, training, and other activities to be proposed by the organizations. Official data show that poverty in Cabo Verde disproportionately impacts women. Government officials and civil society representatives recognize that poverty has a “female face.” Poverty among women contributes to other issues as well. Women living in poverty, including informal and domestic workers, are particularly susceptible to abuse and gender-based violence, and sexual harassment. Lack of knowledge and of access to important information, including on their legal rights, also creates vulnerabilities for this group. For women with children, parental responsibilities sometimes hinder the ability of women to compete in the labor market and secure quality jobs. In Cabo Verde, over 60.1 percent of single parent families are led by women. Data suggest that women face more challenges in finding jobs. The latest survey on the informal sector found that 62.5 percent of informal workers are women, and their income is 28.7 percent less than men engaged in similar activities. Data indicate that more than 25 percent of Cabo Verdean women are domestic workers, from those more that 90 percent do not have a work contract and only 10 percent are enrolled in the social security system. Informal jobs are extremely vulnerable to shocks, as confirmed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Many women remain unemployed or engaged in precarious work. Project proposals should address the above problems by strengthening the capacity of women through the acquisition of relevant business management skills and practical tools, as well providing knowledge about their rights, all of which will improve their knowledge and skillset, and help women compete for better, more stable employment opportunities. The proposed implementation strategy should involve relevant expertise and know-how in the design and implementation phases of the project and include relevant partnerships with non-governmental, community-based organizations, municipalities, central government departments, and/or other relevant entities. Proposed projects should build monitoring and evaluation - including time-bound milestones for performance/results – into the project. Participants and Audiences: Main project beneficiaries are female, informal workers (with majority being domestic workers). Priority Region: Project activities will be implemented in Cabo Verde. Project proposals should identify targeted island(s). Preference will be given to projects that propose a more inclusive and national approach, aligned with the available budget and anticipated period of performance. Program Goal: By the end of the performance period, the project will economically empower and increase employment opportunities for at least 100 women informal workers, with a majority being domestic workers, through targeted capacity building and awareness. Program Objectives: Objective 1: Equip female, informal workers, particularly domestic workers, with knowledge and skillset to access safer and more secure employment. Objective 2: Enhance the knowledge of informal workers, particularly domestic workers, regarding their rights. Objective 3: Organize relevant stakeholders to advocate for legal and procedural reforms for the benefit of informal workers, with a focus on issues and barriers facing domestic workers. Expected Results: Expected results of the program must at least include: · At least 100 women adequately identified and trained in small business management and other practical training, and with stronger knowledge about their rights and duties. Selected women must represent diverse participants inclusive of marginalized populations. · Support at least 100 women find an improved employment opportunity, including self-employment. · A measurable increase in awareness of workers’ rights, including the rights of domestic workers. · Further advance reforms for the benefit of female, informal workers. Main Activities: Detailed activities should be proposed by applicants, and should include at minimum: - Include a planning phase to clarify project’s activities; public presentation of the project on the targeted islands; mapping and liaison with key partners on the beneficiary islands and at the central level, including through the establishment of memorandums of understanding (MOUs) for relevant partnerships for project implementation; technical and logistical organization of the trainings and awareness campaigns. The project’s technical team will work together with the partners to design the training program, awareness campaign and other project activities, and select the beneficiary women, trainers and other needs based on the implementation approach. - Implement capacity building which should include topics such as Small Business Management, Financial Education, Marketing and Stock Management, Gender/Gender Based Violence/ Harassment in the informal working environment, Workers’ Rights and Duties & Health and Safety at Work, and Caregiver Training as an employment opportunity, and any others identified by the applicant. Proposed training modules should include the number of days required for completion, and criteria to be considered for a successful completion. - Design and implement a competitive cash award program for the establishment or sustainable continuation of a small business, with clear processes and criteria, to benefit women that had successfully completed training activities. The applicant should explain how these disbursements will be tracked and success measured. - Implement information and awareness campaigns on informal and domestic workers’ rights and duties. - Implement advocacy activities to advance reforms that would benefit female, informal and domestic workers. Performance Indicators: The project should monitor and report on performance indicators that are specific, measurable, achievable, reasonable, and time bound. Applicants should establish, where possible, performance targets for each expected result and include details on sources that will be used to document performance, how the indicators will be measured and frequency of measurement. Applicants shall use and add indicators to the list below and insert it in the proposed application document. Subsequent to the award, periodic reporting of indicators will be required. - Number of women trained. - Number with increased economic opportunities as a result of the program, including engaged in income generating activities and self-employment. - Number of information campaigns informal and domestic workers’ rights and duties (radio, TV, social media) implemented. - Number of civil society organizations supported with project funds (sex disaggregated) - Meetings with government officials (or others to advance reforms). Although reflected in the preliminary indicators above, the following indicators are required: - Percentage of female participants in USG-assisted programs designed to increase access to productive economic resources (e.g., assets, credit, income, or employment). - Number of persons trained with USG assistance to advance outcomes consistent with gender equality or female empowerment through their roles in public or private sector and/or civil society institutions or organizations (sex disaggregated). - Percent of individuals with better employment following participation in USG-assisted workforce development programs (sex disaggregated). The funding will be for U.S. Government Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 (ESF/Gender Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Fund.) This notice is subject to availability of funding.