Government Grant from Department of State
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Government Grant from Department of State | |
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Kosovo Rule of Law Program - Justice Sector Reform
Since 1999, INL has provided support for law enforcement training and development as well as a range of assistance and capacity building for law students, prosecutors, and judges. INL also seconds US personnel to the European Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) in Kosovo. In an effort to complement existing USG and international donor efforts to develop the rule of law in Kosovo, INL/EA seeks applications from qualified U. S. and Kosovo non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to assist in promoting citizen demand for justice. The funding mechanism for this program will be a cooperative agreement. INL expects to make one award for approximately $1,275,000 for a two year performance period. There is some possibility of extension contingent upon performance and availability of funds. PLEASE NOTE: INL strongly encourages applicants to access www.grants.gov immediately in order to obtain a username and password. It may take several weeks to register with www.grants.gov. Please see the section entitled, ?DEADLINE AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS? below for specific instructions. Program Rationale Since independence, Kosovo has undertaken a process of reform that touches nearly every area of governance. The international community has been heavily involved in Kosovo over the past 10 years, and continues to provide robust assistance to all sectors, including government institutions, in order to further develop the Rule of Law. As Kosovo?s government institutions and the laws that govern them take shape, there is a need for citizens to understand and utilize new structures, mechanisms, and processes, and for civil society to actively engage in tracking the implementation of laws and in the development of policy recommendations and advocacy. INL assistance in Kosovo focuses on the criminal justice system and institutional capacity building for law enforcement agencies, including the Kosovo Police and Prosecutorial Service. In order to compliment this institutional development, and to ensure that institutional and legislative reform take root, INL invites program applications that will provide the public with the information and tools necessary to utilize mechanisms for citizen involvement, including oversight and grievance procedures for public officials, and public input into policy development and judicial reform. The overarching goal of this program is to increase citizen?s demand, access and respect for justice. Background Citizens are generally aware of their rights. The police are often cited as one of the most trusted government institutions - a marked improvement over the past 10 years. However, there are mixed reports about the rate at which crimes are reported to the police. Public confidence in the criminal justice system as a whole is low. Criminal cases are often not properly investigated, do not proceed to trial in a timely manner, and for those that do go to trial, sentencing is generally light. Long delays in court dates can deter victims and witnesses from providing testimony. The result is that citizens do not have confidence that the system will work for them, or that criminals will be brought to justice. Generally the legal framework in Kosovo is good. There are several important pieces of legislation pending final revisions, approval and implementation that will greatly strengthen that framework. The Law on Courts, Law on Kosovo Judicial Council, and Law on Kosovo Prosecutor?s Council will establish the foundation of Kosovo?s justice system. They will also create institutions for the hiring, disciplining, competencies and supervision of judges and prosecutors through relevant oversight bodies, including the Kosovo Judicial Council (KJC) and Kosovo Prosecutorial Council (KPC). The Police Inspectorate of Kosovo (PIK), an oversight body for the police, has already been established, and has two primary functions, to inspect police stations (an audit like function), and to investigate allegations of misconduct by police officers. There have been delays in the set up and implementation of these important functions, related in some cases to pending legislation, and in some cases to appointment of personnel. Several factors impede the provision of justice in criminal proceedings, namely a shortage of trained and motivated personnel (including judges and prosecutors), low salaries, lack of resources, and poor working conditions. Although the international community provides skills training and other resources to improve the capacity of these institutions and their personnel, there are many issues which can only be solved by Kosovo itself. The general public is frustrated by cases in which criminal activity persists without consequences, and those involved are not brought to justice. In order for legal and institutional reforms to solidify, citizens and government officials at all levels must take action to reinforce justice sector reforms, and ensure that the system holds all accountable under the law. Citizens must hold officials accountable, especially in cases where the system is not responsive to the needs and concerns of its citizens, or where there is a perception that political interference, or inaction, is impeding the provision of justice. High level officials must in turn hold accountable those responsible for providing justice, and address the lack of resources, capacity and motivation that hinder the system. OBJECTIVE The overall objective of this program is to increase the demand for justice in Kosovo. It is envisioned that by providing citizens with the requisite tools and information about the justice system, especially ongoing reform and mechanisms for citizen involvement, that citizens will take a more proactive role in exercising their rights. Citizens can and should play an active role in holding government officials accountable for ensuring that the justice system functions in a fair and transparent manner. PROGRAM COMPONENTS INL/EA invites U. S. non-governmental organizations (hereafter referred to as NGOs), in partnership with Kosovo NGOs, to submit a program application that outlines a clear approach to increasing citizen demand for justice. Applicants must demonstrate their capacity to manage a program that will facilitate citizen input into justice sector reform, with an emphasis on criminal justice. In order to have local buy-in and input into the program, and contribute to long term sustainability of program objectives, applicants are encouraged to form partnerships or consortia that include local non-governmental organizations or community based organizations. Partnerships should provide complimentary contacts and capacities to engage at the grassroots level as well as in the national policy and legislative arena. There are two primary and interconnected program components: (1) Community Based Information Resources; development of information resources that will help inform citizens about the justice sector process, pertinent reform efforts, and their rights in pursuing individual cases, grievances, etc. and (2) National Level Policy Debate and Advocacy; development of a national public policy education and advocacy campaign around justice sector reform and access to justice. Agency: Department of State Office: International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affair Estimated Funding: $1,275,000 Obtain Full Opportunity Text: Not Available Additional Information of Eligibility: Not Available Full Opportunity Web Address: Contact: Linda Gower Grants Officer Phone 202-776-8774 Agency Email Description: gowerlg@state.gov Agency Email: gowerlg@state.gov Date Posted: 2010-07-23 Application Due Date: 2010-08-23 Archive Date: 2010-09-22 |
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