Iraq, call for bids: John Bunyan Fund for Freedom of Religion or Belief

The purpose of this fund is to support British Embassy areas of interest mentioned below.

Specific areas of focus are:

protect the right to freedom of religion or belief in Iraq. Utilise and increase civic space to strengthen interfaith dialogue and understanding between different religious groups

promote greater integration of views of minority Iraqi communities into mainstream policy including reconciliation. Promote constructive dialogue between Erbil and Baghdad on importance of religious education

engagement with youth and diverse actors from minority and majority religious groups to ensure youth inclusion in activities that influence Government policy and legislation on FoRB

promote youth education of diversity of religion and belief in Iraq, broadening understanding of communities and breaking down stigma

address and progress FoRB in Iraq:

government of Iraq/Kurdistan Regional Government does not introduce new policies or legislation that restrict freedom of religion or belief for all

government of Iraq/Kurdistan Regional Government introduce policies and legislation that respect and protect freedom of religion or belief for all

influencers outside government successfully advocate for greater FoRB for all, in communities and government

address specific issues which may be experienced by women and girls from religious minority groups. Increase female minority participation in promoting peace, particularly in reconciliation efforts to ensure GoI/KRG takes significant steps to address the impact of current violence and discrimination against minority groups and ensure stronger support to pillars of increased participation as critical steps towards building a stable, democratic society

Bidders should have significant understanding of religious persecution. An understanding of government programming would be an advantage. The organisation will be able to demonstrate a strong track record of financial management and internal governance.

We are looking for creative and original project ideas which could help us achieve any of the above goals.

Successful bids will be for innovative activities that will have the greatest impact and deliver real change on the FoRB agenda in Iraq. We are less interested in proposals which focus purely on seminars, workshops or the production of research reports that end in themselves. Instead, proposals should include action-oriented ideas which will bring about concrete outcomes.

Budget

Project activity must be completed before 31 March 2022. The total amount of funding available is 30,000 GBP. We are unable to fund multiple-year projects. The successful implementer is required to issue quarterly reports.

Projects not eligible for funding

Projects focused on service delivery or projects that support military, religious affairs, construction activities, capital costs, or mainly staff salaries are will be assessed against the following criteria:

alignment with the above mentioned priorities and outcomes

clear practical focus leading to tangible next steps

outcomes are achievable within the funding period

clear monitoring and evaluation procedures

strong risk and financial management, including consideration of safeguarding risks

overall value for money

How to apply

Interested implementers are invited to submit their Proposal and Activity Based Budget, with approximate expected value of fund, to the embassy by 03 October 2021.

Submit your project proposal form above £10k (ODT, 73.5KB) and activity based budget template (ODS, 10.2KB) to our Programme unit at HRDP[email protected] by 03 October 2021.

For further information, write to: HRDP[email protected].