the United Nations Peacebuilding Fund
called for proposals for its newly launched Youth Promotion Initiative
(YPI) from not only UN entities but also for the first time from
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), the Fund announced Wednesday.
The PBF also announced that its third Gender Promotion Initiative (GPI 3) will be open to NGOs for the first time.
Both calls will accept proposals for
projects in the following countries: Central African Republic, Comoros,
Côte d’Ivoire, Guatemala, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia,
Mali, Myanmar, Niger, Papua New Guinea, Sierra Leone, South Sudan and
Sri Lanka.
“We are responding to recommendations
of the joint Resolutions on the Peacebuilding Architecture to work more
directly with civil society by opening up these calls to NGOs, as well
as UN entities,” said Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant
Secretary-General for Peacebuilding. “This is an exciting and historic
change for the PBF, one we hope will extend the kind of coherence across
the UN system that PBF funding is able to induce to a broader network
of peacebuilding partners.”
Similar to past calls, the GPI 3
supports women’s contributions to sustainable peace within the
interventions it funds. The Initiative is part of PBF’s commitment to
meeting the Secretary-General’s target that at least 15% of UN efforts
support women and girls’ empowerment. PBF met this target for the first
time in 2015 — one of only three entities in the entire UN system to
achieve this goal. Recognising that the 15% target should be a floor and
not a ceiling, PBF anticipates that GPI 3 will enable it to exceed its
2015 mark.
The Youth Promotion Initiative follows
on the December 2015 Security Council Resolution 2250, on Youth, Peace
and Security. This Resolution recognized the important positive
contribution of youth to peace and provides a framework to support their
efforts. The PBF’s initiative is the first dedicated call for proposals
in response to the Resolution within the UN system.
Being launched in tandem, the PBF seeks
to underscore the importance of these two frequently under-recognized
and under-supported sets of peace actors and encourages approaches that
are mutually reinforcing of both agendas.
This call for proposals marks the first
time that PBF has extended its direct support to NGOs, a long awaited
initiative . To be considered eligible, proposals from NGOs should
respond to the following key criteria:
- Organisations must provide evidence of registration and have an office in the country where the project is proposed
- No global projects.
- Regional projects are possible as long as all countries included in the initiative are eligible under the GPI3/YPI.
- Minimum funding level for projects : $300,000;
- A maximum of two proposals per
organization for the YPI and two for the GPI3 (all countries included),
for a maximum total of four proposals per organisation for the two calls
combined
- NGOs will undergo a financial and technical assessment to be able to receive PBF funds
- Proposed projects must indicate clear and full partnership with a local NGO or CSO
Moreinfo: http://www.un.org/youthenvoy/2016/05/first-youth-promotion-initiative-of-the-un-peacebuilding-fund