Valuing Female Domestic and Informal Work through Capacity Building (Cabo Verde)

Official data show that poverty in Cabo Verde disproportionately impacts women. Government officials and civil society representatives recognize that poverty has a “female face.” 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. 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. 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.

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.

Funding Information

• Total Amount Available: $140,000
• Period of Performance: Two years. The anticipated period of performance for this grant will be from October/ November 2024 – October/ November 2026.
• Organizations can only submit one application in response to the NOFO.  The Embassy may: (a) reject any or all applications, (b) accept an application other than the lowest cost application, or (c) waive informalities and minor irregularities in applications received.
• The Embassy may make the award on the basis of initial applications received, without discussions or negotiations.  Therefore, each initial application should contain the applicant’s best terms from a cost and technical standpoint.  The U.S. government reserves the right to enter into discussions with one or more applicants in order to obtain clarifications, additional detail, or to suggest refinements in the project description, budget, or other aspects of an application.

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.

Eligible 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.

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.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Applicants
  • Eligibility is limited to the entities listed below, Cabo Verdean or non-Cabo Verdean, with relevant Cabo Verde experience in the area(s) targeted by the project:
    • Non-profit organizations including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations.
    • Public and private educational institutions
    • Public international organizations
    • Governmental institutions
• Cost Sharing or Matching
  • Providing cost sharing, matching, or cost participation is not an eligibility factor or requirement for this NOFO.
• Other Eligibility Requirements 
  • Applicants must have existing, or the capacity to develop, active partnerships with local in-country partners, entities, and relevant stakeholders and have successfully administered similar projects.
  • In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number.

For more information, visit Grants.gov.