People living with disabilities often encounter substantial barriers which can hinder them from having full and meaningful participation in society. Such obstacles can make those living with disabilities more vulnerable to all forms of exploitation, violence, abuse and exclusion.

Despite the magnitude of the problem and the critical need for improved understanding and responses, the current research and action surrounding the nexus of disability and trafficking in persons remains limited. The recent study conducted by the Australian government-funded ASEAN-Australia Counter Trafficking program (ASEAN-ACT), has identified significant gaps – whether in laws, policy, and practices including in victim support and data – which will require all stakeholders to work together towards the full and meaningful participation and inclusion of persons with disability in countering trafficking in persons.

ASEAN-ACT seeks to provide small grants for selected Organisations of Persons with Disability (OPDs) and/or relevant Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) in Cambodia, Lao PDR and Vietnam building on the success of similar initiatives in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. The grant intends to foster changes in policy and practices towards counter-trafficking responses, ensuring they are more inclusive of and sensitive to the needs of persons with disabilities.

Call for Proposals

Proposal focus – 2 or more of the following areas

•  Coalition building between OPDs and NGOs working on countering trafficking and related issues to better influence the existing national and sub-national CTIP strategies and  programmes in response to trafficking in persons.
•  Identify a specific legal or policy aspect related to counter-trafficking in persons that can be improved through collaboration among OPDs, NGOs and government bodies, ensuring that the perspective of disability inclusion is prioritised.
• Influencing policy change and/or practice change to enhance understanding and address the specific needs and vulnerabilities of persons with disabilities in victim support and protection in the context of trafficking in persons, and/or the needs of disability data disaggregated to inform counter-trafficking related policies and responses.

Grant amount: up to US$32,000 per grant
Number of grants: 3 (one per country – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Vietnam)
Project duration: Up to 1 year

Eligibility:

• Your organisation must be registered in Cambodia, Lao PDR or Vietnam
• Your organisation must have demonstrated ability to collaborate with relevant stakeholders, including government agencies, a diverse range of OPDs representing different forms of disabilities, the community of persons with disabilities, NGOs partners working in counter-trafficking in persons.
• You may apply as part of a consortium, comprising a combination of various OPDs and/or NGOs focused on combatting human trafficking.