Table 1. Associated threshold decisions covered under this memorandum. Project/Activity Types of Activities with Environmental Threshold Remarks Implications Determination Rights RGDP is seeking assistance to promote social CE. No This proposed USAID’s justice for gender diverse communities in environmental program is for Gender Diverse Bangladesh. It will do this through three impact is similar in scope interrelated components: 1) increased capacity anticipated. and nature of Populations (RGDP) of gender diverse populations to exercise their work of rights; 2)Improved socio-cultural and USAID’s June 2018 - May policy/legal environment for public service existing Human 2021 access by gender diverse populations; and 3) Rights in $450,000 Enhanced capacity of organizations focused on Development Award Number: achieving social justice for gender diverse program which TBD populations . is covered under Asia 15-041. This activity will Through RGDP, USAID/Bangladesh will be covered by IEE expand its work to promote and protect human Therefore, it is Asia 15-041 as rights of gender diverse populations, and expected to long as it is valid sensitize policy makers and other stakeholders have similar (FY 2020) to improve the enabling environment. environmental Currently, USAID is funding the HRID threshold A further IEE is activity which works with gender diverse decisions for required to be populations to increase their knowledge of how activities under prepared and they can access public services, have access to this project. approved by BEO justice, and exercise their rights. RGDP will prior to the end organize sensitization events with policy date of existing IEE makers, government officials, administrative to cover the bodies, health service providers, religious remaining of the leaders, lawyers, media students and other funding period. relevant stakeholders, so that they can respond effectively to the needs of the LGBT community. Other interventions under RGDP include conducting research on stigma levels in educational institutions, providing non-formal education, organizing a job fair for the hijra population, and providing mental healthcare to gender diverse populations. The new activity will continue training human rights defenders and also provide more intensive paralegal training to hijras. CE= Categorical Exclusion
Table 1. Associated threshold decisions covered under this memorandum. Project/Activity Types of Activities with Environmental Implications Threshold Determination Remarks USAID’s Rights for Gender Diverse Populations (RGDP) June 2018 - May 2021 $450,000 Award Number: TBD This activity will be covered by IEE Asia 15-041 as long as it is valid (FY 2020) A further IEE is required to be prepared and approved by BEO prior to the end date of existing IEE to cover the remaining of the funding period. RGDP is seeking assistance to promote social justice for gender diverse communities in Bangladesh. It will do this through three interrelated components: 1) increased capacity of gender diverse populations to exercise their rights; 2)Improved socio-cultural and policy/legal environment for public service access by gender diverse populations; and 3) Enhanced capacity of organizations focused on achieving social justice for gender diverse populations . Through RGDP, USAID/Bangladesh will expand its work to promote and protect human rights of gender diverse populations, and sensitize policy makers and other stakeholders to improve the enabling environment. Currently, USAID is funding the HRID activity which works with gender diverse populations to increase their knowledge of how they can access public services, have access to justice, and exercise their rights. RGDP will organize sensitization events with policy makers, government officials, administrative bodies, health service providers, religious leaders, lawyers, media students and other relevant stakeholders, so that they can respond effectively to the needs of the LGBT community. Other interventions under RGDP include conducting research on stigma levels in educational institutions, providing non-formal education, organizing a job fair for the hijra population, and providing mental healthcare to gender diverse populations. The new activity will continue training human rights defenders and also provide more intensive paralegal training to hijras. CE. No environmental impact is anticipated. This proposed program is similar in scope and nature of work of USAID’s existing Human Rights in Development program which is covered under Asia 15-041. Therefore, it is expected to have similar environmental threshold decisions for activities under this project. CE= Categorical Exclusion
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