This is a restricted Call for Proposals. In the first instance, only Concept Notes must be submitted for evaluation. Thereafter, applicants whose Concept Notes have been pre-selected will be invited to submit a Full Application Form. Further to the evaluation of the Full Applications, an eligibility check will be performed for those which are provisionally selected. This check will be undertaken on the basis of the supporting documents requested by the European Commission, the signed "Declaration by the Applicant" sent together with the Concept Note and the second Declaration sent together with the Full Application.
Considering the particular nature of this Call for Proposals the exchange of nformation with applicants will be limited and adapted to their needs. Upon receipt of the application, the European Commission will assign a reference number to it which will be communicated to the applicants. The applicants will be in position to follow up (i) the results of the evaluation of their proposal (concept note and full application, if applicable) and (ii) the progress of the evaluation procedure, through the notices to be published on the EuropeAid website https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/europeaid/online-services/index.cfm?do=publi.welcome together with the other documents related to this call. The afore-mentioned notices will include the list of applications identified by the reference number only. For the purpose of exchanging information with applicants in the context of this Call, the European Commission shall use the email address indicated in the Concept Note to contact applicants who submit their Concept Notes by email. Applicants who submit their Concept Notes through other means are requested to indicate in the Grant application form (Annex A, Part A – Concept Note) the means by which they wish to be contacted by the European Commission. The European Commission reserves the right to contact the applicants through alternative means as the case may be.
1. THE EUROPEAN INSTRUMENT FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS (EIDHR)
1.1 BACKGROUND
The European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)1 was adopted by the European Parliament and the Council in December 2006. This instrument took the place of the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights, which was created at the proposal of the European Parliament in 1994 and makes it possible to give financial support for activities aiming to strengthen democracy and human rights around the world during the 2007-2013 financial perspectives.
Among other objectives, the EIDHR aims at providing support to human rights defenders around the globe, a stance which has long been an integral part of the European Union's external policy on human rights. The European Parliament2 has repeatedly recognized the contribution that human rights defenders make to the protection and promotion of human rights, the rule of law, democracy and the prevention of conflicts, and has called upon the EU to ensure their protection and to support their work.
Furthermore, in June 2004 the Council of the European Union adopted the EU Guidelines on Human Rights Defenders3, which provide practical recommendations to streamline EU actions in this field. The Guidelines, which build on the UN Declaration on human rights defenders4 adopted in 1998, represent the political framework under which financial support is given to defenders through the EIDHR.
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE EUROPEAN INSTRUMENT FOR DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN RIGHTS (EIDHR) AND PRIORITY ISSUES
The general objective of the EIDHR is to contribute to the development and consolidation of democracy and the rule of law and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms, consistent with the European Union’s foreign policy as a whole.
This instrument is designed to help civil society to become an effective force for political reform and defence of human rights. In doing this, it aims to complement the geographical programmes that work through direct cooperation with governments and mostly focus on public institution-building. The EIDHR offers independence of action, which is a critical feature of cooperation with civil society organisations at national level, especially in the sensitive areas of democracy and human rights. Great flexibility and increased capacity to respond to changing circumstances and to support innovation are among its intrinsic features.
1.2.1 Objectives of this Call for Proposals
This Call for Proposals aims at selecting actions with a view to implementing Objective 1 of the EIDHR Strategy Paper5, i.e.- "Enhancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in countries where they are most at risk" and Objective 3 of the EIDHR Strategy 2011-2013 aiming at supporting Human Rights Defenders.
The overall objective of this call for proposals is to enhance the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in countries and situations where they are most at risk and where human rights defenders and civil society organisations work under severe constraints and are most under pressure.
The specific objective of this call is to provide direct support and protection to human rights defenders and to reinforce their capacities to do their work in the short and long-term, as well as to provide tangible support and means of action to local civil society in the promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms in some of the world's most difficult, dangerous and unpredictable political situations and/or where they are the most vulnerable and threatened.
For the purpose of this call for proposals, the concept "most at risk"6 refers to countries and situations characterised by a serious lack of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; where human rights and fundamental freedoms are systematically violated; where there exists high risk to human security making it difficult for civil society and human rights defenders to operate, and where there is little or no room for political pluralism. Therefore, the gravity and persistence of the violations together with the effectiveness of the action are two key considerations for assessing and prioritising action proposals.
Lots under this Call for Proposals:
LOT 1: IN COUNTRY ACTIONS
This lot targets actions taking place in one single country that aim at enhancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and at supporting human rights defenders taking place either in countries either in situations where they are the most at risk. It implements Objective 1 "Enhancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in countries where they are most at risk" and Objective 3 "Supporting Human Rights Defenders" of the EIDHR Strategy 2011-2013.
Considering the objective of this call for proposals, actions should primarily be carried out at the location of the situations targeted. The actions may affect only a particular group and may also include activities "out of the targeted country" (including with Diasporas and refugee communities) but they must be directly related to the situations and benefit the local population in the targeted country.
In addition, projects may be carried out in relation to a specifically designated area within a country or in an area which lies under the effective control of a third country, where the human rights situation is particularly grave independently of the overall human rights situation in the country concerned (e.g. Territory/area under the control of an occupying power; area under emergency rule, etc.).
While activities in other countries than the one targeted are allowed, these activities must be directly linked to the country targeted and respond to the specific objectives of this call for proposals.
Lot 1 does not include any list of focus countries. It is up to the grant applicant to identify it with reference to independent monitoring reports and/or external indicators. The indicators contribute to establishing the relevance of the action: the graver the situation, the higher the priority.
Under this lot, partnerships with civil society organisations of the countries targeted (be it formal or informal) are strongly recommended in order to meet the objectives of this Call for proposals. The difference between formal and informal partners is explained under section 2.1.2.
LOT 2: TRANSNATIONAL ACTIONS (global and/or regional)
This lot targets global and/or regional actions aiming at enhancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and at supporting human rights defenders taking place either in countries either in situations where they are the most at risk. It implements Objective 1 "Enhancing respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms in countries where they are most at risk" and Objective 3 "Supporting Human Rights Defenders" of the EIDHR Strategy 2011-2013.
Actions need to take place in at least two countries having similar issues to be addressed or where human rights defenders face similar types of threats or obstacles to their human rights work. Actions which take place in one single country will not be eligible under this lot.
Applicants are asked to provide in the proposal a clear description of the action (objectives, expected results, activities) as a whole and per country targeted.
Furthermore, under lot 2, applicants must act in partnership with at least one partner (be it formal or informal) from the countries where the action is going to take place. The specific role and the involvement of the partners in the implementation of the action will be explicitly evaluated at Concept Note and Full Application stage (see Evaluation Grids in section 2.3 of the present Guidelines).
The difference between formal and informal partners is explained under section 2.1.2.
Exceptionally, however, where an applicant considers that a partnership is not feasible or appropriate due to the specific constraints of the proposed action, duly justified reasons must be provided. These reasons will be examined in the context of the evaluation.
Main priorities under this Call for Proposals
Regardless of whether the action proposed is national (Lot 1) or transnational (regional or global-Lot 2), the main priorities under this call are the following:
1. To contribute to improving the situation relating to the following fundamental freedoms:
i) the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief;
ii) the right to freedom of opinion and expression, including artistic and cultural expression, the right to information and to communicate, including freedom of the media, fight against censorship, and access to the Internet;
iii) the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, including the right to form and join a trade union; iv) the right to freedom of movement within the borders of a state, and the right to leave any country, including one’s own, and to return to one’s country.
In-country activities promoting indirectly these fundamental freedoms may be also considered in cases where the environment in which the action will be implemented is extremely difficult.
2. To provide support and protection to human rights defenders, in particular those who are the most vulnerable and/or subject to acute repression and discrimination, e.g. women human rights defenders; defenders of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTI) rights; journalists and media professionals; trade unionists; defenders' lawyers; defenders of environmental, land and other economic, social and cultural rights, defenders of rights of indigenous peoples and human rights defenders living outside the capitals and in remote areas.
Support to human rights defenders under this Call should address the following issues:
i) the provision of short and long-term direct financial, material and other forms of support and protection to human rights defenders, in particular in situations of emergency or danger.
ii) the support and reinforcement of human rights defenders' capacities, to carry out their human rights work and to increase their organisational and financial capacities with a view of ensuring the sustainability of their actions in the future.
iii) the active contribution to breaking the isolation and social exclusion of human rights defenders in their communities by sensitising national and international public opinion about their work and role in the promotion and defence of human rights and by reinforcing their capacities in networking with other human rights civil society organisations on an international, regional and national level.
Actions under this Call for Proposals may address one or both priorities.
Actions may use alternative “entry points" by combining projects with other human rights issues linked to, for example, social, economic and cultural rights that offer the possibility to work in a given country/situation. The use of "entry points" must serve as a means to work in extremely difficult local situations and contribute to the objectives of this call for proposals.
Type of activities
Actions under this Call must ultimately contribute to empowering civil society organisations and human rights defenders in the target country (ies) and regions.
Indicative types of activities eligible under this call include:
Capacity-building activities in the field of human rights, including advocacy, lobbying, on strategies of change, researching, documenting and writing about violations of human rights and the fight against impunity, in particular with a view of transmitting them to international fora, such as the UN Human Rights Council and its Special Procedures, etc
Support to independent media and their staff, including providing financial, material and technical support to ensure their ability to operate in difficult political contexts and to reach wider audiences;
Provision of specific training in security and protection for local human rights organizations and individuals, including the provision of relevant material and equipment, as well as any other type of preventive activities aimed at ensuring the protection and security of human rights defenders;
Provision of medical and psychological assistance, legal counselling and any other type of support to human rights defenders, including to those placed in detention or in prison, as well as to their relatives', including activities aimed at preventing or denouncing cases of torture and ill-treatment exerted against detained defenders.
Reinforcement and coordination of advocacy, sensitisation and lobbying capacities of local human rights organisations and civil society organizations in the promotion and respect of human rights before relevant stakeholders in their countries, such as the media, national authorities, regional and international human rights institutions and their participation in international conferences;
Trial monitoring and prison visits;
Capacity-building of local partners and target groups including in language and informatics skills to improve the organizations' possibilities to develop links with external stakeholders;
Monitoring and international investigative and solidarity missions (visits to countries);
• Training and awareness-building of human rights defenders and local civil society organizations, in particular of those living outside the capitals and in remote areas, on international law as well as of international, regional and national mechanisms for the protection of defenders, including the EU Guidelines on human rights defenders:
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cmsUpload/GuidelinesDefenders.pdf
Assistance and consolidation of the capacities of human rights defenders who are outside their country of work on a temporary basis for security reasons or until their return to that country is possible and safe.
Re-granting (see below)
This list of activities is not exhaustive.
Moreover, under Lot 2, all actions must include one of the following specific activities:
a) Direct financial and/or material support to human rights defenders or civil society organisations of the countries targeted. Applicants may provide any kind of assistance to human rights defenders (financial, legal, material, etc) which will be considered as ordinary eligible expenses provided they are financially backed by receipts, bills, proofs of transfer and any other document justifying the expenses. Examples of the use of this tool include: purchasing of equipment, IT and other types of technological or office material for local organizations or individuals; acquisition of window bars, alarms and other infrastructure necessary to secure organization's premises or human rights defenders' homes; coverage of medical or legal fees of individual defenders, financial support to relatives of imprisoned defenders, financial coverage of logistic
expenses for defenders to travel around their countries to monitor human rights violations or to attend conferences or workshops, etc. Applicants are reminded that partners, formal or informal, can also provide direct support to defenders.
or
b) Sub-granting: one activity specifically aimed at providing financial assistance to third parties in the form of small grants. For more information on sub-granting, please see section 2.1.3 below. Sub-granting may be used to support small actions/projects implemented by individuals or human rights organizations which are third parties to the project (and not partners nor beneficiaries). Examples of the use of sub-granting include: organization by the applicant or its partners of small "calls for proposals" for which third parties may present applications for a project which can be awarded a mini-grant; to assist a human rights organization which is in need of temporary financial support to ensure its operational functioning; to provide urgent support to human rights defenders or civil society actors in the form of cash when the ordinary transfer of funds is not feasible (when there is no proof of transfer), etc. Actions supported through sub-granting must in all cases contribute to the achievement of the overall objective of the action implemented by the applicant;
The inclusion of one of the above-mentioned activities and its significance in relation to the rest of the action will be specifically evaluated at Concept Note and Full Application stage (see Evaluation Grids in section 2.3 of the present Guidelines). Exceptionally, however, where an applicant considers that the above-mentioned specific activities are not feasible or appropriate due to the specific constraints of the proposed action, duly justified reasons must be provided. These reasons will be examined in the context of the evaluation.
Innovative activities addressing the priorities of this call are particularly encouraged.
Applicants must demonstrate how the action will address the priorities targeted in this call for proposals through the proposed activities.
Expected results:
- Considering the difficult context in which the action will take place, expected results of any action under this call for proposals may include the following (non exhaustive list):
- improved access to information including the internet, or enhanced public awareness and use of methods to bypass restrictions;
- persons at risk, including human rights defenders and journalists brought to trial, receive support to face trial; intimidation and harassment of persons at risk and their families is better faced by victims; human rights defenders and journalists are able to continue their professional activities; improved information about those held in detention;
- strengthened capacities of human rights defenders, e.g. by improved knowledge and resources in matters of legal defence, public mobilisation, monitoring of abuses, access to international support and human rights mechanisms, in their technical, management and financial capacities, etc.;
- local human rights organisations brought out of their isolation; their existence, capacities and activities fostered through participation to international/regional events, provision of financial and material support (office equipment, etc.) organisation of joint activities whenever possible, capacity-building, etc.;
- public discourse on human rights, democracy or specific issues relevant to human rights is fostered and political debate on these issues is opened up;
- the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations becomes more professional and has more impact at domestic and international levels.
The proposed actions should be designed to produce specific results in response to clearly identified problems. It is thus necessary to set clear objectives based on specifically tailored strategies and intervention methodologies that incorporate complementary, consistent activities suitable for tackling the identified problems directly.
Furthermore, all actions must aim at obtaining sustainable results in order to achieve ongoing impact beyond the duration of EIDHR funding. In particular, applicants are highly encouraged to include in their actions specific activities aimed at increasing financial, management and organizational capacities of local human rights defenders and civil society organizations, in particular grass-roots groups in rural or remote areas, to ensure the continuation of their work in the long term, e.g. training on engagement with donors and fundraising, project cycle management (PCM) and grant proposals writing, sound project financial management, organisational management, etc.
Applicants are asked to ensure that the action foresees the necessary human, financial and material resources for the implementation of the activities in the budget.
Monitoring and Evaluation
Applicants must foresee planning, human resources, budget and any other appropriate measures for the monitoring and evaluation of the proposed action. Monitoring activities and evaluation of results and impact of the proposed action will be specifically evaluated at Full application stage (see Full application evaluation grids in section 2.3 of the present Guidelines).
1.3 FINANCIAL ALLOCATION PROVIDED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION
The overall indicative amount made available under this Call for Proposals is EUR 15.700.000 from the 2011 budget.The European Commission reserves the right not to award all available funds. Equally, this amount could beincreased should more funds become available.
Where the indicative financial envelope foreseen for a specific lot cannot be used due to insufficient quality or number of proposals received, the European Commission reserves the right to reallocate the remaining funds to another lot within this Call or to other Call under the EIDHR instrument.
Indicative financial envelope per lot:
The funds will be distributed according to the following indicative allocation per lot:
- Lot 1: 60%
- Lot 2: 0%
Size of grants
Any grant awarded under this Call for Proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
- Minimum amount: 150.000 EUR
- Maximum amount: 2.000.000 EUR
Moreinfo: click here
