8. EU funding opportunities

a) General

Looking for funding opportunities under ‘EuropeAid’? http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/europeaid/cgi/frame12.pl

Click on: STATUS: open; TYPES: grant; Region: all; countries: all; then on ‘SEND’ Then go through the list. You find all the relevant documents there, in a downloadable version.

EuropeAid’s mission is “to implement the external aid instruments of the European Commission which are funded by the European Community budget and the European Development Fund. It does not deal with pre-accession aid programmes (Phare, Ispa and Sapard), humanitarian activities, macro-financial assistance, the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) or the Rapid Reaction Facility.”

• They aim to highlight the interdependence of the EU and developing countries,
  
• They seek to mobilise support for more equitable North-South relations,
  
• They encourage cooperation between NGOs
  
• They enable partners in the developing countries to play an active part.
  
• They ensure an enlarged EU dimension by involving NGOs from the new member states, including actions that facilitate exchanges of experiences and networking between NGOs from the fifteen member states and the member states which joined the EU in May 2004.
  

The Community grant applied for must fall within EUR 50,000 (minimum amount) and EUR 1,080,000 (maximum amount).
Duration: 1 – 3 years
No grant may exceed 75,00 % of the total eligible costs.

• Support for the effective functioning of international criminal ad hoc tribunals
  
• Promotion of an increased universality of the Rome Statute
  
• Support for the preparation and adoption by national legislations of implementation of the Rome Statute
  
• Implementation of the complementarity principle between the ICC and national judicial systems.
  

LOT 2: The progressively restrictive use of the death penalty and its eventual universal abolition

Reflecting the EU’s longstanding commitment to the universal abolition of the death penalty, this LOT will focus support upon the following priorities:

• Raising awareness amongst the public and key opinion-makers on the principal arguments against the death penalty
  
• Monitoring of the conditions of implementation of the death penalty and the application of minimum international standards
  
• Promotion of the signature, ratification and implementation of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) (http://www.ohchr.org/English/law/ccpr-death.htm)
  
• Legal reform to limit the use of or abolish the death penalty and provide legal assistance in cases of particular concern.
  

LOT 3: Reinforcement of the work of international human rights mechanisms

This LOT will focus on support to the following priorities:

• Support relating to UN human rights treaty bodies, in particular raising awareness as to the role of treaty bodies, input to those bodies and implementation of treaty body recommendations.
  
• Support for activities relating to UN special mechanisms, including special rapporteurs, focusing on facilitating the input of civil society actors into the work of the mechanisms and follow-up to concerns raised in their reports.
  

A proposal may not address priorities from more than one LOT.
N.B: Gender equality and the rights of children must be mainstreamed in all project proposals.

Duration: 1 – 3 years
Actions may take place at national, regional or global level. Priorities in these are summarised in the relevant document.
The Community grant applied for must fall within EUR xxx (minimum amount) and EUR xxx (maximum amount): different for LOT 1/2/3
No grant may exceed x,00 % of the total eligible costs: different for LOT 1/2/3

More precise information: read the relevant document, downloadable from the EuropAid website.

Lot 1: Advancing the rights of marginalised or vulnerable groups

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities:

Promotion of the rights of women and children, including equal treatment of women - in particular their physical integrity, fighting harmful traditional practices and other forms of cultural coercion such as female genital mutilation, trafficking of women and children, children in armed conflicts and gender-based violence in conflict zones. (NB for the purposes of this call harmful traditional practices should not be addressed as a health care issue but as a human rights issue)

This LOT in no way represents the only EIDHR support to the advancement of the rights of women and children. Proposals for projects specifically targeting children or women can be presented under the other EIDHR campaigns, in accordance with their particular focus. In addition all projects funded under the EIDHR should mainstream children’s rights as well as gender equality.

This Lot will also promote the rights of defenders of human rights. It will improve the protection of, and raise awareness about, the situation of those who work, at personal risk, to advance human rights through non-violent means. For the purpose of this call “Human rights defenders” is here understood as individuals, groups and associations contributing to the effective elimination of all violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms of peoples and individuals.

Lot 2: Prevention of torture

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities:

• support for the implementation of the EU guidelines on policy towards third countries on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment;
  
• support for awareness-raising activities about the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture, and to promote its signature, ratification and effective implementation;
  
• training of key personnel;
  
• awareness-raising and lobbying activities;
  
• the tracking of supply of torture instruments;
  
• research and publication into torture practices, which shall include activities focused on the root causes of torture and the typology of victims;
  
• provision of assistance to individuals threatened with torture, which may include legal advice, lobbying and awareness-raising.
  

Lot 3: Rehabilitation of victims of torture

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities: support for the rehabilitation of victims or their families who have suffered torture. These projects may also include aspects of prevention of torture representing up to 20% of the project cost.

Applicants may present their request for funding in the form of a specific project and/or may apply to cover their ordinary operational costs (“operating grant”).

For the purposes of this call, the term "torture" means any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity. It does not include pain or suffering arising only from, inherent in or incidental to, lawful sanctions.

A proposal may not address priorities from more than one LOT.
Gender equality and the rights of children must be mainstreamed in all proposals.
The Community grant applied for must fall within EUR xxx (minimum amount) and EUR xxx (maximum amount): different for LOT 1/2/3
No grant may exceed x % of the total eligible costs: different for LOT 1/2/3

For more precise information read the relevant document, downloadable from the EuropAid website.

(From the ‘Guidelines for grant applicants responding to the call for proposals’ )

LOT 1: Underpinning and developing the democratic electoral processes

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities:

• civic and voter education/public awareness-raising and voter information programmes; capacity building and technical assistance for local observers’ organisations;
  
• capacity building and technical assistance to specialised regional organisations in order to enhance their capacity to operate according to best electoral observation methodology practice;
  
• training of legal/judicial professionals in electoral resolution mechanisms to promote public awareness of the legal framework and procedures regulating the electoral processes;
  
• training of media institutions and journalists on electoral administration issues in order to improve their reporting on electoral processes.
  

In the post-election period, EIDHR support funding may include projects, in conjunction with national election commissions and Parliaments, which promote political pluralism by:

• advocating legal reforms enabling political parties and candidates to form and function freely at national and local level;
  
• or by providing training for parliamentarians and key staff of these institutions.
  

Special attention should be paid to those legal provisions that limit access of women and other disadvantaged groups to active political life.

LOT 2: Strengthening the basis for civil society dialogue and democratic discourse through freedom of association.

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities:

Freedom of association, including the free formation of professional associations, trade unions and political parties and raising of public awareness about the role of freedom of association in the democratic process. Support will be provided to activities aimed at bringing national legislation into line with the respective international standards, raising awareness amongst decision-makers, and establishing information networks.

LOT 3: Strengthening the basis for civil society dialogue and democratic discourse through freedom of expression

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities:

Freedom of expression with particular emphasis on the media environment. This may include support for activities to foster independent press and broadcasting including through eliminating legal and technical obstacles, abolishing censorship, raising awareness amongst journalists, improving media professionalism, and promoting appropriate communication and media legislation as well as through fostering unimpeded civil society access to all media including the internet. Activities may aim at the establishment of viable community media which reach remote local communities and enable marginalised sections of civil society to gain a voice. There is also a need to assist and encourage independent media organisations which are committed to raising professional standards and to developing professional skills in a self-regulating environment. Special attention should be paid to equal participation of women in political processes and decision-making.

A proposal may not address priorities from more than one LOT.

Gender equality and the rights of children must be mainstreamed in all project proposals.
The Community grant applied for must fall within EUR 150,000 (minimum amount) and EUR 1,000,000 (maximum amount).
No grant may exceed 80,00 % of the total eligible costs (minimum: 50%).
More precise information: read the relevant document, downloadable from the EuropAid website.

Lot 1: Combating racism and xenophobia and promoting the rights of peoples belonging to minorities

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities:

Support for advocacy to realise the rights of persons facing discrimination on grounds of religious, racial, ethnic or caste background. The campaign will encourage the adoption of anti-discrimination legislation and policies at national level and the removal of discrimination in access to employment, education and other rights. It will promote fair and non-discriminatory representation and participation of minorities and caste-affected groups at all levels of decision-making. The campaign will also develop the capacity of anti-discrimination bodies and support projects to promote intercultural and interethnic understanding, including by encouraging the development of community groups and positive media engagement.

Lot 2: Promoting the rights of indigenous peoples

This LOT will focus upon the following priorities: Raising public awareness of the situation and living conditions of indigenous peoples, and promoting knowledge and understanding of their rights, in particular the right to live on their own land and to own property. Projects of capacity-building will be encouraged, including enhancing information flows, providing specialised workshops and supporting network building amongst indigenous peoples’ organisations at national and regional level. Support will also be provided for the preparation and activities of indigenous peoples’ representatives participating in relevant international fora and also for cooperation with international organisations.

A proposal may not address priorities from more than one LOT.

For both Lots, particular attention should be paid to ensure that gender equality and the rights of children are reflected in all activities. Moreover, preference will be given to proposals that include aspects to promote the objectives of conflict prevention and conflict resolution and that promote cross-cultural and inter-religious understanding.

The Community grant applied for must fall within EUR 150,000 (minimum amount) and EUR 1,000,000 (maximum amount).
No grant may exceed 80,00 % of the total eligible costs (minimum: 50%).
More precise information: read the relevant document, downloadable from the EuropAid website.

Information compiled by Wim Taelman, VORMEN vzw (www.vormen.org), wim.taelman@vormen.org