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Innovation for Change MENA: Call for Proposals

Deadline: 5-Mar-22

The Innovation for Change Middle East and North Africa Hub (I4C MENA) is announcing a call for proposals to engage further regional civil society organizations in the Hub efforts for an enabling and innovative civil society environment in the MENA region.

They are pleased to launch the present call for proposals to engage additional regional civil society groups to consolidate and build upon their existing work and practices and carry out programs that support their aim to create an enabling and innovative environment for civil society in the region.

Since 2017, the Middle East and North Africa hub of Innovation for Change (I4C MENA) has become the region’s network of people and organizations who connect, collaborate, exchange ideas, innovations, and resources, and learn together with the aim of opening the Civic Space and overcoming restrictions to civil rights of assembly, association, and speech in the MENA region.

Through this call, the MENA Hub aims to carry out further work to consolidate and build upon knowledge and practices from its previous implementation phases by leveraging technology and innovation for human rights, building and strengthening digital advocacy and security at a grassroots level, and improving legal, policy and regulatory frameworks that impact civic space in the MENA region.

Goals
  • To strengthen civil society policy advocacy capacity in leading policy advocacy efforts and for an improved civil society enabling environment in the MENA region.
  • Support activists, CSOs, and journalists and increase their capacity through the launch and curation of thematic Communities of Practice.
  • Develop a strengthened and collaborative community of CSOs with increased capacities in financial sustainability and monitoring good governance in the MENA region.
Specific Objectives

The specific objectives of this call are:

  • Strengthening civil society policy advocacy capacity in leading policy advocacy efforts and for an improved civil society enabling environment in the MENA region;
  • Building coalitions that encourage coordination and joint action, and providing practical solidarity and support in the face of attacks and threats in the region;
  • Strengthening CSOs, journalists, and youth capacity in evidence-based reporting and monitoring of human rights issues in the region.
Themes

The Middle East and North Africa Hub works on civic space development in the region, and focuses on implementing projects, initiatives, and campaigns in the following areas:

  • Addressing civic space issues through innovative and groundbreaking methodologies;
  • Contributing efforts to consolidate democracy and reform and spreading the culture of human rights, the rule of law, good governance, and sustainable development;
  • Strengthening coordination and networking between CSOs to work collectively on monitoring government commitments in issues related to freedom of expression, assembly and association, local governance, NGOs law, and human rights;
  • Strengthening CSOs, activists, and journalists capacities in digital security and policy advocacy;
  • Contributing and working towards reforming the legislative environment incubating the work of civil society institutions according to international standards and best practices;
  • Enhancing CSOs capacities in observing human rights and misinformation;
  • Promoting media freedom and freedom of expression through country-tailored advocacy campaigns;
  • Developing a strengthened and collaborative community of CSOs with increased capacities in financial sustainability;
  • Countering the criminalization and defamation of civic actors and civil society.
Funding Information
  • Anticipated Number of grant/awards: Up to 5 prime grants
  • Anticipated award amount per grant: $100,000 – $200,000 USD
Key stakeholder groups

Key stakeholders are civil society organizations, activists, journalists working on human rights and shrinking civic space issues in the MENA region. The key stakeholder groups are representatives of civil society in the region and who should also be consulted to articulate the design specifications of the submissions.

Expected Outcomes

The proposed call shall strengthen the hub’s efforts in addressing online and offline shrinking civic space challenges in the region. The larger program outcomes shall support CSOs and activists in building coalitions and initiatives to expand civic spaces and fundamental freedoms through policy advocacy, innovation, and capacity building for key actors.

Eligible Countries

Due to geographical funding scope limitations, below is the list of countries that can be covered through the programs proposed for the present call:

Eligibility Criteria

The I4C MENA Hub call for proposals is open to civil society organizations from the MENA region. You are also eligible to apply if you have answered “Yes” to each of the following questions:

  • If you are applying as an organization, is your organization registered and based in the MENA region?
  • Is your idea or project tied to your local community or a community to which you have a connection?
  • Does your organization have proven experience in managing programs and grants?
  • Will your project contribute to a positive impact on the regional civic space?
  • Are you committed to implementing your program in a partnership approach and making an impact?

For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/I4CMENAHub/photos/a.412121922773749/933119274007342/