Call for Proposals: Renewing the European Union Human Rights Defenders Mechanism

Deadline: 22 January 2019

The European Union (EU) is seeking proposals for renewing the EU multifaceted human rights defenders mechanism led by a consortium of specialised organisations with worldwide coverage addressing the most difficult situations faced by human rights defenders.

Objectives

The specific objectives of this call for proposals are:

• to enable HRDs at risk (individuals, groups and organisations) to carry out their work and enhance their protection through EU multifaceted support worldwide;
• to enhance temporary relocation and shelter capacities for HRDs in most difficult situations, including rest and respite, and support to their subsequent return or integration;
• to strengthen the coordination and synergy with other actors and initiatives supporting HRDs, including those funded by the EIDHR.

Priorities

• Providing multiform support to HRDs most at risk on short, medium and long-term
• Providing for enhanced temporary relocation and shelter capacities for HRDs
• Ensuring coordination and outreach

Funding Information

Any requested UE contribution under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum maximum amounts:

• Minimum amount: EUR 14,000,000
• Maximum amount: EUR 15,000,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Lead applicant
  • In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • be a legal person and
    • be non-profit-making and
    • be a specific type of organisation such as:
      • civil society organisations, including private-sector non-profit agencies, institutions and organisations and networks thereof at local, national, regional and international level;
      • National Human Rights Institutions, Ombudspersons;
      • Universities and
    • be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the co-applicant(s) and affiliated entity(ies), not acting as an intermediary.
  • NB: please note that international organisation as defined by Article 43 of the rules of application of the EU Financial Regulation are not eligible under this call for proposals.
  • No nationality restriction applies to applicants and to co-applicants and affiliated entities.
• Co-applicant(s)
  • The lead applicant must act with at least five co-applicants, with a view to ensure adequate and specialised geographic (i.e. of each region) and thematic (i.e. groups of HRDs) coverage. The applicants will be evaluated on their aggregated proven capacity to deliver on the three priorities of this call for proposals.
  • Co-applicants participate in designing and implementing the action, and the costs they incur are eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the lead applicant himself.
• Affiliated entities
  • The lead applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies).
  • Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s):
    • Only entities having a structural link with the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), in particular a legal or capital link.
  • This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
    • Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
      • Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
        • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
        • Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
        • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
    • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association) as the proposed affiliated entities.

How to Apply

In order to apply for the grants, applicants have to register themselves in PADOR, an on-line database via given website.

For more information, please visit Europeaid and download the guidelines.