Deadline: 12-Aug-22
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is inviting applications for sixth round of the Special Programme to support country-driven institutional strengthening at the national level, in the context of an integrated approach to address the financing of the sound management of chemicals and wastes, taking into account the national development strategies, plans and priorities for each country, to increase sustainable public institutional capacity for the sound management of chemicals and wastes throughout their life cycle.
These guidelines aim to assist applicants in understanding the scope of the Special Programme and the proposed projects to support institutional strengthening at the national level for implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions, the Minamata Convention and the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management.
Funding Information
The Special Programme Trust Fund may provide support from US$ 50,000 to US$ 250,000 per project proposal, including possible administration fees and monitoring and evaluation and financial audit. In exceptional circumstances, an applicant country may request up to a maximum of US$ 500,000.
Projects requesting more than US$ 250,000 should fulfil the criteria mentioned on the official website.
Type of Projects
- Is a country-driven project that is conceived and implemented by the applicant
- Builds long-term capacity in the relevant ministry or ministries
- Has a sustainable financing mechanism or a plan for ensuring long-term sustainability
- Focuses on multi-sectoral involvement
- Improves chemicals and waste management to mitigate negative impact
- Engages with private sector stakeholders
- Promotes an enabling environment to foster the ratification and implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, the Minamata Convention and implementation of SAICM.
- Coordinates the implementation of policies, strategies and national programmes for the sound management of chemicals and waste
- Has a gender mainstreaming component and promotes consideration of gender and UNEP safeguards standards
- Emphasizes gender-disaggregated data collection where relevant
- Creates synergies with other related initiatives in the country in the context of the ongoing reform of the United Nations Development System.
Expected Outcomes
The expected outcome of the Special Programme is to strengthen the capacities of national institutions to do the following:
- Develop and monitor the implementation of national policies, strategies, programmes and legislation for the sound management of chemicals and waste;
- Promote the adoption, monitoring and enforcement of legislation and regulatory
- Frameworks for the sound management of chemicals and waste;
- Promote the mainstreaming of the sound management of chemicals and waste into national development plans, national budgets, policies, legislation and implementation frameworks at all levels, including addressing gaps and avoiding duplication; Work in a multisectoral, effective, efficient, transparent, accountable and sustainable manner in the long term;
- Facilitate multisectoral and multi-stakeholder cooperation and coordination at the national level;
- Promote private sector responsibility, accountability and involvement;
- Promote the effective implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm conventions, the Minamata Convention and the Strategic Approach;
- Promote cooperative and coordinated implementation of the Basel, Rotterdam, and
- Stockholm Conventions, the Minamata Convention and the Strategic Approach to
- International Chemicals Management at the national level.
Eligibility Criteria
Eligible Governments can apply to the Special Programme
- “Governments” specifically refers to the national government ministry or department in charge of the chemicals and waste agenda at the national level. Affiliations of Governments and local governments are not eligible. Countries should also be on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of Official Development Assistance (ODA) at the time of application.
- Please note that the application form differentiates between the “Applicant Government”, which refers to the Government submitting the application and the “Applicant Government Focal Point”, who is the lead contact person on behalf of the Applicant Government, responsible for the application and all interaction with the Secretariat.
- It is strongly encouraged that the Applicant Government only submits one application from the country based on the issue(s) identified as the most important national priorities for possible funding from the Special Programme Trust Fund. In cases where there may be more than one proposal at the national level, the Official Focal Point should coordinate among the proponents to enable the Applicant Government to submit one proposal.
For more information, visit https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/chemicals-waste/what-we-do/special-programme/applying-funding-through-special