Call for Applications: Protection of Human Rights and Democracy in Tajikistan

Deadline: 17-Apr-24

Submissions are now open for grant applications for the European Commission’s programme on Protection of Human Rights and Democracy in Tajikistan.

The Thematic Program on Human Rights and Democracy (HR&D) is a European Union program that aims to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and rule of law worldwide through support to civil society initiatives.

It identifies five overarching priorities and key actions to ensure that the EU plays a greater role in promoting and defending human rights and democracy throughout its external action:

• Protecting and empowering individuals;
• Building resilient, inclusive and democratic societies;
• Promoting a global system for human rights and democracy;
• Harnessing the opportunities and addressing challenges of new technologies;
• Delivering by working together.

Objectives

• The overall objective of this call for proposals is:
  • to promote and protect human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and rule of law.
• The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals is:
  • to support Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in their efforts to protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms in Tajikistan.
• The priority(ies) of this call for proposals is/are:
  • Supporting freedom of media, access to information and fight against disinformation, also with respect to new technologies and digital rights
  • Contributing to empowerment of civil society, in particular HRDs
  • Contributing to eradication of torture and fighting impunity, and supporting penitentiary system reform
• The objectives of the proposed actions must be consistent with the overall objective and specific objectives of the call and with areas listed above.
• Priority will be given to proposals:
  • drafted and implemented by consortium of local CSOs;
  • demonstrating a good intervention logic and providing for a rigorous results’ monitoring system;
  • that use the Global Europe Results Framework indicators in their logical frameworks of submitted proposals;

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 1,855,000: EUR 1,125,000 to be financed under 2023 budget and an indicatively EUR 730,000 to be financed under 2024 budget, subject to the availability of the appropriations provided for in the general budget of the Union for 2024.
• The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds. Similarly, this amount could be increased should more funds become available.
• Size of grants:
  • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • minimum amount: EUR 300,000
    • maximum amount: EUR 400,000
  • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum percentages of total eligible costs of the action:
    • Minimum percentage: 75% of the total eligible costs of the action.
    • Maximum percentage: 90% of the total eligible costs of the action. However, it can be increased to 95% of the total eligible costs of the action. In case of both the lead applicant and co-applicant(s) (and affiliated entity(ies) where applicable) established in Tajikistan.

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 organization such as: Civil Society Organization, (international organizations are not eligible under this call), and
    • be established in a Member State of the European Union or in Tajikistan or in any other territory as no nationality restriction applies to applicants, 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, and
    • the lead applicant must act with co-applicant(s). However, if the lead applicant is not established in Tajikistan but in an EU Member State or in any other territory, it must act with at least two co-applicants established in Tajikistan
• Co-applicant(s)
  • 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.

For more information, visit European Commission .