Deadline: 18-Apr-21
The Norwegian Human Rights Fund (NHRF) has opened a specialised and limited call for concept notes for projects contributing to building resilience, adaptability and increased safety and security for human rights defenders and human rights movements.
Projects focusing on digital security and new technological threats used against human rights defenders and projects that seek to give psychosocial and multifaceted support to human rights defenders will be prioritized. The applicant should explain how the initiative will lead to a positive change for human rights defenders in their local communities.
The NHRF supports projects that focus on traditional as well as innovative methods, involving:
- the use of advocacy to increase the respect for and commitment to human rights defenders and their role in society
- strategic networking with a diversity of stakeholders to build a wider and more diverse support base for human rights defenders and their legitimate role
- the arts and artistic mediums used to build campaigns of awareness and protection advocacy for human rights defenders
- new partnerships between human rights defenders and business to support an enabling environment for defending rights
- work with national and UN mandates and mechanisms for protection of human rights defenders
- capacity development and/or training of trainers
- mentoring of human rights defenders
- Organisations with strong female leadership (e.g. organisations led by women and/or organisations with women in leadership (not only administrative) positions
Funding Information
- Amount: 15-25,000 USD.
Eligibility Criteria
- Successful applicants must:
- Have a minimum of 2 years proven experience working with human rights defenders and their security.
- Have a strategic and targeted approach on structural human rights change, for the right to defend rights and the improved security of human rights defenders.
- Be located in India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand or Myanmar. Regional initiatives that include human rights defenders from one or more of the listed countries are welcome to apply. International organisations are not eligible.
- Have an annual budget under 150,000 USD. (Applicants with a budget over 150 000 USD can submit applications only if they are able to document a special need or reason for why they should be prioritized by the NHRF in this call.)
- Priority will be given to:
- Organisations that are led by the target group or that have a strong link to the community and have special competence in the thematic area of focus
- Organisations that adapt an inclusive approach, for example for gender, minorities and persons with disabilities
- Organisations that work with women human rights defenders, LGBTIQ- defenders, environmental defenders and trade union activists
- Organisations that have proven experience from working in networks, both nationally and regionally
- Organisations focusing on digital security and psychosocial support
For more information, visit https://nhrf.no/article/2021/call-for-concept-notes-protecting-human-rights-defenders-and-the-right-to-defend-rights