Call for Proposals: Combating Gender-Based Violence against Lesbians

Deadline: 22-Jun-2024

EL*C – EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community is happy to announce its call for proposals for a violence-free lesbian future.

EL*C goal is to support and build capacities of LBTIQ Civil Society Organisations (CSO) across the European Union and in countries participating in the EU CERV programme – currently Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia – so that they can start, continue or develop further their work to combat or prevent gender-based violence (GBV) against LBTIQ women and non-binary persons. In 2024-2025 EL*C dedicates altogether 1,900,000 EUR to this project; and this call for proposals will be followed by another CFP in 2025.

Objectives 

• Projects need to contribute to one or more of the below objectives:
  • To understand and meet the specific needs of LBTIQ women and non-binary persons who are victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and provide tailor-made support for them.
    • Projects under this objective may include, among other activities, mapping the needs of LBTIQ victims of GBV, starting outreach and provision of support services for LBTIQ communities directly or through other existing service providers e.g. crisis centers, but also continuing, developing and adjusting existing services, outreach work, developing skills and capacities of staff and volunteers or training professionals working with victims of violence. Educating the public or specific stakeholders or addressing prevention of violence may be also included, etc.
  • To ensure that systems for protection and prevention of GBV are used to serve LBTIQ women and non-binary persons and advocate for changes as needed.
    • Projects under this objective may include, among other activities, researching, analyzing and improving the response to the needs of LBTIQ victims of violence including actions of authorities, service providers, multi-agency collaboration; improving implementation of national or European laws, standards and policies, undertaking capacity-building, finetuning processes and procedures, strengthening coordination between agencies, fostering cross-movement learning, collaboration and coalition-building, and undertaking advocacy to improve laws, educate decision-makers etc.
  • To strengthen the sustainability, skills and capacities of LBTIQ CSOs in responding to the GBV-related needs of LBTIQ women and non-binary persons and in becoming visible representatives for the topic.
    • Projects under this objective may include, among other activities, identifying skills and capacity gaps in responding to the needs of LBTIQ women and non-binary persons, addressing those gaps as well as gaps in organizational processes, procedures, capacities, resources and gaps in collaborations with other LBTIQ actors and women’s rights actors or other key stakeholders, etc.

Categories

• Applications can be submitted in one of two categories:
  • Category I.: Starting Up and Tailoring GBV Work
    • This category is recommended for LBTIQ CSOs launching new work or tailoring existing work for LBTIQ women and non-binary persons. For instance, an LBTIQ CSO may launch its own services to support victims or may work with existing service providers – e.g. women’s or LGBTIQ crisis centers, other service-providers – on introducing a new element of service in order to meet the specific needs of LBTIQ women and non-binary persons. It is also recommended for those introducing a new element to the existing service, outreach, prevention or advocacy work in order to meet the specific needs of the LBTIQ community, or its parts (e.g. members living in rural areas, persons exposed to multiple discrimination, etc.). Projects are encouraged to include collaboration and learning. Grant requests may range between 10,000 and 30,000 EUR.
  • Category II.: Scaling up GBV Work
    • This category is recommended for LBTIQ CSOs already engaged in prevention or combating of GBV and planning to consolidate, grow, expand, develop it in new directions or deepen their work to a new level. It is also recommended for coalitions of CSOs planning to achieve better provision of services and/ or systemic change at the local, national or regional level. Projects are encouraged to include collaboration and learning. Grant requests may range between 30,000 and 60,000 EUR.
  • Please note that EL*C plans to launch another call for proposals in 2025. Applicants will be able to apply again in 2025, but the cumulative amount of 60,000 EUR cannot be overstepped in the two cycles.

Funding Information

• The project request can be minimum 10,000 EUR and maximum 60,000 EUR.
• The length of the project may be between 6 months and 12 months.
• The start date should be in August or September 2024.

Activities

• Activities listed below may receive funding. Please note that activities not listed below cannot be funded.
  • Activities on preventing and combating gender-based violence against LBTIQ women and non-binary persons, including where such violence is committed online or in the context of people fleeing from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;
  • Coalitions and partnerships among LBTIQ CSOs and feminist CSOs in the field of preventing and combating gender-based violence; coordination and strategic cooperation between LBTIQ CSOs, feminist CSOs and other stakeholders, public or private sector entities;
  • Provision of free advice, watchdog and monitoring activities on EU and international policies in the field of preventing and combating violence against women, such as the Istanbul Convention or other EU legal and policy documents;
  • Promotion of the implementation of adopted laws in the field of preventing and combating gender-based violence, regulations and Court cases;
  • Lobbying/ Advocacy to influence policy and decision-making processes, including revision/updating/adoption of policies and legislation in the field of preventing and combating gender-based violence;
  • Research and analysis aimed at informing policymaking at EU and national level, development of tools and standards to support EU policies and actions in the prevention and combating gender-based violence against LBTIQ women and non-binary persons;
  • Provision of gender-sensitive support services to LBTIQ women and non-binary persons, such as victim support tailored to the specific needs of victims who are LBTIQ women and non-binary persons, including specific medical and psychological support, victim-centered and trauma-informed services, access to national helplines, access to justice, increased accessibility of shelters, including comprehensive support for victims of sexual harassment at work, training of professionals, etc.;
  • Awareness raising and communication/information’s activities aimed in particular at creating links and animating communities in the field of preventing and combating gender-based violence against LBTIQ women and non-binary persons;
  • Community-based mobilization with direct involvement of LBTIQ women and non-binary persons (e.g., working with violence survivors, with cultural mediators, with community leaders, etc.);
  • Tackling gender stereotypes as root causes of gender-based violence against LBTIQ women and non-binary persons;
  • Awareness-raising and capacity-building to foster participation, ownership, and knowledge in the development, adaptation and/or implementation of legislation and/or frameworks or action, for instance through a multidisciplinary working group (which meets regularly and has appropriate decision-making power), enhancement of coordinating mechanisms and procedures (e.g., protocols).
• Other activities not listed above cannot be included in the project; for example, regranting cannot be included.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants meeting the following eligibility criteria will be considered for funding:
  • Legally registered, non-profit and non-governmental, civil society organization in their country of operation
  • Established in a Member State of the European Union (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs) and CERV-participating countries, currently Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Serbia.
  • LBTIQ CSO, that is, LBTIQ-led and/or focused CSO
  • Applicant respecting EU values such as dignity, equality and justice (as laid down in 2 of the Treaty on European Union and the EU Charter of fundamental rights)
  • Fully completed application form, submitted before the deadline. Applications can be submitted in any EU member state language, however, English is preferred. Submitting in another language will not lead to any disadvantage.

For more information, visit EL*C.