European Commission CFPs to support GBV Survivors in Conflict Affected Communities in Ethiopia

Deadline: 23-Jul-24

The European Commission has announced a call for proposals to support resumption of essential health and Mental Health, and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) service provision for GBV survivors and conflict-affected communities.

Objectives of the Programme and Priority Issues

• The specific objectives of this call for proposals:
  • Improve GBV case management and increase availability of good quality mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS)services in conflict- affected areas.
  • Build capacities for social reintegration of GBV survivors and increased resilience of communities in conflict-affected areas.
• The priorities of this call for proposal are:
  • Protection services for GBV survivors and conflict-affected communities:  considering the two years conflict in the northern region and unmet needs on GBV service and MHPSS, there is an urgent need on availability and access to quality medical, MHPSS as well as a multi-sectoral support to the GBV survivors.
    • Mental health and psychosocial impacts of the conflict goes beyond the GBV survivors. Conflict affected communities, persons associated with armed groups and social service workforces experience psychosocial distress. The need for MHPSS interventions is critical. To enhance the coordinated responses, there is also a need to strengthen One-stop centers, GBV rehabilitation centers/safe houses, case management services, referral mechanism, capacitating social service workforces, building on the existing regional and sub-regional coordination, supporting multi-sectoral coordination, harmonized approaches and standards and resource materials with other actors at regional and sub-regional level.
  • Build the resilience of communities and social reintegration of GBV survivors: Sexual and other forms of gender-based violence as a result of the northern conflict have had multiple consequences for survivors and their communities, including negative health outcomes and social impacts. GBV survivors can experience stigmatisation and exclusion from communities and subsequent lack of access to medical, resources and protection that can in turn lead to vulnerability to further exploitation and abuse. GBV survivors, persons associated with armed groups and conflict-affected communities faced loss of livelihoods and psychological distress following the conflict.
    • With these backgrounds, there is a need to support skill development and economic opportunities for the GBV survivors and other vulnerable groups affected by conflict, and interventions that challenge the stigma and discrimination against GBV survivors in the communities.
  • The following will be considered as added-value element in both priorities:
    • Experience in gender transformative approach with a special focus on addressing negative social norms and attitudes that exacerbate social stigma against GBV survivors.
    • Experience in approaches on community based psychosocial support and positive parenting skills.
    • The incorporation of principles and approaches that enhance social cohesion and social reintegration of children and women associated with armed groups and other vulnerable groups affected by the conflict.

Sectors

• The specific sectors or themes to which the actions must relate will support service provision (medical services, mental health and psychosocial support, socio-economic support) for GBV survivors in conflict affected communities.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 8,000,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
• Indicative allocation of funds by lot/geographical distribution:
  • Lot 1: Tigray – EUR 2 000 000
  • Lot 2: Afar – EUR 3 000 000
  • Lot 3: Amhara – EUR 3 000 000
• Size of grants
  • Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • For Lot 1
      • Minimum amount: EUR 1 800 000
      • Maximum amount: EUR 2 000 000
    • For Lots 2 and 3:
      • Minimum amount: 2 800 000
      • Maximum amount: 3 000 000

Duration

• The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 36 months nor exceed 48 months.

Types of Activity

• Types of activity (indicative and non-exhaustive) which may be financed under this call are described below. Activities will need to carefully consider community dynamic and contribute to social cohesion. While activities primarily targets GBV survivors, they should provide sufficient involvement and support to the conflict affected communities where survivors are from/are coming (back) to live.
  • Mapping relevant development actors on GBV programme in the respective zone and regions, building on regional level coordination and initiatives and also linking with National Coordinating Body on the Prevention and Response to violence against women and children.
  • Supporting case management services, and referral mechanisms and facilitation of multi-sectoral support for GBV survivors in conflicted affected communities
  • Supporting capacity building of social service work forces and facilitation of quality response service to GBV survivors in conflict-affected communities
  • Support to market relevant skills development and economic opportunities for GBV survivors (and other vulnerable groups if feasible) within conflict affected communities
  • Enabling active participation of community based structures, community support networks and facilitation of community support groups to support social reintegration of GBV survivors and persons associated to armed groups in the communities

Location

• Actions must take place in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in the three following regions: Tigray, Afar and Amhara. More specifically, applicants will identify and propose 3-4 woreda each in respective region:  around Adwa town (Central Zone), Aba’la town (Zone 2) and Dessie town (South Wollo zone). Applicants will select the targeted woreda in consultation with Bureau of Health, Bureau of Women and Social Affairs and Bureau of Labor and Social Affairs in the case of Tigray. Applicants will employ a set of criteria including the caseloads of GBV survivors, severity of damages and crisis, the needs and vulnerabilities of the conflict affected communities, presence of other development actors and other factors in the selection of targeted woreda.

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: a non-governmental organisation /civil society organisation and/or their networks or associations, public bodies, research institutions , international (inter- governmental) organisation as defined by Article 156 of the EU Financial Regulation and be established in a Member State of the European Union or in Ethiopia or in any other countries stipulated under Article 28 of  the Regulation (EU) N° 2021/947 establishing the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe)
  • This obligation does not apply to international organizations.
    • 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
    • have demonstrated experience in carrying out GBV related activities implemented in at least one of the three regions of action (Tigray, Afar, Amhara) in past five years; from the deadline for submission of the concept note
    • Have demonstrated experience in managing at least one donor funded grant contract in Ethiopia, amounting to not less than 50% of the contribution requested under this call for proposal, in the past five years
• 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
  • Co-applicants must sign the mandate form.
  • If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) will become beneficiary (ies) in the action (together with the coordinator).
  • In addition, please note that contracts cannot be awarded to or signed with applicants included in the lists of EU restrictive measures.
• 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 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.

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