European Commission Grant Call to support Civil Society in Kazakhstan

Deadline: 24-Mar-23

The European Commission (EC) has announced a joint Call for Proposals under the two thematic programmes with the main purpose of enhancing EU dialogue and cooperation with Civil Society Organisations (CSO) in Kazakhstan.

The Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy (HRD) builds upon the key features of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) with the objective to promote and protect human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law. Being established under Regulation (EU) 2021/947, the Thematic Programme on HRD is focused on:

• Advancing the fundamental values of democracy;
• The rule of law;
• The universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights;
• Respect for human dignity;
• The principles of non-discrimination, equality and solidarity; and
• Respect for the principles of the United Nations Charter and international human rights law.

Objectives of the Programme and Priority Issues

• LOT 1: Human Rights and Democracy (HRD)
  • The global objective is to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law.
  • The specific objectives are:
    • To strengthen capacities of civil society, including in advocacy and raising public awareness, to help CSOs to promote fundamental freedoms and effectively fight for the eradication of all forms of torture, and all forms of cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment or punishment;
    • To strengthen capacities of civil society, including in advocacy and raising public awareness, to help CSOs in their work to support the rule of law and counteract discriminatory policies, measures and practices. Specific attention shall be paid to the work of youth and women organisations and movements.
  • The priorities are: democratic governance and rule of law.
• LOT 2: Civil Society Organisations (CSO)
  • The global objective is to strengthen local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as independent actors of good governance and development in Kazakhstan
  • The specific objective(s) are:
    • To strengthen capacities of local CSOs to engage in policy dialogue at national level and in dialogue, implementation and monitoring of national development programmes and plans;
    • To improve capacity and ability of local CSOs to uphold and promote an enabling environment and democratic space in Kazakhstan, to support local administrations in the implementation and monitoring of the national initiatives and plans on decentralisation and implementation of the Agenda 2030 SDGs;
    • To strengthen capacity of local CSOs to engage in gender equality and youth inclusion and strengthen capacity of local women’s and youth partner CSOs.
  • The priorities are: democratic governance, Green Deal (i.e. climate change, environment including solid waste management, energy savings and energy efficiency, housing management, sustainable public transport), sustainable economic growth and jobs, digitalisation, and empowerment of women and youth.

Priorities

• The crosscutting priorities of this call for proposals are:
  • Human rights-based approach (HRBA)
  • Gender equality and women’s empowerment
  • Youth
  • Digitalisation
  • Environment Protection & Climate Change.

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 5,400,000.
• Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
  • Lot 1 (HRD):
    • Minimum amount: EUR 400,000
    • Maximum amount: EUR 750,000
  • Lot 2 (CSO):
    • Minimum amount: EUR 400,000
    • Maximum amount: EUR 400,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
  • Lot 1 (HRD):
    • Be a legal person and
    • Be non-profit-making and
    • Be a specific type of organisation such as: Civil Society Organisation (CSO) and/or their association and
    • Be established in Kazakhstan or a Member State of the European Union or any territory as no nationality restriction applies to applicants and co-applicants and to affiliated entities, if any, with field presence in Kazakhstan for at least two years, 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.
  • Lot 2 (CSO):
    • Be a legal person and
    • Be non-profit-making and
    • Be a specific type of organisation such as: Civil Society Organisation (CSO) and/or their association and
    • Be established in15 Kazakhstan or a Member State of the European Union with field presence in Kazakhstan for at least two years 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.
• 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.
  • At least one co-applicant must be established in Kazakhstan.
  • Co-applicants must sign the mandate.
  • If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) will become beneficiary(ies) in the action (together with the coordinator).
• 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 coapplicant(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, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU 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.

For more information, visit EC.