Deadline: 12-Aug-21
The UK Government has announced applications for Promoting Human Rights and Democratic Values in Sri Lanka.
The purpose of this notice is to alert potential civil society implementing partners to an opportunity to bid for grant funding to deliver project activity promoting human rights and democratic values in Sri Lanka.
Objectives
The High Commission particularly welcomes expressions of interest (EOIs) which:
- bring together one or more of the thematic areas (for example: working with media to promote and foster social cohesion or protecting human rights defenders and journalists)
- include project activities across several strands, including working in partnership with other implementing partners with diverse expertise
- are mindful of cross-cutting themes such as conflict-sensitivity, gender and environment
Priority themes
The activities will focus on the following priority themes. Suppliers are encouraged to identify target areas within and across these themes, and justify their focus.
- Reinforcing media freedom and protecting freedom of expression
- They welcome suggestions for activities, which support press freedom in Sri Lanka. This could include:
- supporting journalistic practice in identified ‘needs’ areas in Sri Lanka (such as digital and physical safety, high-quality and inclusive content, or data-driven and investigative journalism) – e.g. through direct capacity building to journalists, or initiatives to support the spread of journalistic best practice and learning
- initiatives to boost civic literacy and tackle disinformation, especially where potential scalability, cross-cutting themes, or sustainability can be demonstrated
- They welcome suggestions for activities, which support press freedom in Sri Lanka. This could include:
- Promoting freedom of religion or belief and tackling inter-communal tensions
- They welcome proposals that address ethno-religious and religious tensions in Sri Lanka. These could include:
- raising understanding and awareness including on triggers of religious and ethno-religious tensions and conflict (inter and intra-communities), through effective research and documentation
- promoting conflict management through education of and engagement with local and national authorities
- They welcome proposals that address ethno-religious and religious tensions in Sri Lanka. These could include:
- Supporting human rights defenders and strengthening civil society
- They welcome proposals to safeguard the essential role Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and civil society play in promoting and protecting democracy. This could include:
- supporting civil society engagement through identified ‘needs’ areas in Sri Lanka (such as digital and physical safety, data-gathering and documentation, access to legal or operational support, linkages between CSOs and other key stakeholders i.e. government and media)
- initiatives to boost collaborative and coordinated advocacy, including between and within grassroots, regional and Colombo-based organisations, especially where potential scalability, cross-cutting themes, or sustainability can be demonstrated
- They welcome proposals to safeguard the essential role Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) and civil society play in promoting and protecting democracy. This could include:
Funding Information
- They anticipate budget provision for a number of outputs with individual costs up to £60,000.
- Proposals with multiple implementing partners should be submitted under one lead contractor.
- They are unable to support contingency, miscellaneous, small grants, or per diem costs.
- Admin costs must not exceed 10%.
Requirements/Criteria
- EOIs are open to registered community and civil society organisations
- EOIs should be submitted in the form of a concept note on maximum two-sides of A4
- EOIs should cover the type of project intervention and delivery proposed, as well as how it will address value for money. Bidders must provide a broad indication of proposed activities to be delivered, anticipated outcomes, and sustainability approaches post-completion of the project. They should factor in risks and mitigation plans, i.e. with COVID-19. They must also demonstrate an ability to deliver all project activity before mid-March 2022, with a substantial portion within the first half of the project. An outline activity based budget must be submitted as an annex to the EOI.
For more information, visit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bids-invited-for-projects-promoting-human-rights-and-democratic-values-in-sri-lanka