Deadline: 30-Sep-21
European Commission is calling for proposals to Support the Implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD).
Scope
- The call aims at awarding the first annual operating grants for 2022 to networks active in the area of disability that will sign a 4-year Framework Partnership Agreements (FPA) for the period 2022-2025. The activities to be funded include, among others, outreach activities, mutual learning among members, research activities and input for policy design.
- The networks’ work programmes directly support the implementation of the UNCRPD, the European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the European Pillar of Social Rights and the Semester. This partnership will enhance the capacities of these networks to contribute actively to the development and implementation of the EU policies in this area.
Objectives
- Promoting, protecting and monitoring the rights of persons with disabilities by providing financial support to EU-level networks of civil society organisations active in this area at local, regional, national and transnational level. It will in particular contribute to the implementation of principle 17 of the European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR), the European Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 (ESRPD) and the UNCRPD;
- Supporting the Commission to put the Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2021-2030 into practice. Progress in turning the principles of the EPSR into action will be monitored through the European Semester;
- Delivering on the European Pillar of Social Rights and related initiatives such as the ESRPD is a shared responsibility of the EU institutions, national, regional and local authorities, social partners and civil society. Civil society organisations are expected to:
- support its implementation at EU, national and local level notably by collecting and exchanging data and good practices and cooperating with public authorities in the design and implementation of relevant policies;
- organise communication and engagement activities to raise awareness of the ESRPD and promote the rights of persons with disabilities in Europe;
- The ultimate goal is to build a stronger social Europe and ensure that people with disabilities can fully enjoy their rights.
Funding Information
- The available call budget is EUR 5,800,000. This budget might be increased by a maximum of 20% in case of available funds.
- Depending on the number and quality of proposals, the Commission expects to fund 7 to 12 proposals.
Expected Outcomes
The Commission expects:
- to benefit from the networks’ expertise as regards the challenge (and ways to tackle them) that people with disabilities face in the various Member States;
- and to be supported in its outreach activities at EU, national and local level with the aim of ensuring awareness, contribution to and implementation of EU level policies and initiatives as regards the rights of persons with disabilities.
Eligibility Criteria
In order to be eligible, the applicants, established as formal networks, must be European-level organisations that comply with the following criteria:
- be legal entities properly established and registered in one of the eligible countries participating in the programme, i.e.: EU Member State (entities in associated countries3 are non-eligible)
- be non-governmental, non-profit-making, and independent of industry, commercial and business or other conflicting interests;
- have statutory aims falling under the objectives and scope of the priorities of this call for proposals;
- have national member organisations in at least fourteen (14) Member States of the European Union;
- have members that are mainly non-profit organisations;
- be mandated by their members, through a Management Board or other administrative forum, to represent these members at the EU level and to be responsible for the activities of the network;
- be a single applicant: only the network or the organisation appointed as the joint secretariat/officially appointed coordinator may submit an application; the member organisations are not eligible to apply.
- provide a detailed work programme for 2022.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3zhhrSk