Deadline: 21-Mar-25
The joint European Union and Council of Europe Project “Support for implementing European standards relating to anti-discrimination and rights of national minorities in Ukraine” announces a call for proposals for civil societies organisations.
Objectives
- The grants will fund projects designed to enhance the protection from discrimination and the rights of national minorities, including Roma, in Ukraine. Activities will support the implementation of relevant legislation and policies in line with European standards, ultimately providing a better redress from discrimination to citizens and people living in Ukraine:
- Reinforce capacities of CSOs and institutions on responding to discrimination and hatred against all vulnerable groups, including national minorities and Roma, and better protect their rights;
- Increase awareness of the citizens/people living in Ukraine of what is discrimination and hatred and related dangers on societies;
- Support the participation of national minorities in the local decision-making processes in collaboration with local authorities;
- Strengthening local initiative groups, coalitions and platforms, which will enhance participation of vulnerable groups in the decision-making at local level.
Components
- The project contains two components:
- Component 1: Support Ukrainian beneficiaries in analysing the current legislation and policy in combating discrimination and hate crimes and identify gaps to align them with European standards, including EU acquis. It fosters inter-service coordination on discrimination issues and the involvement of CSOs in the reform work. Provision of legal and policy assistance is envisaged to address those gaps, including relevant institutions and stakeholders’ practice – first and foremost strengthening the role of the Ombudsperson as national equality body. Work with non-state actors, notably CSOs, to promote standards with the public at large and support vulnerable groups, including LGBTI persons in seeking protection from discrimination.
- Component 2: Support Ukrainian beneficiaries in implementing the legal framework on national minorities at central and local level. Provision of legal and policy expertise is ensured, to address gaps related to European standards in the reform implementation, including on education and minority language issues. Work with nonstate actors, notably CSOs and minority communities, to enhance their dialogue with authorities, is reinforced through pilot projects with selected schools and municipalities; standards are promoted with the public and community members supported in accessing their rights, including those of Roma communities and minority/Roma internally displaced persons, especially in the context of the war.
Funding Information
- The total available budget to be provided within this call for proposals is 200,000 EUR (Two hundred thousand Euros).
- The Council of Europe/the European Union intend to award 10 grants of a maximum amount up to 20,000 EUR (Twenty thousand Euros) each.
Duration
- The project implementation period should start no earlier than 14 April 2025 and last no longer than 31 December 2025.
Eligible Projects
- Preference will be given to projects aimed at:
- Projects/actions with a relevance to combating discrimination and hatred against all vulnerable groups and to the protection of national minorities;
- Projects/actions strengthening the participation of representatives of groups vulnerable to discrimination in the decision-making process at the local level;
- Projects/actions with clear link to the EU/CoE standards and engagement in Ukraine;
- Projects/actions foreseen to be implemented as a partnership between CSOs targeting different vulnerable groups (e.g LGBTI and national minorities);
- Projects are encouraged to have a gender mainstreaming and an intersectional dimension.
Means of Actions
- Projects may include activities such as the following example activities (the list of activities is illustrative and not meant to be exhaustive):
- Awareness-raising activities targeting LGBTI representatives and civil society organizations including actions against discrimination and advocacy on LGBTI rights
- Awareness-raising activities targeting persons with disabilities and civil society organizations including actions promoting rights of persons with disability
- Supporting CSO participation in the early phase of EU accession talks on anti-discrimination through activities
- Activities with local and national authorities on national minorities
- Supporting CSO activities that combat discrimination and hate crimes, enhance the protection of vulnerable groups, and promote inclusive policies at the local and national levels
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to be eligible for a grant, an applicant must:
- be legally constituted as a non-governmental organisation in Ukraine;
- be entitled to carry out in Ukraine activities described in its project proposal;
- have been active for at least 3 (three) years in the field of protection of national minorities, and/or human rights/anti-discrimination;
- have sufficient financial capacity (stable and sufficient sources of funding) to maintain its activity throughout the period for which the grant is awarded and to participate by way of its own resources (including human resources or in-kind contributions);
- have sufficient operational and professional capacity, including staff, to carry out activities described in its project proposal;
- have a bank account.
For more information, visit Council of Europe.