Human Rights, Democracy and Civil Society Programme for Serbia

Deadline: 15-Jul-25

The Thematic Programme for Human Rights and Democracy (HR&D) is a European Union programme that aims to promote democracy and human rights worldwide through support to civil society initiatives and human right activists.

Objectives

• The global objective of this call for proposals is to promote and protect:
  • human rights and fundamental freedoms;
  • the rule of law and justice; and
  • good governance and democracies and the EU integration and approximation process in Serbia, through an enhanced contribution by civil society.
• The specific objectives of this call for proposals are:
  • To protect and empower individuals to contribute to the full enjoyment by everyone of all human rights, be they civil, political, economic, social or cultural rights.
  • Moreover, the call aims to improve the conducive environment for civil society, to increase capacities and effectiveness of the Serbian Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to monitor and participate in reform processes and the overall capacities of grassroots movements through flexible financial support to third parties’ mechanisms in all fields relevant to Serbia’s accession to the EU.

Priorities

• The priorities of this call for proposals are:
  • Lot 1: To contribute to expanding the space for civil society by providing a short, medium- and long-term holistic support to human rights defenders and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms.
  • Lot 2: To increase capacity of CSOs in advocacy and tackling right to a fair trial, transitional justice, reconciliation, anti-corruption, access to justice, protection of personal data, legal aid and freedom of assembly.
  • Lot 3: To increase capacity of CSOs in participating in the policy reforms and the Serbian accession into the EU by dealing with good governance and democracy at central and local level, digital surveillance, artificial intelligence, transparency, accountability, participation in decision making, youth development, enabling environment for CSO, social entrepreneurship, elections monitoring, civic participation, active citizenship and culture.

Sectors or Themes 

• Specific sectors or themes to which the actions must relate to are the following:
  • Lot 1: Fundamental Rights
    • Human Rights Defenders
    • Gender based violence, gender equality
    • Child’s rights
    • Persons with disability
    • LGBTI
    • Homeless
    • Trafficking in human being
    • Inter-cultural dialogue
    • Minorities (Including Roma)
  • LOT 2: Rule of Law and Justice
    • Right to a fair trial
    • Transitional justice
    • Reconciliation
    • Anti-corruption
    • Access to justice
    • Protection of personal data
    • Legal aid
    • Freedom of assembly
  • LOT 3: Good governance and democracy
    • Good governance and democracy at central and local level,
    • Digital surveillance, AI
    • Transparency
    • Accountability
    • Participation in decision making
    • Youth development
    • Enabling environment for CSOs
    • Social entrepreneurship
    • Democracy, election
    • Civic participation
    • Citizens and culture

Funding Information

• The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 7,550,000.
• Indicative allocation of funds by lot:
  • Lot 1 – Human Rights and Democracy – EUR 1,650,000
  • Lot 2 – Civil Society Facility – EUR 2,400,000
  • Lot 3 – Civil Society Facility – EUR 3,500,000
• Size of grants Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
  • Lot 1:
    • Minimum amount: EUR 300,000
    • Maximum amount: EUR 500,000
  • Lot 2 and Lot 3:
    • Minimum amount: EUR 500,000
    • Maximum amount: EUR 800,000

Duration

• Lot 1 The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 24 months nor exceed 48 months.
• Lot 2 and Lot 3 The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 36 months nor exceed 48 months.

Eligibility Criteria

• 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: non-governmental organisation, including civil society organisations and
  • For Lot 1: be effectively established in a Member State of the European Union or in any eligible country, as stipulated in the basic act NDICI-GE9, For Lot 2 and 3: be effectively established in the Republic of Serbia 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.

For more information, visit EC.