Deadline: 22-May-23
The European Commission is seeking proposals for Country–based support scheme (CBSS) to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Pakistan.
The aim of this call is to increase the resilience of journalists and media houses, increasing their capacity to react and adapt appropriately to the inevitable changes in their environment. It aims to contribute to the safety and protection of journalists and media workers, including by working on an enabling environment for freedom of expression and by condemning attacks and other forms of harassment and intimidation both online and offline. It will also aim at providing young journalists, operating in difficult conditions, access to professional development and learning opportunities, including in the field of digital technologies. By working together with media development organisations and civil society organisations, the EU aims to improve its outreach to women journalists, journalists reporting about minority groups and from remote areas.
Objectives
- The specific objective(s) of this call for proposals are:
- To strengthen capacities of CSOs and independent media to exercise fundamental freedoms, to protect and support journalists, bloggers and other media workers.
- To strengthen civil society advocacy, public awareness and inclusive debate on the centrality of Human Rights and Democracy in the regulation and use of new technologies.
Priorities
- The priorities of this call for proposals are:
- Contribute to advocacy around reform, and monitoring of implementation of media rules and regulations, safeguarding fundamental freedoms;
- Strengthen capacities of media actors for the promotion of freedom of expression, media freedom and pluralism online, combatting hate speech, extremism and disinformation.
Cross-Cutting Elements
- Human Rights Rights-based approach (HRBA): The European Consensus on Development commits the EU and its Member States to implementing a rightsbased approach (RBA) to development, encompassing all Human Rights as well as EU’s commitment to promote and protect human rights and democracy as enshrined in the Joint Communication and EU Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy for 2020-2024.
- Gender equality and women’s empowerment: Gender equality is an integral part of the HRBA, encompassing the promotion, protection and fulfilment of all human rights. Gender equality constitutes a fundamental human rights principle and a common value of the European Union (EU Treaties, EU Gender Action Plan “GAP III”). The design of the action should give particular attention to gender mainstreaming to ensure a reinforced role of women as actors of change. Each selected proposal will have to report against relevant sex-disaggregated indicators mentioned in the mandatory EU Action Plan on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in External Action 2021-2025 (GAP III) and be gender-sensitive or gender-responsive.
- Youth: The EU recognises youth as key actor of development and an integral part of the solution to promote peace and security. Civil Society is best placed to promote youth engagement and involving and/or representing youth and youth interests in key policy processes. The proposed actions should support youth organisations’ capacities and participation in a gender sensitive and responsive way, taking into account the different barriers and obstacles for male and female youth.
- Digitalisation: The exponential spread and scale-up of digital technologies and services has profound global implications, creating opportunities for sustainable development and inclusive growth, but at the same time bringing new threats and challenges.
Funding Information
- The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 1 700 000.
- Any grant requested under this call for proposals must fall between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
- minimum amount: EUR 650 000
- maximum amount: EUR 850 000
- Duration: The initial planned duration of an action may not be lower than 30 months nor exceed 36 months.
Location: Actions must take place in Pakistan.
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 Civil Society Organisation (CSO) or association of CSOs and
- be established in Pakistan, a Member State of the European Union or in any other Country and
- be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the action with the coapplicant(s), not acting as an intermediary and
- Local CSOs established in Pakistan will need to conform with government-approved NGO policy, including by applying for a MoU covering the present grant.
- INGOs (established in any other eligible country than Pakistan) must have signed a MoU with the Ministry of Interior of Pakistan.
- International Organisations are not eligible to participate in the call.
- 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.
- If the lead applicant is not established in Pakistan, its proposal needs to include at least one coapplicant legally established in Pakistan.
- Co-applicants must sign the mandate.
- If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) (if any) will become beneficiary(ies) in the action (together with the coordinator)
- In addition, please note that contracts cannot be awarded to or signed with applicants included in the lists of EU restrictive measures.
For more information, visit EC.