RFAs: Combating Gender-Based Violence Against Lesbians

Deadline: 31-Jul-25

The EuroCentralAsian Lesbian Community is happy to announce its call for proposals for a violence-free lesbian future.

Their goal is to support and build capacities of lesbian CSOs across the European Union and in CERV participating countries (currently in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine) so that they can start, continue or develop further their work to combat or prevent gender-based violence (GBV) against lesbians.

Objectives

• To understand and meet the specific needs of lesbians who are victims of gender-based violence (GBV) and provide tailor-made support for them.
• To ensure that systems for protection and prevention of GBV are used to serve lesbians and advocate for changes as needed.
• To strengthen the sustainability, skills and capacities of lesbian CSOs in responding to the GBV related needs of lesbians and in becoming visible representatives for the topic.

Categories

• Applications can be submitted in one of two categories:
  • Starting Up and Tailoring GBV Work: This category is recommended for lesbian CSOs launching new work or tailoring existing work for lesbians, or working with other stakeholders on tailoring existing work.
  • Scaling up GBV Work: This category is recommended for lesbian CSOs already engaged in the prevention or combating of GBV and planning to consolidate, grow, expand, develop it in new directions or deepen their work to a new level.

Funding Information

• The project request can be minimum 10,000 EUR and maximum 60,000 EUR.
• Starting Up and Tailoring GBV Work: Grant requests may range between 10,000 and 30,000 EUR.
• Scaling up GBV Work: Grant requests may range between 30,000 and 60,000 EUR.
• The start date should be between September 15 and October 30, 2025.
• The length of the project may be between 6 months and 12 months.

Eligible Activities

• Activities listed below may receive funding. Please note that activities not listed below cannot be funded:
  • Activities on preventing and combating gender-based violence against lesbians, including where such violence is committed online or in the context of people fleeing from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine;
  • Coalitions and partnerships among lesbian CSOs and feminist CSOs in the field of preventing and combatting gender-based violence; coordination and strategic cooperation between lesbian CSOs, feminist CSOs and other stakeholders, public or private sector entities;
  • Provision of free advice, watchdog and monitoring activities on EU and international policies in the field of preventing and combatting violence against women, such as the Istanbul Convention or other EU legal and policy documents;
  • Promotion of the implementation of adopted laws in the field of preventing and combatting gender-based violence, regulations and Court cases;
  • Lobbying/Advocacy to influence policy and decision-making processes, including revision/updating/adoption of policies and legislation in the field of preventing and combatting gender-based violence;
  • Research and analysis aimed at informing policymaking at EU and national level, development of tools and standards to support EU policies and actions in the prevention and combatting gender-based violence against lesbians;
  • Provision of gender-sensitive support services to lesbians, such as victim support tailored to the specific needs of victims who are lesbians, including specific medical and psychological support, victim-centered and trauma-informed services, access to national helplines, access to justice, increased accessibility of shelters, including comprehensive support for victims of sexual harassment at work, training of professionals, etc.;
  • Awareness raising and communication/information’s activities aimed in particular at creating links and animating communities in the field of preventing and combatting gender-based violence against lesbians;
  • Community-based mobilization with direct involvement of lesbians (e.g., working with violence survivors, with cultural mediators, with community leaders, etc.);
  • Tackling gender stereotypes as root causes of gender-based violence against lesbians;
  • Awareness-raising and capacity-building to foster participation, ownership, and knowledge in the development, adaptation and/or implementation of legislation and/or frameworks or action, for instance, through a multidisciplinary working group (which meets regularly and has appropriate decision-making power), enhancement of coordinating mechanisms and procedures (e.g., protocols).

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants meeting the following eligibility criteria will be considered for funding:
  • Legally registered, non-profit and non-governmental, civil society organization in their country of operation at the time of submitting the application
  • Established in a Member State of the European Union (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs) and CERV-participating countries, currently Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine. Please feel free to check the updated list of CERV participating countries on this link: CERV-participating country.
  • Lesbian CSO (With lesbian CSO, the CFP refers to organisations with lesbian leadership and/or lesbian focus. By lesbian leadership, they mean that in the main decision-making position(s) there is a lesbian majority. By lesbian focus, they mean that the main focus of the group/organization’s activities is lesbians, the lesbian community.)
  • Applicant respecting EU values such as dignity, equality and justice (as laid down in 2 of the Treaty on European Union and the EU Charter of fundamental rights)
  • Fully completed application form, including budget, submitted before the deadline. (Applications can be submitted in any EU member state language, however, English is Submitting in another language will not lead to any disadvantage.)

For more information, visit ELC.