Thematic Call for Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights in Ecuador

Deadline: 20-Jun-23

The European Commission is seeking proposals that contributes to promoting and protecting Human Rights, rights of nature and fundamental freedoms, democracy and the rule of law.

The objective of the call for proposal will be achieved by supporting and strengthening civil society organizations (CSOs), democracy activists and Human Rights Defenders working on critical issues of Human Rights, nature and Democracy issues in Ecuador and in the region.

This background, this Call for Proposals is composed of four (4) different Lots, each with its specific objectives and priorities.

• LOT 1: Defense, promotion and guarantee of Human Rights and nature:
• The global objective of this Lot 1 is: Support the development of initiatives that promote the defense, promotion and guarantee of Human Rights stipulated in the Universal Declaration and in the conventions that Ecuador has signed and ratified. Paying special attention to the needs and challenges faced by the underserved sectors of society.
  • The specific objectives, priorities of Lot 1, are:
    • Protect and empower people to contribute to the full enjoyment of all Human Rights, whether civil, political, economic, social or cultural.
  • The Priorities of this call for proposals are:
    • Promotion and protection of the rights of the Peoples and Nationalities of Ecuador considered particularly vulnerable with respect to their territories and resources.
    • Guarantee the life, integrity and defense of the Defenders of Human Rights and of nature, who are in situations of greater vulnerability, and who carry out fundamental work to make visible situations of social injustice and combat impunity, such as also promote democratic processes.
    • Prevention of the cycle of gender violence and femicides and other cruel and inhuman treatment against women, children and adolescents. With a double focus on protection, early pregnancy and access to justice. Ensuring complementarity with the Spotlight Initiative.
    • Promotion and protection of the rights of the LGBTIQ+ population, with a focus on the eradication of all forms of violence and discrimination.
• LOT 2 : Mitigation and elimination of all causes of environmental, social and cultural inequity.
• The global objective of this Lot 2 is: Support the development of propositional and operational actions and capacities of the Ecuadorian Civil Society Organizations for the reduction of social inequality and the conservation of different ecosystems.
  • The specific objectives, priorities of Lot 2, are:
    • Recognize diversities and work for the promotion of education and social inclusion of disabilities.
    • mitigate and eradicate inequality through the promotion of economic, social and cultural rights.
    • Promote the care and sustainability of ecosystems, water sources and promote access to land.
  • The Priorities of this call for proposals are:
    • Promotion and access to education, and social inclusion of children and adolescents with moderate and severe disabilities.
    • Support the fight against school desertion and abandonment by promoting the right and access to education.
    • Promote strategic alliances between civil society organizations (CSOs) to strengthen their capacities.
    • Support the promotion of financial inclusion for women who live in a shelter situation after having suffered any type of violence.
    • Promotion and protection of the cultural identity of ancestral peoples to promote cultural diversity and exchange between different cultures present in Ecuador.
    • Promotion of the right to land and access to safe food and nutrition. Including protection and management of water sources.
    • Support for the most vulnerable populations in the face of disasters caused by natural hazards or by human activity with an impact on human health, soil and water. In complementarity with EU humanitarian aid projects.
    • In order to fulfill this objective, it is mandatory that the gender approach and community approach be present and well integrated in the proposals.
    • Proposals submitted in consortium will be prioritized, without being obligatory .
• LOT 3: Civil Society: Promotion of social cohesion and integral development in border territories.
• The global objective of this Block 3 is: Promote and consolidate rural development in the border provinces of Ecuador.
  • The specific objective of Lot 3 is:
    • Consolidate participatory and sustainable initiatives for the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals, strengthening and promoting the social, economic and political inclusion of all people, regardless of their age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic situation or other condition in border territory.
  • The Priorities of this call for proposals are:
    • Development of livelihoods and professional training for young people in populations living in border territory.
    • Promotion of a culture of peace and Human Rights, in order to increase social cohesion in border territories. With special attention to groups vulnerable to the situation of violence and insecurity in their territories.
    • Monitoring and expansion of the epidemiological surveillance desk at the Border. With a support approach to public health centers and clinics.
    • In order to fulfill this objective, it is mandatory that the gender approach and community approach be present and well integrated in the proposals.
    • Priority will be given, without being mandatory , to those proposals that are presented in consortium with local authorities and/or local protection councils .
• LOT 4: Support for the reduction of chronic child malnutrition in rural areas of Ecuador (Sierra and Coast).
• The overall objective of this Lot 4 is: to contribute to an inclusive, sustainable and resilient economy, in order to carry out projects to reduce child chronic malnutrition and improve water and sanitation consumption processes.
  • The specific objectives of Lot 4 are:
    • Development of replicable pilot plans to combat chronic child malnutrition in the territories with the highest prevalence of malnutrition and little access to water and sanitation. With a focus on small communities with limited access to public resources.
  • The Priorities of this call for proposals are:
    • Support to local authorities in territorial development initiatives through the design and implementation of projects to improve the water and sanitation system and reduce chronic child malnutrition. With emphasis on the municipalities with the highest prevalence of chronic child malnutrition in the Sierra and Coast. With the active participation, and leadership, of the affected communities.
    • Strengthening the capacities of local governments and beneficiary communities for the conservation and management of water and sanitation, and other necessary interdisciplinary actions (livelihoods, nutrition, gender, etc.).
    • Consortium participation in coordination tables linked to the national policy to combat Chronic Child Malnutrition, inter-institutional or inter-agency initiatives, such as the Advisory Council.
    • Use of a standardized monitoring and evaluation system that allows evaluating the effectiveness of these actions, with respect to other communities that do not receive this support and investment, in order to learn lessons that can be scalable at the national level.

Funding Information

• The total indicative amount allocated to this call for proposals is EUR 12,441,000.
  • LOT 1: EUR 1,270,000
  • LOT 2: EUR 4,171,000
  • LOT 3: EUR 3,000,000
  • LOT 4: EUR 4,000,000
  • The subsidies requested within this call for proposals will be between the following minimum and maximum amounts:
    • LOT 1: Defence, promotion and guarantee of Human and Nature Rights
      • Minimum amount: 423,000 EUR
      • Maximum amount: EUR 635,000
    • LOT 2: Mitigation and elimination of all causes of environmental, social and cultural inequity
      • Minimum amount: EUR 595,000
      • Maximum amount: EUR 695,000
    • LOT 3: Promotion of social cohesion and integral development in border territories
      • Minimum amount: 1,000,000 EUR
      • Maximum amount: 1,000,000. USD
    • LOT 4: Support for the reduction of chronic child malnutrition in rural areas of Ecuador (Highlands and Coast)
      • Minimum amount: 4,000,000 EUR
      • Maximum amount: EUR 4,000,000
• Duration: The initial expected duration of an action may not be less than 24 months nor more than 36 months.

Location: The actions must have a main focus on Ecuador.

Eligibility Criteria

• Main applicant
  • To be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    • For LOT 1:
      • be a legal person;
      • non-profit;
      • be a civil society organization (CSO) or be a network, platform or other type of coalition of CSOs with legal status;
      • be directly responsible, with their co-applicants and affiliated entities, for the preparation and management of the action and not merely act as intermediaries;
      • In this Lot there are no nationality restrictions for the main applicant and his/her co-applicant(s);
    • For LOT 2 and 3:
      • be a legal person;
      • non-profit;
      • be a civil society organization (CSO) or a network, platform or other type of coalition of CSOs;
      • be established in  Ecuador or a Member State of the European Union;
      • be directly responsible, with their co-applicants and affiliated entities, for the preparation and management of the action and not merely act as intermediaries;
    • For LOT 4:
      • be a legal person;
      • non-profit;
      • be a civil society organization (CSO) or a network, platform or other type of coalition of CSOs
      • be established in  Ecuador or a member state of the European Union. This obligation does not apply to international organizations
      • be directly responsible, with their co-applicants and affiliated entities, for the preparation and management of the action and not merely act as intermediaries;
• Co-applicants
  • Co-applicants will participate in the design and implementation of the action, and the costs they incur will be eligible in the same way as those incurred by the lead applicant.
  • Co-applicants must meet the eligibility criteria applicable to the lead applicant itself.
  • In addition to the categories mentioned in section 2.1.1, the following entities will also be eligible as co-applicants :
    • For LOT 2 and LOT 3:
      • Municipal GAD, Provincial GAD, Parish GAD
      • Local councils for the protection of Rights
      • Academy
    • For LOT 4:
      • Municipal GAD, Provincial GAD, Parish GAD
      • Associations/Consortia of Municipalities or Prefectures
      • Academy
  • International organizations, preferably with representation in Ecuador. The participation of international organizations that maintain their legal entity located in countries outside of Ecuador and the EU will be allowed.
• Affiliated entities
  • The main applicant and its co-applicants may act with affiliated entities.
  • Only the following entities may be considered entities affiliated with the lead applicant or co-applicants:
    • Only entities that have a structural link to the applicants (i.e. the lead applicant or a co-applicant), especially if the link is legal or capital .
  • This structural link covers mainly two aspects:
    • Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and other related reports of certain types of companies.
  • Thus, the affiliated entities of an applicant may be:
    • Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (subsidiary companies or first level subsidiaries). They can also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (second level affiliates), and the same applies to the following levels of control.
    • Entities that directly or indirectly control the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities that control an entity that in turn controls the applicant.
    • Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (associated companies).
  • Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as, for example, a network, federation or association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate, or the applicant participates in the same entity (for example, a network, federation or association ) than the proposed affiliated entities.

For more information, visit EC.