Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy (Montenegro)

Deadline: 28-May-24

Applications are now open for Thematic Programme on Human Rights and Democracy to empower CSOs and to support their efforts to promote, advance and defend human rights and democracy in Montenegro.

Objectives

The specific objective of this call for proposals are threefold: firstly, to support CSOs working in the area of protection of social, economic and cultural rights, especially for groups particularly vulnerable to discrimination. Secondly, it will support CSOs in promoting active citizenship in public and political life and in fostering the role of civil society in oversight and accountability mechanisms in the area of justice and rule of law. Thirdly, it also seeks for the proposals aimed at harnessing the opportunities and addressing the challenges of digital communication technologies, taking into account the fact that such technologies can empower people, widen access to information and knowledge, but at the same time, can also be used in ways that violate human rights.
Proposals should be developed using the human rights-based approach (HRBA) methodology. The Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) is the methodology that ensures that the EU’s external action is designed and implemented to contribute directly or indirectly to the realisation for human rights for all. The HRBA is in line with the principles of aid effectiveness and its integration will be fully taken into account when evaluating proposals.

Types of Action

Lot 1: Protection of social, economic and cultural rights, especially for groups particularly vulnerable to discrimination:
- Supporting access to public services (employment, health, education, etc.) by vulnerable, marginalised, exposed or discriminated groups (ex. Persons with disabilities, Roma, LGBTIQ, minorities, women and children victims of violence)
- Fostering development of competences and skills through non formal learning; digital literacy, intercultural learning, vocational education, critical thinking, the respect of diversity, and the values of solidarity, equal opportunities and human rights among others
- Creating partnerships between local/regional public institutions and civil society organisations on development of tailor-made employment measures for disadvantaged groups
- Creating opportunities for self-employment of vulnerable, marginalised, exposed or discriminated groups
- Supporting national and local institutions and actors in protecting and promoting social, economic and cultural rights of the most vulnerable, marginalised, exposed or discriminated groups
- Enhancing the inclusion into all aspects of societal life of people belonging to minorities and/or people being in marginalised situations, such as people belonging to ethnic or sexual minorities; people marginalised by poverty and/or lacking educational opportunities; people being in vulnerable situations; victims of social discrimination; migrants and refugees
- Addressing social inclusion, by: reducing inequalities; fighting discrimination; combating hate speech; promoting rights’ awareness; promoting digital skills.
Lot 2: Promoting active citizenship in public and political life:
- Enhancing citizen participation in public consultations through greater involvement of CSOs with the aim to engage the public and CSOs in the formulation of public policies
- Encouraging innovative citizen-led initiatives to improve governance, transparency, integrity efficiency, inclusiveness and service orientation of public administration
- Facilitating the creation of mechanisms for citizens’ active monitoring of policies, services and reporting (e.g. cases of maladministration, corruption etc.) as well as policy dialogue through effective enjoyment of public consultations rights
- Strengthening advocacy/lobbying by community-based organisations
- Raising awareness among citizens on key EU accession-related reforms, also through civic and legal education
- Support activities, projects and ideas of informal groups, networks and activists, particularly at local level on key EU-related reforms in the area of rule of law and justice
- Promoting the establishment of networks involving youth, women and vulnerable groups
Lot 3: Harnessing the opportunities and addressing the challenges of digital communication technologies, to avoid violation of human rights:
- Contributing to counter disinformation, interference in democratic processes and hate speech, while safeguarding the full exercise of fundamental freedoms
- Supporting civil society actions that foster online media literacy and digital skills, promoting open, free and secure internet equally accessible to all
- Enhancing general knowledge and understanding of new media/communication technologies and their impacts on human rights
- Helping young people understand the value and risks of the open internet; make informed choices while using the internet and digital technologies; and understand and counteract its possible abuses in the form of hate speech, fake news, cyber-harassment
- Disseminating knowledge, building or reinforcing skills, including on digital security matters, for their strategic use at grassroot level and promoting close collaboration with experts to anticipate and counter harmful effects in terms of personal data protection, privacy and security.
- Supporting partnerships with and support the work of bloggers, film makers, photographers, artists and other communication specialists on key reform policy areas in order to create positive behavioural changes in society in the areas addressed by this lot.

Funding Information

The overall indicative amount made available under this call for proposals is EUR 1,045,000. The contracting authority reserves the right not to award all available funds.
Indicative allocation of funds by lot/geographical distribution:
- Lot 1: Protection of social, economic and cultural rights, especially for groups particularly vulnerable to discrimination: EUR 570,000
  - minimum amount: EUR 500,000
  - maximum amount: EUR 570,000
- Lot 2: Active citizenship in public and political life: EUR 220,000
  - minimum amount: EUR 200,000
  - maximum amount: EUR 220,000
- Lot 3: Harnessing the opportunities and addressing the challenges of digital and new technologies: EUR 255,000
  - minimum amount: EUR 200,000
  - maximum amount: EUR 255,000
If the allocation indicated for a specific lot cannot be used due to insufficient quality or number of proposals received, the contracting authority reserves the right to reallocate the remaining funds to (an) other lots.

Ineligible Actions

The following types of action are ineligible:
- actions concerned only or mainly with individual sponsorships for participation in workshops, seminars, conferences and congresses;
- actions concerned only or mainly with study visits or participation in international forums;
- infrastructure projects or projects essentially focused on the purchase of equipment;
- purchase and/or renovation of buildings or offices;
- activities undertaken before signature of the contract;
- actions aimed at profit making activities;
- actions related to charitable donations;
- actions already funded by other Community programmes;
- actions discriminating against individuals or groups of people on grounds of their gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs or lack of them, or their ethnical origin;
- actions supporting individual political parties;
- actions aimed at supporting political activities or political parties.

Eligibility Criteria

There are three sets of eligibility criteria, relating to the actors:
- Lead applicant
  - In order to be eligible for a grant, the lead applicant must:
    - be a legal person and
    - be non-profit-making and
    - be established in Montenegro or a Member State of the European Union , or any country, as all are eligible for participation in contracts financed under this Instrument, without prejudice to the limitations inherent in the nature and objectives of the action 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 and
    - in case the lead applicant is not established in Montenegro, it must act with at least one co-applicant that is established in Montenegro and
    - be registered at least 24 months prior the deadline for submission of project proposals.
  - Potential applicants may not participate in calls for proposals or be awarded grants if they are in any of the situations Lead applicants, co-applicants, affiliated entities and, in case of legal entities, persons who have powers of representation, decision-making or control over
- Co-applicants
  - 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.
  - Co-applicants must sign the mandate
  - If awarded the grant contract, the co-applicant(s) will become beneficiary in the action (together with the coordinator).
- Affiliated entities
  - Only the following entities may be considered as affiliated entities to the lead applicant and/or to co-applicant(s).
  - This structural link encompasses mainly two notions:
    - Control, as defined in Directive 2013/34/EU on the annual financial statements, consolidated financial statements and related reports of certain types of undertakings:
      - Entities affiliated to an applicant may hence be:
        
        Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the applicant (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the applicant (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
        
        Entities directly or indirectly controlling the applicant (parent companies). Likewise, they may be entities controlling an entity controlling the applicant;
        
        Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the applicant (sister companies).
    - Membership, i.e. the applicant is legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the applicant participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association) as the proposed affiliated entities.