Call for Proposals: Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (Morocco)

Deadline: 08-Sep-2026

The European Commission is inviting grant applications to support initiatives that strengthen women’s empowerment, gender equality, and social inclusion in Morocco. The programme focuses on reducing stereotypes and discriminatory norms, improving women’s economic and social participation, strengthening access to information, and promoting sport as a driver of equality and inclusion.

The call for proposals is structured into three thematic lots addressing socio-cultural transformation, women’s empowerment, and sport-based inclusion initiatives. The programme offers total indicative funding of EUR 3.5 million, with grants ranging from EUR 550,000 to EUR 700,000 depending on the lot.

What is the European Commission Women’s Empowerment Programme?

The European Commission has launched a funding programme to support initiatives that promote women’s empowerment and gender equality in Morocco.

The programme seeks to strengthen the economic, social, and public participation of women and girls while addressing barriers created by stereotypes, discrimination, and restrictive socio-cultural norms.

The initiative also supports inclusive participation through advocacy, policy engagement, community mobilization, and sport-based empowerment approaches.

Programme Objectives

The overall objective of the programme is to:

• Contribute to the economic and social empowerment of women in Morocco.

The programme promotes:

• A supportive cultural and social environment for women and girls.
• Greater equality and inclusion.
• Improved participation of women in public and social life.
• Reduction of discriminatory practices and norms.

Specific Objectives

The programme aims to:

• Reduce stereotypes and discriminatory socio-cultural norms affecting women and girls.
• Strengthen economic and social empowerment of women and girls.
• Improve advocacy and public policy support for gender equality.
• Promote sport as a driver of inclusion and equality.
• Strengthen women’s access to information and public participation.
• Encourage positive social norm transformation involving men and boys.

Key Focus Areas

The initiative focuses on several gender equality and inclusion priorities.

Main focus areas include:

• Women’s empowerment.
• Gender equality and inclusion.
• Reduction of stereotypes and discrimination.
• Socio-cultural norm transformation.
• Women’s economic empowerment.
• Public policy advocacy.
• Social mobilization and awareness.
• Access to information for women and girls.
• Participation in media and information production.
• Gender equality through sport.
• Leadership and participation opportunities for women and girls.
• Positive engagement of men and boys.

The programme supports both systemic and community-level interventions.

Combating Stereotypes and Discriminatory Norms

A major priority of the programme is:

• Reducing stereotypes and discriminatory socio-cultural norms.

The initiative seeks to address:

• Social barriers limiting women’s participation.
• Discriminatory attitudes and practices.
• Restrictive gender norms affecting girls and women.

Activities may include:

• Awareness campaigns.
• Advocacy initiatives.
• Community engagement.
• Educational and media-based interventions.

The programme promotes positive and inclusive social change.

Women’s Economic and Social Empowerment

The initiative supports:

• Economic and social empowerment of women and girls.

Priority areas include:

• Advocacy for gender-responsive policies.
• Improved participation in economic and social life.
• Support for vulnerable women and girls.
• Community mobilization and inclusion efforts.

The programme seeks to strengthen opportunities, participation, and visibility for women across society.

Access to Information and Participation

The programme emphasizes:

• Strengthening access to information for women and girls.

The initiative encourages:

• Active participation of women in information production.
• Representation of women’s realities and experiences.
• Greater visibility of women’s voices in public life.

The programme promotes inclusive communication and participation approaches.

Role of Men and Boys

The initiative encourages:

• Engagement of men and boys in gender equality efforts.

The programme seeks to:

• Create enabling social environments.
• Support positive norm transformation.
• Promote shared responsibility for equality and inclusion.

Community-wide participation is considered essential for sustainable change.

Sport as a Tool for Equality and Inclusion

One of the programme priorities focuses on:

• Sport as a driver of equality and inclusion.

The initiative supports:

• Participation of women and girls in physical activity and sport.
• Leadership opportunities through sport.
• Reduction of barriers limiting access to sports participation.
• Positive social norm change through inclusive sporting activities.

Sport is promoted as a tool for empowerment, confidence-building, and social inclusion.

Programme Structure: Three Funding Lots

The programme is divided into:

• Three thematic lots.

Lot 1 – Combating Stereotypes and Strengthening Participation

Lot 1 focuses on:

• Combating stereotypes and discriminatory norms.
• Improving access to information.
• Strengthening women’s participation and representation.

Lot 2 – Economic and Social Empowerment

Lot 2 focuses on:

• Economic empowerment.
• Social inclusion.
• Advocacy and policy engagement.
• Community and societal mobilization.

Lot 3 – Sport for Equality and Inclusion

Lot 3 focuses on:

• Sport-based inclusion initiatives.
• Participation and leadership in sport.
• Gender equality through physical activity and social engagement.

Funding Available

The total indicative funding available under this call is:

• EUR 3,500,000.

Lot 1 Funding

• Estimated allocation: EUR 1,700,000.
• Grant size: EUR 550,000 to EUR 700,000.

Lot 2 Funding

• Grant size: EUR 550,000 to EUR 600,000.

Lot 3 Funding

• Grant size: EUR 550,000 to EUR 600,000.

The funding supports implementation of large-scale gender equality and empowerment initiatives.

Eligibility Requirements

The programme includes eligibility requirements for:

• Lead applicants.
• Co-applicants.
• Affiliated entities.

Eligibility conditions define:

• Who may apply.
• Eligible actions.
• Eligible project costs.

Applicants must carefully review the official guidelines to ensure compliance.

Eligible Actions

The programme supports activities related to:

• Women’s empowerment.
• Advocacy and awareness campaigns.
• Gender equality initiatives.
• Community mobilization.
• Sport-based inclusion programmes.
• Policy engagement and social transformation.
• Information and communication access.
• Leadership and participation initiatives.

Projects should demonstrate clear social impact and sustainability.

Expected Outcomes

The programme aims to achieve several gender equality and inclusion outcomes.

Expected results include:

• Reduced discriminatory norms and stereotypes.
• Increased participation of women and girls in social and public life.
• Stronger economic and social empowerment.
• Improved access to information and services.
• Greater inclusion through sport and community engagement.
• Positive social norm transformation.
• Strengthened advocacy and policy support for women’s rights.

The initiative supports long-term social and cultural change.

Why This Programme Matters

The European Commission initiative addresses critical gender equality and inclusion challenges in Morocco.

Key benefits include:

• Supporting women’s empowerment and leadership.
• Challenging harmful stereotypes and discrimination.
• Promoting inclusive participation and visibility.
• Strengthening social and economic opportunities for women.
• Encouraging community-level change and engagement.
• Using sport and advocacy as tools for inclusion.

The programme contributes to broader goals related to equality, participation, and sustainable development.

Who Can Apply?

Eligible applicants may include:

• Civil society organizations.
• Non-governmental organizations.
• Community organizations.
• Advocacy and development organizations.
• Other eligible entities as defined in the call guidelines.

Applicants must comply with:

• Lead applicant and co-applicant requirements.
• Eligible action and cost conditions.

Organizations with strong gender equality and community engagement experience are particularly relevant.

Assessment and Selection Priorities

Applications are likely to be assessed based on:

• Relevance to programme objectives.
• Gender equality and empowerment impact.
• Technical and operational capacity.
• Sustainability and community engagement.
• Innovation and effectiveness of proposed approaches.
• Inclusion and participation strategies.
• Budget quality and implementation feasibility.

Strong proposals should demonstrate meaningful social impact and sustainable outcomes.

Tips for Preparing a Strong Proposal

Applicants can improve their proposals by focusing on the following areas:

• Clearly explain gender equality and empowerment impact.
• Demonstrate strong community engagement strategies.
• Include sustainable and inclusive implementation approaches.
• Show alignment with the selected funding lot.
• Present realistic budgets and implementation plans.
• Highlight partnerships and stakeholder collaboration.
• Include measurable indicators and outcomes.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Applicants should avoid the following issues:

• Weak alignment with programme priorities.
• Limited sustainability or community participation.
• Poor gender analysis or inclusion strategies.
• Unrealistic budgets or implementation timelines.
• Weak monitoring and impact measurement plans.
• Incomplete eligibility documentation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the focus of the European Commission programme?

The programme supports women’s empowerment, gender equality, social inclusion, and reduction of discriminatory socio-cultural norms in Morocco.

How many funding lots are available?

The programme is divided into three thematic lots.

What is the total funding available?

The total indicative funding available is EUR 3,500,000.

What topics does Lot 1 cover?

Lot 1 focuses on combating stereotypes, discrimination, and improving access to information and participation.

What is the purpose of Lot 3?

Lot 3 promotes sport as a tool for equality, participation, and inclusion.

What grant amounts are available?

Grants range from EUR 550,000 to EUR 700,000 depending on the lot.

Who can apply?

Eligible lead applicants, co-applicants, and affiliated entities meeting programme requirements may apply.

Conclusion

The European Commission programme on women’s empowerment and gender equality in Morocco provides significant support for initiatives addressing discrimination, social inclusion, women’s participation, and empowerment. Through advocacy, policy engagement, community mobilization, and sport-based inclusion activities, the programme seeks to strengthen opportunities and rights for women and girls across Morocco.

The initiative also promotes long-term cultural and social transformation by engaging communities, strengthening public participation, and addressing harmful norms and barriers. Organizations with strong expertise in gender equality, social development, and community engagement are encouraged to develop impactful proposals aligned with the programme’s objectives.

For more information, visit European Commission.