This call for application is available for download in English (here).
In response to the unfolding crisis facing human rights defenders and networks in Afghanistan, ProtectDefenders.eu, with the support of four partner organisations is calling for proposals from Afghan civil society organisations, media groups, and networks working in defence of human rights, in and outside the country. With the support of the European Union, it has been allocated funds for a 18 months sub-granting project focused only on Afghanistan.
The objective of this programme is to ensure that groups and networks are empowered, resilient and enabled to continue their work. The project aims to significantly contribute to the sustainability of local human rights movements and organisations. At a more interim level, this will be achieved by ensuring human rights organisations and civil society supporting HRDs have access to financial assistance to respond to the security threats they face, and build resilience.
Beneficiaries can include unregistered organisations, loose networks and organisations based in and outside of Afghanistan, that have limited capacity to approach donors, and to those organisations with limited financial capacity, who are continuing to deliver emergency support to Afghan HRDs.
The project will adopt an intersectional approach which takes into account the specific and additional risks faced by most at-risk HRD groups including women human rights defenders (WHRDs), LGBTI+ defenders, minority rights defenders, environmental and indigenous peoples’ rights defenders, freedom of expression’s rights defenders and less connected HRDs.
The Institutional support grants are designed to support human rights defender organisations in their work with:
• Consolidating operational capacities, allowing the beneficiaries to develop new initiatives and/or sustain their work,
• Leveraging emerging local initiatives, especially ones in isolated areas, whose timeliness with respect to on-the-ground developments is crucial to influence the human rights or HRDs’ situation at the local level,
• Providing a lifeline to local organisations that are threatened by unexpected and/or grave security, financial, legal or administrative situations through core/bridging fund.
Eligible applicants are invited to submit their proposals starting from today. The call for applications will remain open until April 2023. Applications can be submitted in both, English and Dari.
ProtectDefenders.eu Secretariat is open for receiving your applications.
How to apply ?
You can download the guidelines for applicants (here), the application form (here) and the budget template (here).
A new section on this website with other application modalities, including a secure online form, will be available soon.
