SIDA Call for Proposals to Provide Grants for NGOs on Democratization and Human Rights

Important: New link updated for this funding opportunity. See below.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), as part of the Special Initiative of the Swedish Government to strengthen democratization and freedom of expression, is extending grant support to NGOs, individuals and other civil society organizations in developing countries. In this context, it has currently launched a call for proposals “to support actors for change where they operate with difficulty and where there is little room for political pluralism with the view of promoting a holistic approach to human rights and embodying a pluralistic and non-discriminatory view of society.” The Initiative is an opportunity for organizations and individuals to seek funding support for activities that will lead to democratization, transparency, policy changes and pluralism by having better access to information, sharing of opinions and achieving greater freedom of expression.

The SIDA guidelines for this call also mention that the support would be normally channeled through international or Swedish organizations but the overall primary group to receive the support will be NGOs, individuals, CBOs, rights groups, researchers, journalists and others in developing countries and funding can be processed through third parties. Grants can be used for building organizational capacities, organizing campaigns, legal activism or dissemination of information.

SIDA will accept only concept notes initially from applicants. After a thorough review of concept notes, full proposals will be invited from shortlisted applicants. The concept notes have to be submitted online and all proposed actions should cover at least one of these themes: the right to freedom of opinion and expression, to information and to communicate, including freedom of the media, fight against censorship, and access to the Internet; the right to freedom of thought, conscience, sexual orientation and religion; the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association, including the right to form and join a trade union; the right to freedom of movement within the borders of a state, and the right to leave any country, including one’s own, and to return to one’s country; the right to liberty and security of person; the right to political participation; the right to a fair trial; accountability; non-discrimination; and transparency.

The last date to submit concept notes is 31 December 2009.

Information about this funding opportunity has been recently updated on SIDA’s website. The link is now available at : http://www.sida.se/democracy-initiative.