Deadline: 18 May 2015
The European Commission is seeking proposals from non-profit/civil society organizations working across globe for its European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR) programme under its Country-Based Support Scheme (CBSS) to promote Constitutional Literacy and Equal Citizenship in Pakistan. The global objective of this Call for Proposals is to contribute towards the enhancement and preservation of equal citizenship and constitutional literacy in Pakistan in the area of fundamental rights, with particular regard to the impact of the fight against terror on preserving human rights and with a specific focus on youth.
The overall indicative amount made available under this Call for Proposals is EUR 1,620,000.
Programme Objectives
The specific objectives of this Call for Proposals are
- To encourage the proper implementation of the Supreme Court decision on the rights of non-Muslim citizens of 19 June 2014 and to give tangible effect to the Constitutional guarantee to the right of non-Muslim citizens to freely profess, practice and propagate their religions and develop their cultures;
- To foster women’s participation in public life, and promote women’s leadership, especially in politics, media and higher education in line with the constitutional provision that mandates non-discrimination on the basis of sex;
- To combat impunity, in particular for violations of the constitutional guarantees of security of person, human dignity and judicial guarantees with respect to arrest and detention and fair trial.
Lots
The Call is thus divided into three themed lots that should respond to the corresponding specific objectives.
Lot 1: Freedom of Religion or Belief
- Under this lot, applications should propose measures to promote awareness and implementation of the decision by of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
- Proposed actions should seek to enhance and collaborate with measures taken by the Federal, Provincial or Local Governments of Pakistan or other state institutions.
Note: ALL religious groups, both non-Muslim and Muslim, can be targeted under this lot.
Lot 2: Women’s Rights and Gender Equality
- Proposals may include elements of research, including on theories of change linked to women’s leadership.
- Strengthening women’s position in society as equal citizens, increasing the recognition of women’s rights, improving gender equality, alleviating poverty, or similar.
Lot 3: Access to Justice
- Under this lot, applicants should propose measures to foster greater transparency and accountability in the exercise of justice and due process, especially regarding the constitutional guarantees of security of person, human dignity and judicial guarantees with respect to arrest and detention and fair trial, including the prohibition of torture.
- Actions proposed could include but are not limited to research and evidence-based advocacy, trial-monitoring, support to test cases, class action suits, or public interest litigation, media activities, communication campaigns, etc.
Indicative allocation of funds by lot
- Lot 1: Freedom of Religion and Belief EUR 540,000
- Lot 2: Women’s rights EUR 540,000
- Lot 3: Access to Justice EUR 540,000
Size of grants
Grant requested must fall between EUR 324,000 to EUR 540,000.
Duration
The initial planned duration of an action may not be less than 24 months nor exceed 48 months.
Location
Actions must take place in one or more of the following countries: Pakistan.
Eligibility Criteria
- In order to be eligible for a grant, the applicant must:
- be a legal person and
- be non-profit-making and
- be a specific type of organisation such as civil society organisations, including non-governmental organisations and independent political foundations, community based organisations, and private sector agencies, institutions and organisations, and networks thereof at local, national, regional and international level, public-sector non-profit agencies, 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
- be able to demonstrate at least two (2) years of experience and to prove their capacity to manage activities corresponding to the size of the project for which a grant is requested.
- No nationality restriction applies to applicants, co-applicants or, if any, affiliated entities, but priority will be given to projects submitted by applicants from Pakistan so as to promote ownership and strong local leadership.
- The applicant must act with co-applicant(s) who must satisfy the eligibility criteria as applicable to the applicant himself. Other conditions are-
- Applicants established in a country other than Pakistan must act with at least two co-applicants established in Pakistan.
- Applicants established in Pakistan must act with at least one co-applicant established in Pakistan.
- The applicant and its co-applicant(s) may act with affiliated entity(ies) having a structural link with the applicants. Eligible entities may thus include-
- Entities directly or indirectly controlled by the beneficiary (daughter companies or first-tier subsidiaries). They may also be entities controlled by an entity controlled by the beneficiary (granddaughter companies or second-tier subsidiaries) and the same applies to further tiers of control;
- Entities directly or indirectly controlling the beneficiary (parent companies).
- Entities under the same direct or indirect control as the beneficiary (sister companies).
- Entities legally defined as a e.g. network, federation, association in which the proposed affiliated entities also participate or the beneficiary participates in the same entity (e.g. network, federation, association) as the proposed affiliated entities.
How to Apply?
- The application process consists of two phases-
- Phase 1, concept note
- Phase 2, full proposal
- Only Concept Notes must be submitted for evaluation. Thereafter, applicants who have been pre-selected will be invited to submit a Full Application Form.
- Prior registration in EuropeAid’s on-line database, PADOR, is obligatory for applicants, co-applicants and affiliated entities.
- Applicants must be registered before submitting the concept note, while co-applicants and affiliated entities must be registered prior to submission of the full application, if applicable.
For more information about this grant, please visit Pakistan CBSS.
