Call for Applications: 2023 Human Rights Fund in Romania

Deadline: 31-Mar-23

The Embassy of the Netherlands in Bucharest is launching the third edition of the open call for project applications within its delegated Human Rights Fund.

The Human Rights Fund is a tool of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. Its purpose is to support activities by civil society organisations around the world, to encourage them to actively engage in the promotion and defence of human rights.

They invite the Romanian civil society organisations to submit project proposals which can strengthen the promotion of human rights in Romania as well as enhance their capacity to work with the Romanian local and/or central government towards the implementation of public policies related to human rights, as both Romania and the Netherlands are committed parties to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Focus Areas

• The project applications must be in line with at least one of the Dutch government’s human rights policy priorities. For this year’s call they invite civil society organizations to focus on:
  • equal rights for women and girls – activities focusing on the promotion of women’s political participation at national and local levels; promotion of gender equality in decision-making; promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights; fostering an environment where boys and men respect and promote gender equality; fight against domestic violence, sexism and/or harassment;
  • equal rights for LGBTIQ+ persons – activities focusing on awareness raising on equal rights for LGBTIQ+ persons as human rights; strengthening the capacity of local organisations promoting equal rights for LGBTIQ+ persons;
  • freedom of expression and internet freedom – activities focusing on promoting critical thinking among youth; fight against fake news and disinformation; investigative journalism; freedom of the press; access to data and information.

Funding Information

• Grants requested from the Human Rights Fund should fall within the range €10,000 to €20,000.

Eligibility Criteria

• Project proposals need to meet the following criteria in order to be considered eligible for funding:
  • Applications must be presented in the requested format;
  • Applications must focus on (one of) the priority areas mentioned and directed at activities in Romania;
  • Applicant organisations should be registered in Romania and should have a solid track record of activities in and commitment to the policy area and the communities targeted by the project;
  • Projects must start in 2023 and finish no later than 2025;
• Priority for financing will be awarded to:
  • Applications which set clear and feasible goals to deliver sustainable results, including cooperation with relevant governmental stakeholders where appropriate;
  • Applications aiming to actively involve youth and innovative approaches towards attaining the proposed objectives;
  • Applications aiming at implementing activities outside Bucharest.

Ineligible

• The following activities are not eligible under the HRF: humanitarian aid; projects that largely or exclusively involve the delivery of goods or materials; commercial activities; ongoing projects; projects with a predominantly academic focus, i.e. research; infrastructural or construction projects; bursaries or education programmes; feasibility studies; and, vehicles, household appliances, hardware, etc.
• The Human Rights Fund cannot be used to pay regular salaries, cover office related costs or buy equipment.

For more information, visit Human Rights Fund.