Call for Proposals: Protecting Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in the Western Balkans

Published by sanja

Deadline: 31 August 2017
Open to: participants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro
Grant: 30 000 – 40 000 EUR for regional actions; 5 000 – 10 000 EUR for national actions

Description

Civil society organizations from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Kosovo*, Montenegro and Serbia that focus on the protection and promotion of human rights, in partnership with journalists, their associations, networks, media organizations and journalists’ trade unions are invited to apply for the financial support from the small grants programme “Protecting Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in the Western Balkans”.

The objective of the small grants programme is to amplify advocacy efforts undertaken by local, national and regional civil society actors in collaboration with journalists and media organizations and to set topics of media freedom and journalists’ safety on mainstream agenda in the Western Balkans region – more specifically Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Kosovo*, Montenegro and Serbia. Hence, the small grants programme will support locally and regionally rooted civil society initiatives, engaging human rights activists, journalists and media, aiming to protect the freedom of expression and freedom of media. The main goal is to explore the most pressing issues – either violations of journalists’ rights, or pressures to activists in a more comprehensive manner.

Eligibility

CSOs registered in EU member states (including Croatia and Slovenia), or in IPA countries not included in this Call (Albania and Turkey) cannot apply in the role of applicants or co-applicants (partners). However they can act as associates or providers of specific services within the project.  Actions must take place in the following five countries of the Western Balkans: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo, Macedonia and Montenegro. Exceptionally, some actions can take place out of the designated countries, yet within either EU member states or in Albania or Turkey if they contribute to the goals of the project.

The Call has two priorities:

  1.  To support projects which effectively tackle problems and obstacles faced by journalists who are under various forms of pressure;
  2.  To support projects which focus on pressures on human rights activists whose freedom of speech is jeopardized.

Grants

The total value of the small grants programme is 267 000 EUR, to be disbursed to 15 grantees – 5 larger regional projects and 10 smaller national projects.  The time frame for the implementation of the supported projects is 1 October 2017 – 31 August 2018.

  • LOT 1 – Regional actions,which are expected to include participants from at least 3 out of 5 project WB countries. Average size of grants is 30 000 – 40 000 EUR with a co-financing rate of 10%. Indicatively, a total of 5 regional grants will be disbursed contingent on sufficient applications of high quality;
  • LOT 2 – National actions,which are expected to include participants within a given country. Average size of grants is 5 000 – 10 000 EUR with a co-financing rate of 10%. Indicatively, a total of 10 national grants will be disbursed, contingent on sufficient applications of high quality.

How to Apply?

All grant applications will need to be prepared and submitted in English language.

In order to apply please fill in the Application form

The applications MUST be sent by e-mail to mediafreedom.smallgrants@solidarna.hr by August 31, 2017 at 23:59:59h CET.

For more information visit the official website.

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