Open Call to support Advocacy and Campaigning Initiatives by NGOs and CSOs (USD 5,000)

Open Call to support Advocacy and Campaigning Initiatives by NGOs and CSOs (USD 5,000)

Deadline: 28-Sep-22

Harm Reduction International is launching a call for proposals to support advocacy and campaigning initiatives by community groups, NGOs, and civil society organisations aiming at promoting meaningful engagement in the ‘Pandemic Treaty’ process (at either the local, regional, or international level); as well as mainstreaming human rights considerations in the negotiation process.

The COVID-19 pandemic, as well as state responses to this crisis, have had a devastating impact on the fundamental rights of individuals and groups, and criminalised and marginalised communities were disproportionately affected not only by the virus, but also by securitised and ineffective control strategies. At the same time, strengthening human rights protections has proven, once again, to be a critical element of any effective health response. Nevertheless, human rights considerations appear to be marginal to the ‘Pandemic Treaty’ negotiations, with human rights seldom mentioned in the working draft, and mostly relegated to symbolic provisions.

Meanwhile, communities and civil society organisations are largely relegated to the margins of the negotiation process, which has, up to now, proven complex and opaque, with limited opportunities for meaningful engagement of non-state actors; and particularly inaccessible to community organisations and groups from the Global South. This violates the right of everyone to participate in public processes, and deprives negotiations of the essential input of affected communities and actors who played a critical role in the COVID-19 response.

Supported initiatives can include (while not being limited to) institutional advocacy, online or offline campaigns, awareness raising, development or translation of resources, and organising initiatives.

Funding Information
The total available budget per grant is USD 5,000, with three grants expected to be awarded.
The timeframe for the proposed activities should be October – December 2022.
Eligibility Criteria
Applications from the Global South and by community organisations and networks of criminalised and marginalised groups (such as people who use drugs, sex workers, people in detention, LGBTQI+) will be given precedence.

For more information, visit https://www.hri.global/contents/2225