Call: Call for proposals to promote gender equality

The general objective of the Programme is to protect and promote rights and values as enshrined in the Treaties, the Charter and the applicable international human rights conventions, in particular by supporting civil society organisations and other stakeholders active at local, regional, national and transnational level, and by encouraging civic and democratic participation, in order to sustain and further develop open, rights-based, democratic, equal and inclusive societies which are based on the rule of law.

Furthermore, the Programme shall have the following specific objectives, which correspond to strands:

1. to protect and promote Union values (Union values strand);
2. to promote rights, non-discrimination and equality, including gender equality, and to advance gender mainstreaming and the mainstreaming of non-discrimination (equality, rights and gender equality strand);
3. to promote citizens’ engagement and participation in the democratic life of the Union and exchanges between citizens of different Member States, and to raise awareness of their common European history (citizens’ engagement and participation strand);
4. to fight violence, including gender-based violence (Daphne strand).

Union values strand

The Union values strand shall focus on protecting, promoting and raising awareness of rights by providing financial support to civil society organisations which are active at local, regional, national and transnational level in promoting and cultivating those rights, thereby also strengthening the protection and promotion of Union values and respect for the rule of law and contributing to the construction of a more democratic Union, democratic dialogue, transparency and good governance.

Equality, rights and gender equality strand

The equality, rights and gender equality strand shall focus on:

1. promoting equality and preventing and combating inequalities and discrimination based on sex, racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation, and respecting the principle of non-discrimination on the grounds provided for in Article 21 of the Charter;
2. supporting, advancing and implementing comprehensive policies aimed at:
   1. promoting women’s full enjoyment of rights; gender equality, including work-life balance; women’s empowerment; and gender mainstreaming;
   2. promoting non-discrimination and the mainstreaming thereof;
   3. combating racism, xenophobia and all forms of intolerance, including homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, interphobia and intolerance on the basis of gender identity, both online and offline;
   4. protecting and promoting the rights of the child;
   5. protecting and promoting the rights of persons with disabilities;
3. protecting and promoting Union citizenship rights and the right to the protection of personal data.

Citizens’ engagement and participation strand

The citizens’ engagement and participation strand shall focus on:

1. supporting projects aimed at remembering defining moments in modern European history, such as the coming to power of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, including the causes and consequences thereof, and projects aimed at raising awareness among European citizens of their common history, culture, cultural heritage and values, thereby enhancing their understanding of the Union, of its origins, purpose, diversity and achievements and of the importance of mutual understanding and tolerance;
2. promoting citizens’ and representative associations’ participation in and contribution to the democratic and civic life of the Union by enabling them to make known and publicly exchange their views in all areas of Union action;
3. promoting exchanges between citizens of different countries, in particular through town-twinning and networks of towns, so as to afford them practical experience of the richness and diversity of the common heritage of the Union and to make them aware that such richness and diversity constitute a solid foundation for a common future.

Daphne strand

The Daphne strand shall focus on:

1. preventing and combating at all levels all forms of gender-based violence against women and girls and domestic violence, including by promoting the standards laid down in the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention);
2. preventing and combating all forms of violence against children, young people and other groups at risk, such as LGBTIQ persons and persons with disabilities;
3. supporting and protecting all direct and indirect victims of the forms of violence referred to in points (1) and (2), such as the victims of domestic violence perpetrated within the family or within intimate relationships, including children orphaned as a result of domestic crimes, and supporting and ensuring the same level of protection throughout the Union for victims of gender-based violence.

Objective:

Supporting, advancing and implementing comprehensive policies to promote women’s full enjoyment of rights, freedom from gender stereotypes, gender equality, including work-life balance, women’s empowerment and gender mainstreaming. Policy initiative supported: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025.

Scope:

Member State governments, local and regional authorities and their associations, equality bodies, civil society organisations, in particular women’s rights organisations, and other stakeholders are invited to submit projects within the following two priorities:

1. Equal participation and representation of women and men in political and economic decision making.

The aim of the priority is to promote equal participation and representation of women and men in political decision making (including the equal representation of women and men and in the 2024 European Parliament elections) and in management and leadership positions in the corporate sector. Indeed, women continue to be under-represented in decision-making positions in political and economic life in many EU Member States . In line with its Gender Equality Strategy and to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals , the Commission will support Member States and relevant stakeholders in developing and implementing effective strategies to increase the representation and participation of women in decision making in politics and in the corporate sector. To address the remaining challenges to achieving equal participation/representation of women and men in political and economic life, coordinated action is required in a wide range of areas, with fundamental changes, policies, measures and targeted actions that remove both societal and structural obstacles bearing in mind the need to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in the COVID-19 recovery. Projects should take into account in their objectives and activities women in all their diversity .

2. Tackling gender stereotypes, including with a focus on youth, and in advertising and the media

This priority focuses on actions that raise awareness, at local, national or EU level, to tackle gender stereotypes, including in all spheres of life of young people (particularly schools, sports, online gaming, social media and other activities), and in advertising and the media. This will include promoting positive messages and portrayals of equality between, and equal chances for, girls and boys, women and men, in order to encourage behavioural change in the society. This priority will accompany an EU-wide campaign on tackling gender stereotypes with a particular focus on youth, as well as other gender equality measures that address stereotypes through an intersectional approach. Projects should propose methods and activities that directly involve the target groups, in particular girls and boys, in a creative and innovative way, using positive and progressive messages to promote behaviour change.

Expected Impacts

1. Equal participation and representation of women and men in political and economic decision making:

• contribution to the implementation of the Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, in particular its objectives under the 'leading equally throughout society' pillar and to the EU's achievement of Sustainable Development Goal number five on gender equality;
• contribution to the achievement of equal representation of women and men in the European Parliament after the 2024 elections;
• design, development and/or monitoring of national, regional or local policies to promote equal representation of women and men in decision-making positions and processes in politics, public debates and in management and leadership positions in the corporate sector;
• increased capacity of national, regional and local authorities and their associations, civil society organisations, in particular women’s organisations, and the media to address the remaining obstacles related to the under-representation of women in all their diversity in politics, public debates and in management and leadership positions in the corporate sector;
• strengthened cooperation, increased networking and exchange of information between Member State governments, local and regional authorities and their associations, equality bodies, civil society organisations, in particular women’s organisations, the media, and academics.

2. Tackling gender stereotypes, including with a focus on youth, as well as in advertising and the media:

• tackling gender stereotypes and negative gender roles through awareness raising and training of those who are in daily contact with the target groups, especially young people;
• changed attitudes towards and behaviours concerning the role of women and men, boys and girls, among the general population and particular groups, e.g. relevant professionals, witnesses and bystanders, vulnerable groups, etc.;
• girls and boys, women and men feeling valued and empowered, freed from negative expectations, through identification with progressive gender portrayal and positive messaging.

• be legal entities (public or private bodies)
• be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
  • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
  • non-EU countries: EEA countries and countries associated to the CERV Programme or countries which are in ongoing negotiations for an association agreement and where the agreement enters into force before grant signature

• Natural persons are NOT eligible (with the exception of self-employed persons, i.e. sole traders, where the company does not have legal personality separate from that of the natural person).
• EU bodies (with the exception of the European Commission Joint Research Centre) can NOT be part of the consortium.

• Application Form Part A — contains administrative information about the participants  and the summarised budget for the project (to be filled in directly online)
• Application Form Part B — contains the technical description of the project (to be downloaded from the Portal Submission System, completed and then assembled and re-uploaded)
• Part C (to be filled in directly online) containing additional project data including mandatory indicators
• mandatory annexes and supporting documents (to be uploaded):
  • CVs (standard) of core project team;
  • activity reports of last year;
  • list of previous projects (key projects for the last 4 years)
  • for participants with activities involving children: their child protection policy covering the four areas described in the Keeping Children Safe Child Safeguarding Standards

Technical Secretariat

For the  strands "Union Values" and "Citizens’ engagement and participation": Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA).
Email: EACEA-CERV@ec.europa.eu

For the strands "Equality, rights and gender equality" and "Daphne": Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers of the European Commission.
Email: EC-CERV-CALLS@ec.europa