CALL FOR PROPOSALS
Grants to raise awareness on violence against women and domestic violence and the Istanbul Convention
in the Republic of Moldova – 16 days of activism against gender-based violence
BH8808/2022/GA
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Project |
“Supporting the implementation of Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova” |
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Awarding entity |
Council of Europe |
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Directorate General of Democracy (DGII) |
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Funding |
The Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova 2021-2024 |
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Duration |
Projects shall be implemented by 10 December 2022. Reporting requirements shall be completed by 10 January 2022. |
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Estimated starting date |
01 October 2022 |
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Issuance date |
24 June 2022 |
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Deadline for applications |
04 August 2022 |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE PROJECT
6. Further to the general objective, preference will be given to:
7. The following types of action will not be considered:
4. Change, alteration and modification of the application file
VI. EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE
VII. NOTIFICATION OF THE DECISION AND SIGNATURE OF GRANT AGREEMENTS
Appendices:
- Appendix I - Application Form
- Appendix II - Provisional budget (Template)
- Appendix III - Template Grant Agreement (for information only)
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This call for proposals is launched in the framework of the Council of Europe Project “Supporting the implementation of the Istanbul Convention in the Republic of Moldova”. It aims to co-fund local projects aimed at raising awareness on violence against women/domestic (VAW/DV) and the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (the Istanbul Convention) through national campaigns and other communication tools in light of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, which will take place from 25 November to 10 December 2022.
Project proposals shall aim to produce an added value to the Council of Europe efforts in this domain.
II. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE PROJECT
The purpose of the Project is to act as a roadmap to support the Moldovan authorities in their first steps of implementation of the Istanbul Convention and to bring domestic policy instruments more in line with this and other Council of Europe standards. To do so, the project aims to raise awareness of the Istanbul Convention and other gender equality standards in the Republic of Moldova across actors and sectors, and to build the capacity of relevant actors involved in preventing and combating VAW/DV at domestic level.
It aims to strengthen the capacity of key stakeholders involved in preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, protecting the victims and prosecuting the perpetrators of violence, and advancing towards an effective co-ordination among the relevant stakeholders in line with the Istanbul Convention.
The project is being implemented under the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for the Republic of Moldova for 2021-2024 and it is done in partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Institute of Justice of the Republic of Moldova.
Its implementation is from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023.
Project’s main activities:
Awareness-raising:
· Workshops for different audiences (journalists, civil society organisations, etc);
· Grants for NGOs to develop awareness-raising campaigns on the occasion of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence;
· Visibility materials, through translation of existing tools and through development of new material.
Capacity-building of professionals:
· Capacity-building sessions of legal professionals and police officers on VAW/DV, through the Council of Europe HELP Programme (Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals);
· Development of guidelines methodology for training of trainers (ToT) for social workers;
· ToTs for social workers and cascade trainings;
· Research publication on multi agency co-operation and risks assessments;
· Promotion of multiagency co-operation through working groups and study visits.
Expected outcomes
1. Enhanced understanding on the Istanbul Convention and other gender equality standards in the Republic of Moldova across actors and sectors;
2. Increased capacity of national authorities to develop national legislation and policies in line with CoE standards on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, including the Istanbul Convention;
3. Increased multi-agency co-operation to prevent and combat violence against women and domestic violence;
4. Application of knowledge and skills on the Istanbul Convention and Council of Europe standards on gender equality by legal professionals and civil servants when dealing with cases of violence against women and domestic violence.
The indicative available budget under this call for proposals is 18,600 (eighteen thousand six hundred) Euros. The Council of Europe intends to award 3 grants of a maximum amount of 6,200 (six thousand two hundred) Euros each.
Subject to availability of funds and extension of the Project’s initial duration, the Council of Europe reserves the right not to award all available funds, and/or to redistribute the available funds in a different manner depending on the project proposals received and on the outcome of the call for proposals.
The grants will fund small-scale projects to design and deliver awareness raising campaigns in light of the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (25 November- 10 December). Projects will therefore aim at preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence and promoting the standards set in the Istanbul Convention as the most comprehensive international treaty to tackle violence against women and domestic violence (VAW/DV).
Projects may include:
· Development of video spots for TV/social media to raise awareness on VAW/DV-related issues, in the form of human stories and their broadcasting;
· Organisation of workshops, seminars and/or roundtables on VAW/DV involving targeted stakeholders;
· Design and production of communication tools and awareness-raising materials with information for different stakeholders on VAW/DV, the Istanbul Convention (including dispelling misconceptions on it), challenging stereotypes and prejudices;
· Awareness-raising activities targeting women, including those belonging to disadvantaged groups (ethnic minorities, women with disabilities, migrant/refugee women or women on the move, elderly women, women in rural areas, etc.) to help them access support services (legal, psychological, social, medical etc);
· Awareness-raising activities targeting the general public aiming to eliminate gender-based discriminatory stereotypes about the roles and responsibilities of women and men in the family and society;
· Activities aiming to change the attitude of society in general towards reporting and action in such cases, including changing the behaviour or perception of perpetrators of violence;
· Prevention of VAW/DV in/through the digital environment - GREVIO General Recommendation No. 1 on the digital dimension of violence against women.
The implementation period of the projects should start on 01 October – 10 December 2022 (see indicative timetable under VIII. below) and shall not extend beyond 10 December 2022.
Reporting requirements shall be completed on 10 January 2023 at the latest.
Projects completed prior to the date of submission of the applications will be automatically excluded. As regard projects started prior to the date of submission of the applications, or prior to the date of signature of the grant agreement, only those costs incurred after the date of submission of the grant application could be eligible (provided the agreement concerned so provides).
Projects should target one or a combination of the following key stakeholders:
- Migrant women, refugees, asylum seekers and women on the move (due to the war in Ukraine and refugees fleeing to Moldova):
- Women, including those from disadvantaged groups (ethnic minorities, women with disabilities, elderly women, women in rural areas, etc.);
- Victims and potential victims of VAW/DV;
- Potential perpetrators and perpetrators of VAW/DV.
The above list is not exhaustive, and projects may propose to target other relevant stakeholders, while keeping in mind the general objective of the Project and the aim of the call for proposals.
Project proposals shall be accompanied by a draft budget (See Template Budget, in Appendix II) amounting to a maximum of 6,200 (six thousand two hundred) Euros. The estimated budget must be consistent, accurate, clear, complete and cost-effective, in the light of the activities proposed.
Each Grantee shall also be required to contribute to the project either by way of its own resources or by contribution from third parties. Co-financing may take the form of financial or human resources, in-kind contributions or income generated by the action or project.
6. Further to the general objective, preference will be given to:
· Projects or actions targeting to raise awareness at national level and to foster a direct and meaningful impact on raising the degree of understanding and awareness on VAW/DV;
· Projects or actions involving different stakeholders across sectors, including state institutions and authorities;
· Projects or actions promoting the standards and values of the Council of Europe, and following a human rights-based approach, including the principles of participation and inclusion, equality and non-discrimination, accountability, and transparency and access to information.
7. The following types of action will not be considered:
· Projects/actions providing financial support to third parties (re-granting schemes);
· Projects/actions concerning only or mainly individual scholarships for studies or training courses;
· Projects/actions supporting political parties.
The funds for each grant should in principle be distributed as follows:
· 80 % will be paid to the Grantee or the Lead Grantee in case of a consortium when the Grant Agreement between the Parties is signed;
· the balance will be paid to the Grantee or the Lead Grantee in case of a consortium based on actual expenditures incurred, and after the presentation and acceptance by the Council of Europe of the final narrative and financial reports for the Grant implementation.
· narrative reporting requires a full narrative report on the use made of the grant and a copy of the register of the persons present during each of the activities, including names and signatures of participants;
· financial reporting requires in particular a statement in the currency in which the Grant Agreement will be concluded (Euros or local currency), in English, stating the payments made for the implementation of the activities, certified by the responsible financial officer of the Grantees, accompanied by “appropriate original supporting documents” (see below). The Council of Europe reserves the right to ask for summary translations of invoices into English. If for legal reasons the original documents must be retained by the Grantees, certified copies must be submitted with the financial statement.
“Appropriate original supporting documents” refers to signed contracts, invoices and acceptances of work (for all transactions), payment authorisation for all transactions should also be provided in case the Grantees use such practice, and reliable evidence of payment (authorised payment order and bank statement).
As regards round tables / conferences, presenting “appropriate original supporting documents” requires presentation of a programme indicating the title, dates, venue, and agenda of the event; the names of persons facilitating the event, a signed list of participants, the contracts with the owner of venue of the event (e.g. hotel) for the rent of premises, food and beverages of participants, invoices from the owner of the venue of the event for the above services, and a report on the results of the event (see narrative reporting above).
As regards consultancy services, presenting “appropriate original supporting documents” requires presentation of evidence of the outputs produced, contracts with experts and consultants containing a specific description of services to be carried out, invoices produced after the works have been performed and delivered (the specialities of the consultants shall correspond to the nature of activities for which they are contracted).
As regards travel fees / lodging of experts and participants, presenting “appropriate original supporting documents” requires presentation, where relevant, of contracts with a travel agency for travel fees and lodging, invoices of the travel agency indicating destinations, dates, ticket costs, and names of the travelling persons, a programme of the event indicating the names of the experts and signed lists of participants.
The above description is not comprehensive. Any doubt regarding the interpretation of the notion of “appropriate original supporting documents” should lead the Grantee or the Lead Grantee in case of a consortium to consult the Council of Europe.
Each application shall contain:
· the completed and signed Application Form (See Appendix I);
· a provisional budget (using the template reproduced in Appendix II);
· the other supporting documents:
- Scanned copy of organisation’s registration certificate and statute
- Bank and financial statements
- List of team members involved in the activity with profile description
Applications that are incomplete will not be considered.
General information can be found on the website of the Council of Europe’s gender equality website: Home (coe.int)
Other questions regarding this specific call for proposals must be sent at the latest one week before the deadline for the submission of proposals, in English, and shall be exclusively sent to the following address: [email protected],with the following reference in subject: VAW grants - questions.
The application form, completed and signed by all Grantees, together with the supporting documents, must be submitted in electronic form (Word and/or PDF) to the following e-mail address: [email protected]t. Emails should contain the following reference in subject: VAW grants.
Applications must be received before 04 August 2022 (at 23:59 Eastern Europe Summer Time (UTC+3). Applications received after the above mentioned date will not be considered.
4. Change, alteration and modification of the application file
Any change in the format, or any alteration or modification of the original application file, will cause the immediate rejection of the application concerned.
VI. EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCEDURE
The projects presented will be assessed by an Evaluation Committee composed of three staff members of the Council of Europe.
The procedure shall be based on the underlying principles of grant award procedures, which are transparency, non-retroactivity, non-cumulative awards, not-for-profit, co-financing and non-discrimination, in accordance with Rule 1374 of 16 December 2015 on the grant award procedures of the Council of Europe.
The applicants, and their projects, shall fulfil all of the following criteria:
Applicants shall be excluded from the grant award procedure where they or, in the case of legal persons, their owner(s) or executive officer(s):
a. have been sentenced by final judgment on one or more of the following charges: participation in a criminal organisation, corruption, fraud, money laundering, terrorist financing, terrorist offences or offences linked to terrorist activities, child labour or trafficking in human beings;
b. are in a situation of bankruptcy, liquidation, termination of activity, insolvency or arrangement with creditors or any like situation arising from a procedure of the same kind, or are subject to a procedure of the same kind;
c. have received a judgement with res judicata force, finding an offence that affects their professional integrity or constitutes a serious professional misconduct;
d. do not comply with their obligations as regards payment of social security contributions, taxes and dues, according to the statutory provisions of the country where they are established;
e. are an entity created to circumvent tax, social or other legal obligations (empty shell company), have ever created or are in the process of creation of such an entity;
f. have been involved in mismanagement of the Council of Europe funds or public funds.
By signing the Application Form, applicants shall declare on their honour that they are not in any of the above-mentioned situations (See Appendix I, Item 12).
The Council of Europe reserves the right to ask applicants at a later stage to supply the following supporting documents:
- for the items set out in paragraphs a), b), c) and f), an extract from the record of convictions or failing that an equivalent document issued by the competent judicial or administrative authority of the country where the applicant is established, indicating that these requirements are met;
- for the items set out in paragraph d), a certificate issued by the competent authority of the country of establishment.
In order to be eligible for a grant, an applicant must:
· be legally constituted as a non-governmental organisation in the Republic of Moldova;
· a minimum of 5 years in the field of preventing and combating VAW/DV, human rights, gender equality, including at least 2 in awareness-raising on these topics;
· designate a staff member responsible for the management of the project, who holds a minimum of three years of experience in the field of preventing and combating VAW/DV, human rights and women rights, gender equality, etc.;
· have a bank account in the name of the organisation.
Multiple applications are not allowed and shall lead to the exclusion of all applications concerned.
Applications will be assessed against the following criteria:
· the relevance and added value of the project with regard to the objective of the call (30%)
· the extent to which the action meets the requirements of the call (20%);
· the quality, accuracy, clarity, completeness and cost-effectiveness of the application and the estimated budget (20%);
· the relevance of the experience of the applying organisation(s) and staff (30%).
VII. NOTIFICATION OF THE DECISION AND SIGNATURE OF GRANT AGREEMENTS
On completion of the selection process, all applicants will be notified in writing of the final decision concerning their respective applications as well as on the next steps to be undertaken.
The selected Grantees will be invited to sign a Grant Agreement (See Appendix III, for information only), formalising their legal commitments. Potential applicants are strongly advised to read the draft contract, in particular its requirements in terms of payment and reporting.
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Phases |
Indicative timing |
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Publication of the call |
24 June 2022 |
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Deadline for submitting applications |
04 August 2022 |
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Information to applicants on the results of the award procedure |
23 September 2022 |
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Signature of the grant agreements |
30 September 2022 |
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Implementation period |
01 October-10 December 2022 |
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