The Democratization and Human Rights Programme in Ukraine (2013 - 2016) funded by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by UNDP Ukraine is a nation-scale 4-year initiative which covering a period of 1st January 2013 until 31st December 2016. The overall aim for the Programme is a strengthened civil society with strong actors able to promote human rights, advance democracy and ensure legal aid. The Programme supports human rights actors to promote and defend human rights in Ukraine, ensures strengthening CSOs capacities as well as advocacy for wider and results-driven Government-CSO dialogue.

 

The Project follows human rights-based approach to programming under which policies, processes and planned activities are anchored in a system of rights and corresponding obligations established by international law. One of the main targets of the project is ensuring gender mainstreaming in all its components, providing opportunities for equal participation of men and women in capacity building, advocacy and grant activities.

 

The Democratization and Human Rights Programme in Ukraine is implemented through three main components:
1. Strengthening CSOs as guardians of democracy and good governance;
2. Supporting human rights actors to promote and defend human rights in Ukraine;
3. Fostering participatory implementation of the new Law on Public Associations and advocacy for wider and results-driven Government-CSO dialogue.

 

The present Call for proposals (CfP) is aimed to address theme two, which broadly encompasses the issues of human rights defense and promotion in Ukraine.

 

 

The overall aim of the present call for proposals is supporting and strengthening the key human rights stakeholders and actors in order to promote and defend human rights in Ukraine.

 

There are three lots within this CfP:
• Lot 1 – Reinforcing the work of the Office of the Ombudsperson through targeted CSO project support
• Lot 2 – Response to Recent Human Rights Challenges in Ukraine(e.g. caused by occupation of Crimea and armed conflict in the east of Ukraine);
• Lot 3 - Monitoring the implementation of Ukraine's human rights international commitments

 

Lot 1 "Reinforcing the work of the Office of the Ombudsperson through targeted CSO project support" addresses issues in the area of human rights which correspond the priorities of the Ombudsperson Office and complement the country's human rights improvement agenda.

 

Under Lot 1, grants will be awarded to a CSO/s or a coalition (platform, network) of CSOs that carry out the following activities (list is indicative and not exhaustive):

• Conducting on the-ground monitoring, filed visits, fact-finding missions to collect data on human rights situation
• Strengthening human rights protection mechanisms in the regions
• Building capacities of duty-bearers on human rights issues, especially in the priority areas of the Ombudsperson Office
• Engaging in thoroughly-designed advocacy and lobbying activities in the field of human rights protection and promotion
• Conducting educational and awareness campaigns on human rights to both rights holders and duty bearers target audience
• Strengthening strategic, managerial, advocacy, and monitoring capacities of the CSO's in producing data-based analytical products, conducting advocacy activities, and deploying preventive measures to minimize human rights violations

 

Lot 2 "Response to Recent Human Rights Challenges in Ukraine" concentrates on supporting human right initiatives aimed to respond to the human rights challenges in Crimea and the east of Ukraine.

 

Under lot 2, grants will be awarded to a CSO/s or a coalition (platform, network) of CSOs that carry out the following activities (list is indicative and not exhaustive):

• Conducting on-the-ground monitoring, filed visits, fact-finding missions to collect data and document human rights violations in Crimea and the east of Ukraine;
• Renewal and protection of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and in the east of Ukraine;
• Conducting educational and awareness campaigns on human rights to both rights holders and duty bearers target audience;
• Strategic litigation, building and promoting nation-wide awareness-raising and advocacy campaigns to resolve and eliminate systemic issues or impediments in rights enjoyment by the citizenry in Crimea and the east of Ukraine.

 

Lot 3 "Monitoring the implementation of Ukraine's human rights international commitments" supports CSOs initiatives aimed at monitoring Ukraine's international commitments to advocate for a positive change in the human rights situation in the country.

 

Under this lot 3, grants will be awarded to a CSO/s or a coalition (platform, network) of CSO's that carry out one or several of the following activities:

• Engaging national and regional CSOs into the human rights monitoring activities pursuant to the international human rights commitments under the treaty bodies including but not limited to International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD); International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) as well as Ukraine's mid-term Review within the Universal Periodic Review (UPR);
• Coordinating CSOs cooperation in collecting and summarizing data to be included into alternative reports;
• Strengthening strategic, managerial, advocacy and monitoring capacities of the CSO's in alternative/shadow report writing;
• Joint and orchestrated public advocacy by CSO's around the topics of the corresponding international instrument;
• Conducting educational and awareness campaigns on human rights.

 

 Preference would be given to a coalition (platform, network) of organizations submitting the proposal with demonstrated ability and proof of engagement of regional CSOs seen as an advantage.

 Eligible project proposals should reflect a Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) to programming with a comprehensive account for gender-sensitive and gender-balanced programming.

 

 

The grant shall cover up to 90% of project cost. Other part of the budget (not less than 10%) is to be provided by the contribution of grant beneficiary. This contribution may be both financial and in-kind (for example, wages of employees, work of volunteers, office expenses, etc.).

 

 

In order to be reviewed and evaluated, applications must be submitted by eligible organizations or coalition of (platform, network) of organizations and include eligible projects proposals and costs.

 

 

Organizations eligible to receive funding through this Call for Proposals must meet the below criteria (if the project is submitted jointly by a coalition (platform, network) of organizations, the leading organization should meet below criteria):
• Have a status of a non-governmental public or charitable organization officially registered in Ukraine;
• Have a track record of at least 1 year of active operation in the area of human rights, antidiscrimination, legal education, legal aid provision, rights promotion, lobbying, and awareness raising, etc.;
• Have a proven record of relevant project implementation and reporting.

 

Proposals from organizations or coalition (platform, network) of organizations that do not pass the eligibility criteria will not be considered.

 

 

Eligible costs must:

o Be necessary for carrying out the project activities;
o Have actually been incurred by the applicant during the implementation period;
o Comply with the principles of sound financial management, in particular value for money and cost-effectiveness;
o Be properly recorded, identifiable and verifiable, and be backed by original supporting documents.

 

Grants may only be used to cover the following costs:
o Staff salaries and expert fees;
o Goods and services necessary for project activities;
o Communication and information services;
o Purchase of consultative services provided that these are essential to project goals and objectives;
o Renting, catering, and other services envisaged by the project activities;
o Printing and copying;
o Communication costs;
o Consumables and supplies;
o Travel costs (provided that travel complies with internal UNDP regulations);

 

The following costs are ineligible:
o Costs of project proposal preparation;
o Debts reconciliation;
o Currency exchange losses;
o International travel.

 

Not more than 10% of the grant funds may be spent on equipment, provided a clear justification is offered as to its need to achieve project goals.

 

 

In order to be admitted in the review process, applications must include the full package of documents as stated in the section "Application Process" of this CFP, and be submitted in the form and on the time described further in this CFP. UNDP will determine eligibility of applications, and will prepare the eligible applications for the review and evaluation by the Grant Appraisal Committee.

 

 

This CfP will be advertised through the web sites of the following organizations:
• UNDP Ukraine (www.undp.org.ua);
• DHRP Praxis portal (www.dhrp.org.ua);
• GURT Resource Center (www.gurt.org.ua);
• Civic Space Portal (www.civicua.org).

 

Applications (project proposals) must be developed in Ukrainian according to this CfP and the Application Form.

 

The application package shall consist of:
1. The project proposal duly filled out in line with the Application form and provisions of this Call;
2. Copy of State registration certificate;
3. CVs of two proposed specialists having the experience necessary for project activities.

 

Applications with project proposals shall be submitted in an electronic format to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with subject line title: Call for Proposals "Supporting human rights actors to promote and defend human rights in Ukraine Activities", indicating a respective Lot. The size of electronic documents (including attachments) shall not exceed 5 Mb (5 024 Kb) total.

 

 

 

DHRP will manage all the activities associated with this CFP with participation and supervision of at least one representative of the UNDP Country Office staff. To ensure full transparency and equity of the process, DHRP forms a Grant Appraisal Committee (GAC) that will select and approve the grant projects. The UNDP will conclude grant agreements with the winning organizations whose projects will be recommended for funding by the Grant Appraisal Committee.

 

The Grant Appraisal Committee is an authorized body in charge of the review, selection and approval of submitted grant project proposals. The Grant Appraisal Committee shall have the following tasks:

1. Review and evaluate of grant project proposals;
2. Recommends project proposals for funding or rejection.

 

GAC members will be invited by UNDP from among leaders of renowned CSOs, recognized experts in the subject area, and academia. The Grant Appraisal Committee may decide to request independent expert opinion during the grant project selection process. Meeting(s) of the Grant Appraisal Committee will be held subject to submission of the grant project proposals. The Grant Appraisal Committee meeting will be organized and facilitated by DHRP staff.

 

 

• DHRP pre-selects project proposals against the eligibility criteria to be admitted for the GAC review;
• GAC selects projects proposals based on evaluation criteria and recommends them for funding;
• DHRP assesses the organizational capacity of the short-listed CSOs, i.e. their capacity to achieve project results, and ensure the appropriate use of funds in compliance with the UNDP procedures. The CSOs' organizational capacity assessment methods are based on the standard UNDP CSO capacity assessment instrument, and may include: visits to potential grantees, telephone interviews, completion of UNDP Capacity Assessment Questionnaire, reference checks on potential grantees, analysis of information on potential grantees available from other sources;
• Based on the capacity assessment results of the short-listed CSOs, the DHRP submits the list of CSOs recommended for funding for final UNDP Programme Manager approval;
• UNDP concludes grant agreements with the CSOs.

 

 

Applications will be evaluated by the Grant Appraisal Committee against the following criteria:
1. The quality of the proposal and coherence with the suggested thematic area as outlined in item 1.2 of this CFP
2. The organization's capacity to implementing the project
3. The project relevance according to the needs of beneficiaries (needs assessment and project methodology).
4. Quality of the proposed networks (including scope of partners proposed for implementation and already existing networks linked to the lead applicant);
5. The degree of innovation of the project.

 

 

 

The Grantee is responsible for monitoring project implementation and evaluating its results. UNDP will monitor the project through grantee reports, site visits, meetings with project personnel and stakeholders, and participation in project events.

 

 

The Grantee shall submit the following reports according to UNDP format:
• Interim reports, including description of activities, results, and agreed monitoring indicators, as well as financial reports – depending on the length of the project proposed (to be specified in the relevant Contract);
• Brief reports on demand occasionally requested by UNDP DHRP in cases when information on Programme implementation is required in between reporting periods;
• A Completion report, including a summary of activities and results as well as financial report for total duration of a contract.

 

 

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