Objectives
* Lot 1: To strengthen the capacities of civil society in the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the applicable international normative framework on the subject: support civil society organizations in their dialogue with companies, investment agents and State authorities to mitigate the negative impact of business activities on the human rights of the most vulnerable sectors of the population (women, children, indigenous peoples and human rights defenders);
* Lot 2: To strengthen the capacities of civil society in its social audit work by promoting civic engagement and participation in the evaluation of public policies, legislation, budgets, accountability of state entities

Priorities
* Lot 1:
– To create/strengthen existing collaboration mechanisms relating to dialogue between companies, investment agents, state entities and civil society organisations working towards common human rights objectives; including strengthening the dialogue and negotiation capacities of community agents and social partners participating in multi-sectoral dialogue spaces as well as in multilateral fora;
– To provide mechanisms for access to justice and reparation measures for victims of the negative effects of business activities with emphasis on women, children, indigenous peoples and human rights defenders;
– To advise government entities on the approval and implementation of public policies, regulatory and/or legislative frameworks that reflect the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the applicable international normative framework on the subject, including the protection of human rights defenders;
– To support the institutional framework of the justice system in the implementation of protocols for the protection of human rights defenders and training for judicial officials on the improper use of criminal and administrative law in the legitimate work of defending human rights; as well as improving the capacity to investigate and sanction complaints of serious human rights violations arising from the negative impact of corporate activities

* Lot 2: 
– To strengthen the monitoring work of civil society organizations on the legislative agenda linked to human rights;
– To support civil society organizations that follow up on the reform of the justice system as well as those that facilitate access to justice for vulnerable sectors of the population (women, children, youth and indigenous peoples);
– To strengthen the advocacy capacities of civil society organizations that promote initiatives for accountability and contribute to the prevention and fight against corruption

Amongst financed actions
* Lot 1:
– Actions aimed at strengthening the knowledge of civil society organizations, community agents, indigenous peoples, human rights defenders, State institutions and companies about the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights as well as the applicable international normative framework on the subject;
– Actions by civil society organizations that support institutional strengthening for public policy/legislation on human rights protection (emphasis on human rights defenders) with respect to harmful business activities;
– Provide legal advice to human rights defenders linked to legal proceedings for their defence work, with emphasis on defenders located in remote and low risk areas;
– Provide legal advice to victims of business activities that are harmful to human rights, both in the domestic sphere and before international human rights protection mechanisms;
– Actions of civil society organizations that promote the strengthening of justice sector institutions in the implementation of protocols for the protection of human rights defenders as well as the investigation and punishment of serious human rights violations committed in the context of harmful business activities

* Lot 2:
– Strengthening civil society organizations that monitor the legislative function in the area of human rights, including accountability and the fight against corruption;
– Strengthening of civil society organizations that monitor and evaluate the cycle of approval of the state budget and the formulation of public policies in the area of human rights;
– Forums, seminars, exchange of experiences, creation of national and regional alliances to promote mechanisms to strengthen the role of civil society organizations in the promotion of human rights;
– Promote capacity building and networking to facilitate collaboration between relevant local change agents and monitoring organizations with similar mandates, as well as those from other sectors important for anti-corruption mainstreaming;
– Promote the creation/strengthening of networks/platforms of civil society organisations that can articulate common positions and design constructive proposals to advance democratic human rights reforms;
– Cooperation measures with the media to strengthen the analytical level of public opinion on issues of human rights promotion and sensitive areas susceptible to polarisation and conflict generation;
– Lobbying, advocacy, oversight, monitoring and systematization of social audit processes, strategic litigation;
– Strategic analysis of public information systems, surveys, opinion studies, information campaigns and awareness raising of the media and public opinion;
– Joint actions by civil society to strengthen national, departmental and local institutions linked to human rights issues (promoting the transfer of knowledge and the creation of joint cooperation mechanisms)

Additional information
* This call for proposals is a restricted call for proposals. In the first instance, only concept notes will be evaluated 

* Initial action duration: between 24 and 36 months

* Eligiblity:
– Be a legal entity;
– Be not for profit;
– Be a non-governmental civil society organisation with experience in managing projects whose central line of approach is compatible with the European Union’s human rights policy;
– All countries may participate in contracts financed under this instrument on a completely unconditional basis, subject to the limitations inherent in the nature and objectives of the action;
– Applicants from countries other than Guatemala must have been duly registered for at least three years prior to the submission of the proposal and must provide evidence of regular prior implementation of human rights actions within the scope of the actions listed in point 2.1.4 of this guide for at least the same three-year period;
– Applicants from countries other than Guatemala must apply with at least one local organisation as a co-applicant. An organisation is considered local when its statutes demonstrate that it has been established by an instrument governed by national law and that its headquarters are located in Guatemala; 
– Applicants from Guatemala must prove that they have obtained legal status from the competent authority for at least three years prior to submitting the proposal and must prove that they have regularly implemented actions in the field of human rights, for at least the same three-year period

* Action must take place in Guatemala

* Amount of the grant: between 200,000 and 300,000 euro

* Co-financing rate: between 75% and 100% of the total eligible costs