Background
The European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting (ECNL) is pleased to announce a call for CSOs to conduct national and regional monitoring on the rights to digitally-mediated assemblies in ODA-recipient countries: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.
Indeed, such work is extremely important and timely. Freedom of peaceful assembly continues to be under pressure globally, both in the physical and the online space. As people take to the streets, meet up or gather online to preserve rights and create better society, they are confronted by various challenges. One of those is the increasing use of digital technologies – including artificial-intelligence driven devices – to monitor assemblies (e.g., live facial recognition cameras, phone-tracking, predictive emotion-recognition devices, etc), internet shutdowns or removals of web pages and online content monitoring in order to limit possibilities for communications. At the same time, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted General Comment no.37 on Article 21, ICCPR (Right of Peaceful Assembly) which creates new safeguards for digitally-mediated assemblies; however, these safeguards are yet to be promoted and put in practice.
ECNL together with partners and Dr. Jonathan Peters, associate professor of journalism/law at the University of Georgia have developed a Guide on digitally mediated assemblies and how to monitor them. With its novel methodology and monitoring questions, the Guide supports national-level partners to systematically collect data about digitally-mediated assemblies. It helps them gain a greater understanding of how such assemblies take place and the extent to which they are enabled, facilitated, and protected by governmental and private actors. It also guides partners to map any special opportunities and challenges that such assemblies present.
In our understanding, a digitally-mediated assembly is a gathering of more than one person for specific purposes that takes place either through the support or by means of digital communication technologies: e.g., via mobile phones, internet services or social media. More on the definition and categories, see here.
Learn more about our long-term efforts to monitor digitally-mediated assemblies here and here.
Purpose of the call
ECNL seeks to work with CSOs interested and enthusiastic in learning and advancing their monitoring and advocacy work on the issue of digitally-mediated assemblies. The CSOs will be expected to pilot and implement the Guide on digitally-mediated assemblies, review how assemblies took place and monitor the occurrence of digitally-mediated assemblies nationally and/or regionally (with selecting maximum 3 countries). In close cooperation with ECNL, they will design a specific monitoring plan for their country or region based on the Guide, attend training sessions, and undertake monitoring. They can rely on ECNL’s mentorship in the process. The monitoring should be translated into a monitoring report and presented at a global convening organised by ECNL in November 2022.
Scope of work
- Identify opportunities to monitor ongoing or future digitally-mediated assemblies. In certain cases, digitally-mediated assemblies that took place in the past, can also be also relevant for analysis (in consultation with ECNL);
- Provide an overall plan on the necessary steps to be undertaken to implement the monitoring according to the Guide (in consultation with ECNL);
- Attend training sessions on the Guide, organised by ECNL;
- Implement the monitoring plan;
- Prepare a report, including recommendations to address challenges or grasp opportunities
- Attend a global convening organised by ECNL to present the findings and learnings on digitally-mediated assemblies
Outputs (all in English)
- List of identified digitally-mediated assemblies to be monitored;
- Monitoring plan;
- Monitoring report and recommendations;
- PPT and other materials to participate in session at an online global convening to share findings and learnings.
Period of implementation
July 1, 2022 –November 15, 2022
Budget available for the tasks
The available budget per proposal is between 9000 EUR to 15000 EUR, depending on the proposed scope of monitoring and activities.
Required experience of the organisation
- Previous experience in the topic of right to peaceful assembly, monitoring CSO environment issues, with examples of work (publications, reports, advocacy actions etc.);
- Interest and commitment of the organisation to work on the issue in the future;
- Capacity to implement the assignment and all necessary resources (human, time).
Required qualification, skills, and experience of the researcher(s) proposed for the task
- University degree in social sciences or other relevant area;
- Excellent research skills (quantitative and qualitative);
- At least 3 years of professional experience in researching the field of civil society or other related areas (preferably in the field of freedom of peaceful assembly, digital rights, and/or other civic freedoms);
- Fluency in English is required.
How to Apply
Interested and eligible applicants can apply by completing the application coversheet and submitting it to ECNL, along with the narrative and budget proposal by email to Simona Ognenovska at [email protected] by June 20, 2022, the latest. Please ensure that the subject of your email is “Organisation name // Assembly Application 2022.”
To apply for this grant, applicants must submit the following documents in English:
- Application coversheet (see below);
- Narrative proposal (not more than 2 pages, Times New Roman 11, single space). Make sure the proposal includes:
- Mention of previous experience in the topic of right to peaceful assembly, monitoring CSO environment issues, and feel free to link/attach examples of work (publications, reports, advocacy actions etc.).
- References (at least 2 contact details).
- Budget proposal (see template here).
- CVs of potential researchers from the organisation.
Application Coversheet
Please complete the following coversheet:
Organisation:
Full Name of person submitting the application:
Position in the organisation:
Address:
Country:
Email Address:
Telephone Number:
Mission of the organisation:
Title of the project:
Synopsis of the project (no more than 100 words):
Go through the below checklist to indicate that you have properly completed the application.
- I have attached a narrative proposal that is no more than 2 pages in length.
- I have attached a line-item budget.
- CV(s) of researcher(s)
Narrative proposal
The following elements must be addressed in the narrative proposal (not more than 2 pages):
- Clear description of the problem that you are trying to address (problem statement), or further explore with this monitoring process. We would like to investigate how assemblies that already took place used digital technologies (so please identify at least 2) and the project should also anticipate to monitor the occurance of new digitally-mediated assemblies).
- Specific objective(s) with planned activities in line with the scope of work of this Call, which will later be adjusted in consulation with ECNL.
- Any potential promotion and dissemination.
- Statement on how the monitoring and the findings will have a demonstrated impact and engage relevant stakeholders; including how it will engage with different groups such as women and young people.
- Please also include how you will ensure a follow up action after the grant is completed.
Eligibility Requirements
The organisation must be registered in one of the following ODA-recipient countries: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine.
The following activities in the offer will not be supported under the current program:
Organisation of one-off events unrelated to the monitoring process;
- Activities which aim to raise a profit;
- Activities supporting a specific political party;
- Lobbying activities;
- Donations for charitable causes;
- Religious activities;
- Buying of land, real estate, vehicles;
- Provision of loans or payment of interest on loans;
- Reconstruction of offices;
- Health treatment or operations abroad.
Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following factors:
- Compliance with eligibility requirements and application procedures;
- Quality of proposal and feasibility (e.g., to implement monitoring of the digitally-mediated assemblies we will carefully check if there is sufficient evidence and background that the monitoring is feasible in terms of sufficient evidence and cases that can be analysed (based on the list of identified cases, and likelihood of success;
- Proposed budget in ECNL template and apparent value for cost;
- Demonstrated experience and expertise related to the issues and activities proposed and continue work with the area;
- Demonstrated capacity to exercise responsible stewardship of received funds.
Terms of Reference
All sub-grant recipients must submit a final narrative and financial report in English on the use of funds, activities conducted, and outcomes of their projects prior to receiving their final grant disbursements. Midterm reporting will also be required and linked to project funding. All sub-grant recipients must complete the activities funded under this grant no later than October 31, 2022.
Click here to download this call and here to download ECNL's budget template.