Call for proposals: Flexible emergency assistance for CSOs from Belarus

In 2020-2022, the legislative framework for CSOs in Belarus continued to become more restrictive and prohibitive. These new reforms, in combination with the impact of the sanctions in response to the war, further put human rights organisations at risk and restricted the possibilities for them to receive support from outside of the country, making their work nearly impossible. The intensified wave of persecution of civil society organisations and their official liquidation has led to a growing demand for the reallocation of the whole teams of these CSOs, for them to be able to continue human rights work (temporarily) in exile. Organisations and individual human rights defenders in exile also face barriers, from legal questions to procedures to open bank accounts and personal issues with arranging visas, insurance and housing. Providing support to the work of these organisations is crucial for keeping the human rights community in and from Belarus alive and maintaining the civil society infrastructure to the extent possible so that these organisations are ready to go back whenever the circumstances change.

Through this call Netherlands Helsinki Committee aims to provide flexible emergency grants to support CSOs working on the protection of human rights that are leaving, or already left Belarus. The purpose of these grants is to ensure that these CSOs can re-locate their staff members, re-calibrate and continue their work from exile. The grants can be used for all costs that relate to the relocation of the organisation and its staff and adjustment of the strategy of the organisation to the current circumstances.

More details about the call for proposals can be found here.

Падрабязней пра конкурс на беларускай мове можна знайсці тут.

Interested organisations are asked to apply through the online application form in English or in Belarusian no later than 3 February 2023.

For questions regarding the call for proposals or the application procedure, please send us an email to hrd@nhc.nl or hrdprogramme.nhc@protonmail.com no later than 23 January 2023.