Resilient & Connected: Joint Initiatives Against Disinformation | Call for National Experts from Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine

Please note this call for proposals is funded by the European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of the Netherlands Helsinki Committee and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.

Project background

The Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC) is implementing the project “Resilient & Connected: Joint Initiatives Against Disinformation” in consortium with People in Need (PIN) and the Prague Civil Society Centre (PCSC), with financial support from the European Union. The project seeks to strengthen the resilience of civil society, independent media, and local communities in the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region to Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI) and broader disinformation threats.

Across the EaP region, disinformation and information manipulation continue to undermine democratic processes, social cohesion, public trust, and security. Civil society, independent researchers, and media actors play a key role in countering these threats, yet their ability to do so is increasingly constrained by shrinking civic space, alongside limited resources, restricted access to data, and few opportunities for structured engagement with state institutions. At the same time, effective responses to FIMI require coordinated, evidence-based approaches and sustained cooperation among civil society, public authorities, researchers, and other stakeholders at both national and cross-border levels. Meaningful engagement of civil society is essential to ensure that measures to address FIMI and disinformation are grounded in human rights principles — particularly freedom of expression — and aligned with international standards.

The project therefore focuses on strengthening organisational resilience of civil society actors (CSAs), supporting research and advocacy grounded in evidence, improving media and digital literacy—particularly among vulnerable groups—and fostering national, regional, and cross-border cooperation. A key component of the action is the establishment and facilitation of inclusive policy dialogue platforms that bring together civil society actors and state institutions to jointly address FIMI challenges.

Activities

Within this framework, NHC aims to support CSAs in the EaP region to conduct research and analysis on FIMI as a cross-cutting issue and to translate findings into policy-relevant recommendations. The resulting evidence and proposals will feed into national multi-stakeholder working groups, thematic dialogues, and broader policy discussions. By strengthening the research base and facilitating structured dialogue between civil society and public authorities, the project seeks to enhance mutual understanding, build trust, and promote coordinated responses to information manipulation. At the same time, the action recognises that FIMI operates across borders; therefore, it also aims to encourage exchange, cooperation, and learning beyond the national level to address the transnational nature of these threats.

Specific activities implemented by the NHC within the project are:

• Financial support to third parties (FSTP) to research and analyse FIMI as a cross-cutting theme – Grants will be awarded to CSAs from Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine (up to 15 grants in total, 5 grants per country on average). Research topics will include the impact of FIMI on shrinking civic space, the rule of law, anti-EU narratives, the EU policy and legal context, and cross-border dimensions within the EaP region.

• Country working groups on FIMI resilience – National working groups will be established in Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine, accompanied by dedicated sessions in each country. These forums will bring together CSAs, including organisations working directly with vulnerable and marginalised communities such as ethnic, religious, and linguistic minorities, women, the LGBTQI+ community, rural populations, and displaced persons.

• Cross-sectoral cooperation and facilitation of FIMI stakeholders’ engagement to policy dialogue on FIMI resilience – The project will strengthen CSAs’ participation in national processes on FIMI resilience by facilitating regular engagement between civil society, state institutions, and other stakeholders. In cooperation with country working groups, thematic national dialogues will bring together civil society, policymakers, legal professionals, and relevant public bodies — including those responsible for EU integration, countering disinformation, and electoral integrity. Guided by national experts, these discussions will aim to produce concrete, outcome-oriented recommendations and foster inclusive, evidence-based cooperation for stronger national responses to FIMI.

Objective of the call

To support the implementation of project activities at country level, the NHC seeks to engage national experts from Armenia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The experts will help facilitate policy dialogue, strengthen cooperation among stakeholders, and ensure that research findings inform national discussions and policy processes on FIMI resilience.

NHC intends to select one expert per country to work closely with dedicated NHC staff on implementing the project.

The selected experts will serve as key focal points for NHC in their country, playing a central role in the effective, context-sensitive, and timely implementation of the project. Strong local expertise is essential to address the specific FIMI context and disinformation risks in each country, support local CSOs, media, and researchers receiving sub-grants, and ensure that research findings and grassroots evidence meaningfully inform policy dialogue and advocacy.

Responsibilities and tasks

The national experts will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Assisting NHC project staff in reviewing and selecting sub-grant proposals from local CSAs, and in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of awarded sub-grants.

• Maintaining regular communication with CSAs supported through the FSTP scheme and providing coaching as needed, particularly on activities and strategies responding to evolving FIMI threats, while helping ensure the quality and relevance of research outputs and policy recommendations.

• Contributing country-specific expertise to the implementation of research and policy-oriented activities on FIMI throughout the project.

• Supporting the establishment and operation of the national Working Group on FIMI resilience, ensuring inclusive participation of CSAs, independent media, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders, and contributing to agenda-setting and the effective delivery of each session.

• Supporting the implementation of activities on Cross-sectoral Cooperation and Policy Dialogue in the country of focus, including linking Working Group discussions and research findings to national cross-sectoral dialogue, engagement with relevant institutions, and, where appropriate, EU-level processes.

• Where relevant and appropriate, contributing to communication outputs such as success stories, briefings, interviews, or social media content, in line with security and do-no-harm considerations throughout the project.

• Supporting NHC project staff in drafting narrative inputs and analytical contributions for donor reporting.

Required qualifications and skills

Prospective applicants are required to demonstrate:

• At least five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas: countering disinformation and FIMI; media freedom, freedom of expression, or electoral integrity; civil society strengthening and organisational development; human rights, rule of law, and democratic governance.

• Strong understanding of the civil society and media landscape in the country of focus, including experience working with local CSAs, independent media, and/or research organisations, as well as knowledge of disinformation risks and dynamics in the country.

• An established professional network within the national civil society sector is considered a strong asset.

• Experience contributing to policy-relevant research, advocacy, or dialogue at national or international level.

• Professional fluency in English and the relevant national language (Armenian, Romanian, or Ukrainian).

• Residence in the country of focus, or the ability to travel there regularly.

Application process and eligibility

Individual experts are eligible to apply. Applications from teams of experts are also welcome (e.g., two or three experts from different countries of focus applying together). In the case of team applications, each member must submit a separate individual online application form and indicate the names of the other proposed team members in the relevant fields. Regardless of whether the application is submitted individually or as part of a team, contracts will be concluded on an individual basis. Applications submitted in the name of organisations are not eligible under this call.

NHC will contract national experts for an initial period of one year, with the possibility of extension until the end of the project implementation period (March 2029), if deemed appropriate. The expected start date of the contract is 1 April 2026. The anticipated level of involvement is an average of two working days per month throughout the contract period.

Interested candidates are invited to APPLY ONLINE by 20 March 2026.

Only complete online applications, consisting of a filled-out application form and CV, will be considered.

For questions regarding the project or the application procedure, please contact hrd@nhc.nl no later than 15 March 2026.

Selected candidates will be informed of the outcome no later than four weeks after the submission deadline. Due to the expected volume of applications, we may not be able to notify unsuccessful applicants individually.

Find the full application, including the selection criteria here.