While the civic spaces are shrinking, even humble advances in minority rights have been overshadowed by serious setbacks in human rights and democracy. Grassroots civil society organizations (CSOs) working with and for minority communities face additional challenges represented by the lack of funding opportunities and institutional support. This leads to decreased partnership opportunities and limited awareness-raising and advocacy capacities, especially with the limitations they face accessing relevant stakeholders both at the local and international levels.
To address this, the ‘Minorities, Accountability and Civic Space’ (MACS) programme works towards increasing the resilience of grassroots CSOs by building their capacities and sub-granting them to advance the protection, promotion and awareness of human rights and minority issues in the MENA region.
Partner activities
- 2024
Oummal
- 2024
Proud Lebanon
- 2024
Restart Center
- 2023
Proud Lebanon
Details
This programme aims to strengthen the civil society in Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine by supporting CSOs financially and enhancing their capacity to protect and promote the rights of minorities and marginalized communities. It focuses on accountability, monitoring, advocacy and inclusive reforms.
This programme is delivered in response to the challenges faced by CSOs in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
CSOs in the region face challenges such as social and financial pressures, a shrinking civic space, low public engagement and limited collaboration among organizations. Additionally, grassroots CSOs often lack access to decision-makers and high-level policy spaces.
The programme addresses these challenges by providing core grants, organizational capacity training and mentoring schemes to enhance CSOs’ capacities. It also focuses on stimulating public engagement, strengthening cooperation among CSOs and improving information flow between the EU and CSOs through structural dialogue processes.
The programme supports civil society human rights organizations in Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine, specifically those working to protect and promote the rights of minorities and marginalized communities.
The programme offers Urgent Hardship Grants (applications received on a rolling basis), Core Grants, Institutional Capacity Building Grants for Training, Advocacy and Public Engagement Grants and Grants for Issue-Based Networks for Policy Influence.
- Emergency Security Grants: the amount available for each project is between €1,000–3000, and the duration of the action may last up to a maximum of six months.
- Core grants: the amount available for each grant is up to €11,000. The duration of the grant may last between 12 and 18 months.
- Institutional Capacity Building Grants for Training: there are four grants available. Only one grant will be awarded per country. The amount available for each grant is €5,500. The training is expected to take place within two months of acceptance.
- Advocacy and Public Engagement Grants: the amount available for each grant is up to €33,000. The grant may last up to 18 months.
- Grants for Issue-Based Networks for Policy Influence: the amount available for each grant is up to €20,000. Two grants are available for each programme country for a total of eight grants. The grant may last from 12 to 18 months.
Yes, we work with implementing partners in Palestine:
- Civic Forum Institute in Palestine, established in 1998, works on building democracy and developing democratic institutions.
MACS is supported by the European Union.
The Emergency Security Grants aim to provide support to organizations facing threats or harassment due to their work and address unforeseen and challenging circumstances in the restrictive civil space for human and minority rights work in the target countries.
Organizations that have been granted Core Grants can benefit from Institutional Capacity Building Grants for Training to enhance the skills and capacities of their staff.
Yes. It is possible to apply to several grants. Please note, however, that a preference will be given to organizations who have not received a grant from MRG before. We still encourage you to apply.
No. It is only possible to submit one application per CSO.
Yes, unregistered organizations can apply. However, please note that MRG cannot transfer funds to personal bank accounts.
Updates
11 November 2024
Strengthening Moroccan Civil Society
These diverse participants share a common commitment: advocating for human rights, minority protections, and a more inclusive civic space…
18 October 2024
Advocating for Migrant Communities in Morocco
CCSM is working to promote the social and political rights of minoritized migrants.
15 April 2024
Enhancing grassroots organizational resilience in a shrinking civic space
Grassroots civil society organizations in the MENA region are excluded from high-level policy spaces and lack sufficient skills to…
Application area
We accept applications for our Emergency Security Grants from human rights organizations in Lebanon, Palestine, and Morocco on a rolling basis.
These grants are designed to address the security needs of human rights organizations representing minorities and marginalized groups that face digital or physical threats or security risks due to their human rights work within a shrinking civic space. The grants aim to mitigate the impacts of various security breaches, crackdowns, harassments and attacks of a legal, physical or digital nature and prevent their recurrence. Learn more >
Emergency Security Grants Application Form
The hardship fund is intended for the benefit of human rights and minority rights non-profit organizations working to promote and protect the rights of minorities and marginalized communities. It should only be used to alleviate a security hardship or elevated security risk, resulting from the restriction of civic space. It may cover expenses including travel, accommodation, living activities, physical and digital security, legal fees, medical care, relocation and support of minority rights defenders arbitrarily detained and/or their families. The grants cannot exceed €3,000 (the equivalent of this will be sent in the respective local currency). Please note that all these details will be kept confidential.
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Amazigh women from the Moroccan town of Imider protest against the silver mining corporation Managem, with a banner depicting their fight against as a sister struggle to the fight against the Dakota Access pipeline in Standing Rock, USA. Credit: Linda Fouad.