The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV) aims to defend and promote the rights and values entrenched in the EU Treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights. Specifically, CERV will achieve this by assisting civil society organisations at the local, regional, national, and transnational levels.
During these turbulent times of war between Ukraine and Russia, EU funding to support projects on citizens, equality, rights, and values is more critical than ever. This article will explore why the CERV programme is more timely than ever and will provide a list of CERV calls that you can find on our EUcalls.
CERV programme works for peace
Unfortunately, violence and conflict seem to have returned in Europe. Every minute that war rages on European soil, it brings back bad memories while it rings the alarm for added caution.
Let us not forget that the whole founding idea behind the EU's predecessor, of the European Coal and Steel Community, was the creation of a checks and balances mechanism together with increased cooperation between the European nations. The aim was to create lasting peace in Europe and avoid a third World War that would have devastating consequences.
The fundamental values upon which the EU was founded are:
- freedom, democracy and equality
- respect for human dignity, human rights and the rule of law
- solidarity and protection for all
The recent unravelling events in Ukraine is a sad reminder that we should not take peace for granted. It only takes a spark to ignite the fire of war, which is hard to extinguish once it is lit. For this reason, as a society, we need to focus more on the things that bind us rather than on what sets up apart. Funded projects from the CERV programme can remind us of the fundamental building blocks of Europe that are crucial to maintaining a peaceful and democratic society where everyone can prosper.
4 open calls from the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV)
Title: European Remembrance
Programme: CERV-2022-CITIZENS-REM
Budget: € 8,000,000
Description: The objective of this call for proposals is to support projects aimed at commemorating defining events in modern European history, including the causes and consequences of authoritarian and totalitarian regimes, and at raising awareness among European citizens of their common history, culture, cultural heritage and values, thereby enhancing their understanding of the Union, its origins, purpose, diversity and achievements and of the importance of mutual understanding and tolerance.
Policy initiatives supported:
- EU Strategy on Combating Antisemitism & Fostering Jewish Life (2021-2030)
- EU anti-racism action plan for 2020-2025
- EU Roma strategic framework on equality, inclusion and participation
Deadline: 24/03/2022
Title: Union Values
Programme: CERV-2022-CITIZENS-VALUES
Budget: € 51,000,000
Description: The objective of this call for proposals is to protect, promote and raise awareness of EU fundamental rights and values by supporting local, regional and/or national civil society organisations (CSOs) and increasing their capacity thereby also strengthening the effective application of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the respect of the rule of law and of democracy in the EU.
The aim is to select and support a limited number of intermediaries in the greatest number of Member States, capable of building the capacities of a large number of civil society organisations active at local, regional and/or national level in the fields covered by the CERV programme, including through providing them with financial support.
Deadline: 29/03/2022
Title: Call for proposals to prevent and combat gender-based violence and violence against children
Programme: CERV-2022-DAPHNE
Budget: € 30,500,000
Description: With this call, divided into 5 priorities, we aim at financing projects that will:
- integrate prevention of various forms of gender-based violence against women in different contexts, with a systemic approach (priority 1, "large-scale projects")
- tackle harmful practices against women and girls (priority 2)
- prevent gender-based violence by tackling its root causes (priority 3)
- support and improve national data collection on violence against children (priority 4)
- strengthen responses that prevent and support child victims of violence by reinforcing child protection systems at national and local level (priority 5)
For more information see the Call document.
Deadline: 12/04/2022
Title: Call for proposals to protect and promote the rights of the child
Programme: CERV-2022-CHILD
Budget: € 3,010,000
Description: This call for proposals will contribute to the implementation of the first thematic area of the EU Strategy on the rights on the rights of the child – Participation in political and democratic life: an EU that empowers children to be active citizens and members of democratic societies.
This priority aims at mutually reinforcing efforts undertaken at the European level by the Commission with those happening in the EU Members States. The call aims to strengthen the sustainability and impact of child participation mechanisms (existing or to be created) at local and national level in decision making processes.
Therefore in this call, strong involvement of local, regional and national public authorities is essential as it contributes to the sustainability of the results and ensures more systemic changes. This can be achieved by allocating adequate resources for new and existing mechanisms of child participation, through education on citizenship, equality and participation in democratic processes in schools, capacity building for adults on how to engage in discussions with children in a meaningful way and awareness raising and training activities for children.
For more information see the Call document.
Deadline: 18/05/2022
Conclusion
The ongoing war in Ukraine has created an urgent humanitarian crisis that Europe needs to respond. Funding calls from the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme can do little to stop this war. Instead, it can help eliminate the factors that create conflicts and thus a future war. Furthermore, these CERV calls focus on children's rights and how to combat violence against them. In all wars, children are probably those that suffer the most, and we need to give them our utmost support and protection.
