Antigua & Barbuda DECIDES for LGBTI and Child Rights (DECIDES AB) is looking to support project(s) that contribute to the promotion of child rights and, more specifically, to prevent child abuse and related risks among young people/adolescents and other groups in the country.

This call for proposals is launched in the framework of the EU co-funded project “Antigua and Barbuda DECIDES for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI) and Child Rights” - DECIDES AB.

The overall objectives to contribute to, on the one hand, the protection of the human rights of LGBTI people and, on the other, to the prevention and enhancement of the response to child abuse in Antigua and Barbuda by promoting societal cultural changes and enhancing the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) to counter them.

The present call for proposals intends to support project(s) that contribute to promoting child rights and to specifically prevent child abuse and their related risks among young people/adolescents and other groups in Antigua and Barbuda. 

The specific objectives of the call are: 

• To raise young people´s awareness on child abuse and its consequences on individuals and society.
• To strengthen capacities of young people, teachers and staff within youth clubs and other relevant organizations, so as to be better equipped to recognize and report violence.
• To make aware young people of the risks related to child abuse, including risks of contracting STI´s (sexually transmitted infections)

The present call for proposals will fund project(s) that:

• increase young people´s awareness and knowledge as to existing services that provide for children victims of abuse;
• build awareness on child abuse and its consequences;
• enhance the capabilities of school staff to offer effective counselling;
• improve the capacities of competent organizations to cooperate with each other to counter child abuse;
• positively influence social attitudes on children´s rights.

Funding Information

• Grants requested under this call must range between a minimum of 25.000,00 EUR and a maximum of 50.000,00 EUR.
• The amount available for this call is 50.000,00 EURO. One or two projects will be selected.
• The project duration shall be a minimum of 12 months and a maximum of 14 months.
• The project(s) shall start by January 2021 and terminate no later than February 2022.

Type of Eligible Activities

• Awareness-raising campaigns in schools to identify and report violence (e.g.: talks, film screenings, forum theatre, etc.)
• Community sensitisation on safeguarding of a child’s right to live a life free of violence.
• Capacity building for school-based counselling.
• Public campaigns and events to promote child rights and prevent child abuse.
• Activities to support early recognition, prevention and risk-reduction at schools.
• Informative and creative material for young people.
• Training programmes on sexual and reproductive health at schools, aimed in particular at raising knowledge regarding STI's.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applications must involve at least three partners of three different types: one of the partners shall act as lead applicant and the others as co-applicants.
• Applicants must be legally registered, non-state, non-profit making civil society organisations: such as, non-governmental organisations, citizen´s groups, organisations representing social interests, civil rights organisations and organisations combating discrimination, local organisations (including networks) involved in decentralised regional cooperation and integration, women´s and youth organisations, teaching, cultural and research organisations, universities, churches and religious associations and communities, the media and any nongovernmental associations and independent foundations.
• The lead applicant must be legal persons, non-profit making and be established in Antigua and Barbuda. If the lead applicant is not a CSO, at least one co-applicant shall be.
• Lead applicants must be directly responsible for the preparation and management of the project proposal with their partners, not acting as an intermediary.

Other conditions

• The applicants must have experience in the field of child rights and child protection.
• At least one of the applicants shall have developed 1 project on child abuse during the last 3 years.
• All applications must be submitted in English.
• Lead applicants must have a valid bank account registered under their legal name.
• All applications will be subject to an external audit. The costs will be covered by DECIDES AB and should not be foreseen in the budget proposal.

Priority issues

• Seek a national dimension, involving no less than 3 partners of 3 different types.
• Target the action´s key stakeholders and, in particular, young people and school staff.
• Have the capacity to find synergies with a range of stakeholders and other areas of local development, as well as the capacity to activate a regional network. Have the organizational and financial capacity to carry out the proposed project.

For more information, visit DECIDES AB.