Proposals for Romani Women's Empowerment Grants initiative

The Open Society Roma Initiatives invite proposals for the Romani Women's Empowerment Grants initiative, under the Decade of Roma Inclusion 2005–2015. This initiative aims to promote gender equality by empowering Romani women to take part in the decision-making processes affecting their lives and by ensuring that the concerns of Romani women are addressed appropriately in political, policy, and community domains. It seeks to give voice to Romani women's concerns, stimulate active citizenship and build local leadership skills in an inclusive and equitable way.

Eligibility

The initiative is open to proposals from Roma and pro-Roma NGOs led by Romani women, or having Romani women in higher management positions, in countries participating in the Decade of Roma Inclusion: Albania, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Spain.

The call is open to proposals which have one or more of the following objectives:

- Increase Romani women's participation in public life at the local, national and international levels. This includes increased visibility, representation in and influence on public institutions, as well as increased participation and visibility of Romani women in their wider and broader communities (e.g., in their local communities and municipal policy making, in the main domestic Roma movements, in mainstream women's civil society organizations and coalitions, etc.)
- Promote voter education and other forms of active citizenship among Romani women (e.g. by explaining through community-based action the importance and benefits of exercising their citizen's rights, etc.)
- Strengthen advocacy efforts to improve and/or change policies and practices on issues of concern to Romani women. This includes projects addressing local, national and international levels of decision-making as well as building alliances with mainstream women's organizations
- Involve men in promoting the principle of gender equality and address gender relations in Roma communities, and in Central and Eastern European and South East European societies
- Facilitate the labor market inclusion of Romani women
- Address the issue of early marriages
- Strengthen Romani women's leadership by creating opportunities for practicing leadership skills, gaining knowledge and increasing self-confidence by involving constituencies in an organized action
- Combat human trafficking in particular by raising awareness among Roma communities and young Roma girls. Building alliances with mainstream women's organizations is also encouraged.
- Respond to the particular needs and concerns of Romani women refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs)

To Apply

Guidelines are attached below and are also available at www.romadecade.org/funding.

Deadline

Applications in English should be sent by email to roma@osi.hu by August 8, 2011.