Women’s, LGBTIQ and minority rights in a context of autocracy, conflict and geopolitical shifts

Overview

Funding for research projects that strengthen protections and advocacy for women, LGBTIQ individuals, and minorities in contexts of autocracy, conflict, and geopolitical instability. Targets policymakers, human rights organizations, civil society, and researchers developing data-driven tools and methodologies to address rights violations and discrimination.

Who Can Apply

Eligible applicants include research institutions, universities, public administrations, human rights organizations, civil society groups, and consortia. International cooperation is encouraged, and applicants from non-EU/non-associated countries may participate if funding provisions are in place.

Funding Details

Maximum grant amount: 5,000,000 EUR. Funding is provided as a lump sum, with eligible costs determined by the Horizon Europe lump sum model.

What Is Funded

Projects must focus on:

• Documenting and analyzing the impact of democratic backsliding, conflict, and geopolitical shifts on the rights of women, LGBTIQ individuals, and minorities.
• Developing methodologies, indicators, or data-driven tools to monitor risks and assess policy impacts.
• Strengthening civil society resilience and advocacy strategies in authoritarian or conflict settings.
• Addressing gender-based violence, restricted access to sexual and reproductive health rights, and hate-motivated violence in crisis contexts.
• Interdisciplinary approaches combining social sciences, computer science, and data analytics.
• Collaboration with policymakers, affected communities, and other EU-funded projects.

Technology / Maturity Requirements

Projects must operate at Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 4 to 6, focusing on applied research and validation in relevant environments.

Key Dates

Deadline: 2027-09-22T22:00:00Z

Application Process (High-Level)

Single-stage application process via the Funding & Tenders Portal. Proposals must adhere to page limits and formats specified in the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes.

Post-Award Obligations

The granting authority may object to transfers of ownership or exclusive licensing of results for up to four years post-award. Projects must ensure data produced is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) and may be required to leverage European Research Infrastructures under the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).

Geographic Scope & Language

Eligible countries: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, United Kingdom, Switzerland. Application language: English.

Notes

Proposals must adopt a multi-scalar approach, connecting grassroots experiences with macro-level policy frameworks. Engagement with affected communities and policymakers is essential. Projects are encouraged to explore collaboration with other EU-funded initiatives in relevant clusters.