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Human rights and sustainable development at the core of a call for proposals for international non-governmental organisations

Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Publication date 15.2.2021 12.32
News item

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland (MFA) opens a call for proposals for international non-governmental organisations (INGOs). The application round will run from 15 February to 26 March 2021.

The Ministry for Foreign Affairs allocates development cooperation funds for use by INGOs. To be eligible for support, the organisations’ development cooperation activities must promote the attainment of Finland’s development policy priorities, the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the realisation of human rights. Additionally, development cooperation projects carried out by INGOs must take into account the human rights-based approach to development.

Human rights are an important part of Finland’s foreign and development policy; Finland is committed to promoting them. The call for proposals includes many themes that advance the realisation of human rights.

Applications should focus on the following themes: 

  • promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights
  • promoting tax justice and transparency in Sub-Saharan Africa
  • ending impunity for human rights violations
  • supporting human rights defenders
  • strengthening the implementation of economic, social and cultural rights
  • business and human rights
  • promoting sexual and reproductive health and rights in Afghanistan to reduce maternal mortality.

Applications will be accepted from 15 February until 26 March 2021. Applications together with their attachments should be received by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs no later than at 16.15 (Finnish time/EET) on Friday 26 March 2021. Applications that arrive after the due date and time will not be considered.

The call for proposals, the application form, the terms and conditions of the call, and further information can be accessed at Support for International Non-governmental Organisations (in English). 

A joint call for applications for INGOs is announced approximately once every two years. The amount of funding available and the themes of the calls are decided separately each time. Different units at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs may additionally organise more limited application rounds for INGOs when necessary.