Supported initiatives under the “Action” fund
Thematic area “EU rights”
Inc. №: EUV/47
Organization: National Network of Health Mediators
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.zdravenmediator.net
Name of the initiative: Our Common Values! Increasing the ability for understanding the core EU values among Roma communities
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 55 174.55 (EUR)
Resume:
The main goal of the activities planned under the initiative is to counter disinformation among the Roma communities in Bulgaria by raising their awareness about the functioning of the EU and boosting their capacity to understand the EU shared goals and values. The initiative will be implemented in two stages. During the first stage 3 training sessions for mediators will be held for 60 participants in total. The agenda will include discussions about the current political situation in Bulgaria, confidence in democracy and the EU as well as main issues affected by disinformation that the participants face on a daily basis in the neighbourhoods they live and work in. The second stage of the initiative will build on the campaigns already implemented by the organization to raise awareness in the Roma communities. The mediators trained during the first stage will hold and carry out discussions and campaigns to reach more than 700 inhabitants in 7 municipalities. The initiative will contribute in the long run to developing critical thinking about key issues facing the Bulgarian society and politics and will raise awareness of the civil society, the work of NGOs as well as will boost motivation for active citizen participation.
Quite a large number of the inhabitants of the Roma neighbourhoods earn their living in the EU Member States. They learn from first-hand experience or from the experience of their relatives and transfer to Bulgaria a lot of practices established abroad, which they appreciate positively. Lower education, insufficient historical and political knowledge and the rampant dissemination of populist rhetoric make the Roma a target of disinformation campaigns. Information campaigns and facilitated discussions in the Roma communities are particularly important to encourage and support the Roma in engaging more actively in the social life in order to improve the well-being of all citizens in Bulgaria.
Inc. №: EUV/60
Organization: Gutenberg 3.0 foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.knigovishte.bg, www.vijte.bg
Name of the initiative: EU rights in in the language of the kids: Involving the youngest pupils in understanding the fundamental values and rights of EU citizens
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 49 213.58 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims at investing in knowledge of the democratic values underlying the EU and the rights of the EU citizens. The initiative is targeted at children at the age when children’s value system and attitude to the world is shaped (aged 7-14). The implementing organization offers an innovative tool to involve children from this difficult to reach age group in these topics; at the same time the initiative plans to train teachers to apply the civil education methodology through partnership with a good-quality children’s media. Articles for children will be created devoted to topics connected with the EU values and rights; the articles will be published at www.vijte.bg, then re-published in Dnevnik newspaper, broadcast on the Bulgarian National Radio and published as podcasts. The teachers that take part in the initiative will acquire knowledge and skills to teach civil competences and knowledge of the EU tailored to the specific age group that teachers will be able to further use in their job. With the help of Vijte children’s media and the Bulgarian National Radio, the content created under the initiative will be publicly accessible to all children across the country. The short-term goal of the initiative is to introduce more children to the EU values and help them accept them gradually as their own values. The initiative will also support teachers to work in a contemporary, innovative and attractive manner on civil education topics with students from an early school age. In the long run the initiative aims at helping the next generation be actively engaged in the society, be aware of, share and uphold democratic principles and the EU values.
Inc. №: EUV/112
Organization: Teach For Bulgaria Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://zaednovchas.bg/
Name of the initiative: How we teach values
Duration in months: 16
Contract Sum: 40 115.00 (EUR)
Resume:
The latest Eurobarometer studies show that Bulgarians are skeptical about the future of the EU and that the attitude toward the EU support for the war in Ukraine remains polarized. At the same time the findings of the 2018 PISA study placed Bulgarian students among the least tolerant ones towards differences and foreign cultures. These trends manifest the need to draw attention in the education system to the discussion about values as a guiding light for the decisions and lines of action of our public. Given the information-dense school curricula, it is important to make this topic an integral part of the learning process and the different subjects learnt. At the moment the topic is addressed indirectly in some of the compulsory subjects and directly in civil education classes. However, the latter subject has to address a lot of topics and the teachers of civil education share their need for more up-to-date and interesting materials. There is no clear and accurate information about how teachers perceive the place of this topic in the education process, as no such studies have been carried out. Thus, the decisions made about the learning aids often do not include the views and needs of the people that have to teach using them. Civic culture and European orientation can be sustainably built in the attitudes and beliefs of school students only when they actively recognize them in various school subjects and thematic fields. To achieve the latter in the most efficient way, the initiative will study the needs of 200 high school teachers to find out what will make them feel more confident to draw attention to the topic of values in the education process. The findings of the study aim to trigger a debate with all the stakeholders so that the topic of the value orientation of the society will be included in the agenda. Based on the findings, materials will be prepared, providing clear guidelines about the integration of European values in the mandatory subjects of the curriculum. In order to ensure greater awareness and reach a maximum number of teachers, face-to-face training sessions will be held and an online course will be organized for a total of 280 teachers. The initiative will change the students’ attitudes and awareness of the topic in the long run.
Inc. №: EUV/78
Organization: Forty-two Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://42training.org/
Partner: Darik Foundation
Name of the initiative: What does the EU really mean for you
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 54 006.11 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims to offer the public an alternative way of providing information about the European Union and the importance of EU membership for each of us. The initiative comes in response to the widespread anti-European disinformation over the last few years. Unfortunately, the fight against this phenomenon mainly relies on the use of very well-reasoned language, which in most cases sounds like scientific jargon and is incomprehensible for the majority of the people (as well as off-putting and repulsive for the young people). Fact-checking and creating articles addressing the topic is important. However, there are very few examples among the available information channels (media materials/vlogs/podcasts/blogs) that explain in an accessible way the advantages of the EU membership without doing it seemingly in response to the already popular fake claims, which triggers resistance in some of the hardliners. The initiative plans to carry out a study looking for the EU-related topics that provoke the greatest public hesitancy, identifying messages and approaches that provide trustworthy information and creating more than 120 information and audio and video materials leading to a pro-European emotional response in people to these topics. Foundation 42 will invest the accumulated expertise and the developed capacity of the youth team of podcast reporters/anchors in the creation of audio and video materials (48 in total) devoted to the identified topics and targeted at people aged 20-35. With the help of the partners from Darik Foundation, the team’s capacity will be further developed, drawing on the experience of leading journalists and Darik Radio will broadcast on air 26 programmes targeted at the audience aged 35+ on the same topics. In this way the initiative will reach in the short term more than 250 000 users of online content and the audience of the national Darik Radio of more than a million listeners. The following numbers will increase in the long run due to the fact that the created audio and video content will be available for future use on all platforms for sharing (YouTube, Spotify, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, etc.). The materials will be published and disseminated among more than 5000 other NGOs as well that could borrow ideas and motivation for their own activity.
Inc. №: EUV/102
Organization: Human and Social Studies Foundation – Sofia
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://hssfoundation.org/
Partner: Association of European Journalists – Bulgaria (AEJ – Bulgaria)
Name of the initiative: Europe Against Antidemocratic Propaganda
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 43 324.64 (EUR)
Resume:
Anti-democratic propaganda and disinformation, the Russian propaganda most of all, but also the Chinese propaganda as well as some nationalist and populist and conspiratorial narratives, aim mainly to undermine confidence in the European and national democratic institutions by using different means to subvert the image of united Europe and the EU. The European Democracy Action Plan emphasizes the need to develop mechanisms and political measures to counter disinformation in the EU Member States. Disinformation is spread in a much more powerful way in some countries, as they are susceptible to the Russian propaganda online. Data from the reports of the Human and Social Studies Foundation (HSSF) (2022; 2023), as well as from other NGOs, shows that propaganda increased after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic and peaked after the war in Ukraine broke out (the Center for the Study of Democracy (CSD), 2022; Factcheck, 2023). The initiative plans to analyze propaganda in Bulgaria aiming at destabilizing the image of the European Union and the EU institutions in the Bulgarian media online through the SENSIKA system, on the one hand, as well as set up a local and international network of NGOs in Bulgaria (Association of European Journalists-Bulgaria, CSD, Data for Good, Factcheck, Sofia Security Forum, etc.) and in Eastern Europe (Globul Focus, Romania; Association of Independent Press of Moldova, Informational Forces of Ukraine (IFU) with the help of NATO StratCom Centre in Riga and the EU East StratCom Task Force), on the other hand. The initiative is mainly aimed at strengthening the NGO capacity to counter disinformation and providing a connection to the institutions, possibly setting up StratCom Centre in the Balkans. The expected results are as follows: 1. countering disinformation in practice through the publication on the HSSF website of reports about the subversion of the image of Europe and the EU; 2. monthly publication of an article in the mass media with examples of the subversion of the image of Europe and the EU – AEJ (Factcheck); 3. setting up a network of NGOs in Bulgaria and in Eastern Europe to fight disinformation; 4. awareness of the main approaches used by the anti-EU propaganda.
Inc. №: EUV/134
Organization: Bulgarian School of Politics “Dimitry Panitza”
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.schoolofpolitics.org
Name of the initiative: “COUNTER-PROPAGANDA CLOSE TO YOU” – IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL MEDIA AND LOCAL NEWS SITES TO TACKLE DISINFORMATION AND FAKE NEWS
Duration in months: 14
Contract Sum: 39 286.26 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims at satisfying the need to build the capacity of the journalists from the local media and information websites to recognize and fight disinformation and fake news related to the values, goals and policies of the European Union. The planned activities develop gradually an overall training model. The initiative will start by analysing the content of local media and information websites to establish the extent to which disinformation and fake news penetrate on a local level. A Guide for Identification and Response to Disinformation and Fake News will be created and used in the training of 42 reporters to build and boost their skills to fight fake news and disinformation. The initiative also envisages to map local media by including them in an interactive map that will be available on the website of the Bulgarian School of Politics. The map will help boost the popularity of the local media as well as transparency in their work. The activity, which includes national training organized for all participants, will raise the knowledge and experience of journalists as well as enable the setting up of an informal network among them. The latter will also build trust and shape an overall value attitude to prevent and contain unchecked and speculative news, disinformation and external influence in the reporters’ work. As part of their training, the media representatives, included in the initiative, will have to publish in their media 4 standardized (prepared in advance) texts and/or advertising banners presenting the findings of the checks of fake news related to the EU values, goals and policies. Thus, in parallel with the initiative, an information campaign will be carried out that will multiply the outcomes and benefits of the initiative.
Inc. №: EUV/73
Organization: OFF MEDIA Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://offnews.bg
Name of the initiative: Information Against the Disinformation
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 46 983.70 (EUR)
Resume:
Bulgaria holds last place among the EU Member States and ranks 33rd among 41 states in the Media Literacy Index 2022. The Media Literacy Index is prepared under the European Policies Initiative (EuPI) of Open Society Institute – Sofia and the index assesses the potential to withstand fake news in 41 European countries by using indicators for media freedom, education and trust in people. Bulgaria showed the worst performance on the indicators measuring the quality of education, ranking 34th among 41 countries and lagging behind countries in the region that are not even EU Member States. The initiative offers accessible analysis and examples of disinformation in the daily online information flow and provides mechanisms to recognize and counter disinformation targeted at the EU values, goals and policies. Thus, the initiative helps strengthen the capacity of Bulgarian citizens to recognize disinformation and opens a debate about how to fight the phenomenon in the long run. The initiative aims at filling in the following gaps: insufficient capacity of the Bulgarian society to identify disinformation; insufficient awareness of the way in which disinformation operates in Bulgaria and of successful practices to counter it; the specificity of the information environment in Bulgaria; the need of response in the face of disinformation in the public space related to the EU values, goals and policies and the provision of a sufficient space for debate and analysis. At least 50 materials will be published under the initiative with examples of disinformation as well as 8 audio/video recordings offering a discussion of the registered cases with an audience of at least 200 000 people of the published/broadcast content. 10 analyses of disinformation online will be prepared together with some practical rules about how to recognize and counter disinformation.
Thematic area “Democracy”
Inc. №: EUV/41
Organization: Programme and Analytical Centre for European Law
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://www.ngobg.info/bg/organizations/1320-фондация-програмен-и-аналитичен-център-за-европейско-право.html
Name of the initiative: Civic Organisations – a Democratic and European Value
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 52 175.34 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative will help overcome one of the most significant reasons for growing public mistrust of the European Union (EU), i.e. low trust in NGOs protecting fundamental European values and rights, through the maintenance and upgrade of the Information Portal of Bulgarian NGOs (ngobg.info). The portal enables the NGOs registered in it to publish their own texts, presenting their work and performance, and ensures visibility for their campaigns via partnership with the media. The Portal offers its visitors (more than 300 000 people annually) information about and related to NGOs that has been prepared by NGOs themselves, the Portal team and external sources. The highlights of the content are the values the NGOs uphold and specific public benefits from their activity. The Portal is the largest information and reference hub for NGOs and civic activities in Bulgaria with a database that includes more than 14 300 NGOs and over 2 500 publications annually. The initiative will improve the awareness of the citizens of the role NGOs play in the society and in upholding European rights and values by providing information about the EU fundamental rights and values, specific examples how they apply in practice through the work of individual NGOs and specific and verifiable information about the work of NGOs in all fields of social development. The opportunities and services offered by the Portal will continue to boost the NGO capacity for presentation in public, improve public perception of NGOs, raise public awareness about the EU values and their protection and promote the application of the values in Bulgaria. In the short term the initiative will promote the 6 titles of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and the respective texts, give examples of the targeted work NGOs do to uphold and apply the specific rights and values, expand the reference section Library with appropriate materials related to the understanding of the EU rights and values and enrich the Portal with diverse texts and visions that will show to the public the real face and public contribution of NGOs and will help overcome the multiple prejudices about the NGO role, activity and aspirations. The NGO Portal is a long-term strategic initiative. The Portal will continue to attract a diverse audience with its publicly available archive of publications.
Inc. №: EUV/89
Organization: Devetaki Plateau Association
Place: Letnica
Web page: www.devetakiplateau.org
Name of the initiative: ACADEMO – Democratic Communities Academy
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 39 953.80 (EUR)
Resume:
Over the last few years, the democratic development of Bulgaria has been questioned and has lost its public support. The studies carried out as well as the outcomes of the last parliamentary elections point to increasingly low citizen participation and decline in confidence in democracy and European values. Large groups of citizens, in particular in small settlements, remain isolated from the public life and vulnerable to disinformation and propaganda. The current initiative draws on the experience and practical skills of Devetaki Plateau Association (DPA) for using democratic approaches for the economic and social development of the villages in the Devetaki Plateau. The model of a community made up of nine villages in three municipalities, united by a common goal and working together with local authorities, will be disseminated and upgraded in 11 more settlements whose representatives, NGOs and active citizen groups, show willingness to learn and apply innovative approaches to citizen participation and local development. Training sessions are planned as well as the application in practice of the acquired skills on site in 11 municipalities from different regions of the country. The goal is to raise awareness of the rights and opportunities that democracy offers to citizens, recognize citizen participation as a value and a right as well as appreciate the role of collaboration and association for the development of small settlements. The initiative also envisages a large-scale media and information campaign that also includes the activity called Active Citizens in Villages, sharing “first-hand” success stories about the mobilization of small communities and their achievements. The overall media campaign is targeted at propaganda and populism to which people living in small settlements, far from the big urban centres are particularly vulnerable. The campaign will use the various channels of DPA and its partners and the national Darik Radio will be the main media partner. In this way the messages under the initiative will go beyond the limits of the specific partners and participants and will reach like-minded, active and thinking people across the country.
Inc. №: EUV/189
Organization: Retina Bulgaria Association
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.retinabulgaria.bg
Partners: Bulgarian Huntington Association, Foundation for Local Government Reform
Name of the initiative: Action for RARE
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 56 810.58 (EUR)
Resume:
The issue that the initiative aims at solving is the poor steps taken by the state to introduce the policies of the European Union in the field of healthcare and poor cooperation with civil society organizations in this field. Some of the policies our state is exceptionally lagging behind to introduce are related to people suffering from rare diseases. There are several main political initiatives and pan-European actions from the present and future agenda of the European institutions that address the needs of 30 million people in Europe with rare diseases, 450 000 of whom live in Bulgaria, and require informed and active Bulgarian participation and appointments by the state in managing and advisory bodies. The lack of such participation poses a threat to the European values of equality and solidarity adopted by Bulgaria and is a premise for turning 6% of Bulgarian citizens living with about 6 000 to 8 000 rare diseases into victims of discrimination, having their right to health protection violated. The initiative aims at achieving informed citizen participation in the democratic process of policy making and upholding. In the short term, the initiative will boost the capacity of a network of civil society organizations of people with rare diseases and will support the drafting of a manifest with political proposals; the initiative will also attract collaboration and partnerships with civil society organizations and institutions from the public and private sector to support the manifest. The proposals will be promoted through an information campaign. The initiative will contribute to engaging responsible politicians and candidates for members of the European Parliament in the integration of the proposals from the manifest in their political programmes and building collaboration for their consistent implementation in the long run. Partnership with organizations with expertise in the field of rare diseases and with a developed model of relations with the stakeholders is key for the efficient implementation of the initiative. The Bulgarian Huntington Association will contribute with its extensive experience in empowerment of people with rare diseases and the Foundation for Local Government Reform will support the initiative with its expertise in civic participation and initiatives jointly implemented with Retina Bulgaria in the field of making healthcare policies, introducing legislative amendments for people with rare diseases, in particular.
Inc. №: EUV/94
Organization: Centre for Liberal Strategies Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://cls-sofia.org/
Name of the initiative: Democracy board-game – how to engage young people politically
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 59 526.24 (EUR)
Resume:
Studies unanimously show that young people in Bulgaria are dissociated from politics: they vote rarely, have low interest and often choose more radical party alternatives. At the same time, they increasingly wish to organize their life in Bulgaria and they show growing optimism for their personal future. It is the readiness of the young to engage with democratic values and uphold the democratic practices that is key for the democratic future of the country. It can be seen from the political behaviour of the young that the school does not manage to educate them well in democratic values and promote civic culture. The media at the same time do not stand a big chance, as the media use of the young has been mainly diverted to such platforms as Instagram and Facebook, where their own circles of friends and influencers define the news flow and set it in motion in completely unexpected directions. The initiative offers a provocative approach that draws on a practice popular among young people, namely playing board games. Democracy will be tested as a play practice with the help of active young people. The goal will be to introduce democratic values, the fundamental logic of politics and the ways of practicing democracy in a board game. In particular, the board game will be based on democracy, the way it is practised in Bulgaria. Different groups of young people will be engaged in the overall process of creating the game but experts will be also actively involved to ensure the board game is accurate and complies with real democratic values and practices. The last step of the initiative will be to engage young people in playing for real the game of DEMOCRACY (the young authors of the game will decide on its title). Board gaming tournaments are planned to be held to determine a democratic champion. The board game DEMOCRACY can be also used at school as an interactive learning aid as part of the civic education curriculum.
Inc. №: EUV/99
Organization: Institute for Market Economics
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.ime.bg
Name of the initiative: Monitoring of the Free Market Competition Protection Activities of the CPC
Duration in months: 14
Contract Sum: 53 965.45 (EUR)
Resume:
Since the foundation of the European Union (EU), the competition policy contributes to safeguarding and promoting the economic prosperity of the Union. Strict law enforcement in the field of competition benefits European consumers and customers, citizens and companies, by allowing them to have choice on the market and take advantage of innovative products and services at affordable prices. The proposed initiative aspires to increase transparency and accountability in the work of the Commission on Protection of Competition (CPC). The initiative aims at contributing to greater awareness about the work of the CPC and the impact of its action or inaction on the economy in general, the economic sectors and household income. The obvious absence of a detailed and systematic attempt to trace the practice and approach to the application of the competition rules by the CPC has been an issue for years. The initiative aims to make a difference by introducing monitoring and analysis of the work of the CPC by experts with the Institute for Market Economics (IME). The transparency and accountability of the CPC will expand by providing detailed information and analysis of the CPC activity in a manner that is comprehensible to a broader circle of groups in society that are not specialists in competition law. The latter result will be achieved by monitoring the decisions and action of the CPC and by means of professional publications shedding light on the importance and role of the steps and decisions made by the CPC with regard to competition, market processes, prices and well-being. With close monitoring of the activity of the CPC and additional analyses, the initiative will raise public interest and civic participation in the process of competition protection. Policy-makers, business organizations, NGOs, journalists, local communities and citizens will be informed about the importance and impact of the work of the CPC. In the short term, the initiative will generate greater media and public interest in the work of the CPC by providing better awareness of its role, the arguments and consequences of its decisions on the economy. In the long run, the increased public pressure, supported by greater knowledge and accumulated analytical resources, will improve CPC practices related to enforcing the competition rules and preventing misuse of public funds. Increased public attention and interested groups will gradually act as a deterrent against inaction, slow or selective action in cases of great potential market impact. The initiative will contribute to better functioning of the market economy and to safeguarding the freedom of conducting a business in Bulgaria.
Inc. №: EUV/110
Organization: Info space Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://www.mediapool.bg/
Name of the initiative: Government in the Sunshine: Monitoring reforms in support of EU rights and values
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 54 000.00 (EUR)
Resume:
Bulgaria faces a real threat of creeping putinisation that could divert the country from its European perspective. The phenomenon is growing against the backdrop of the unprecedented situation of war waged in the upper echelons of the state and in the underworld, which is a logical consequence of the erosion of the rule of law, as confirmed in the 2022 report of the European Commission at https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2022-rule-law-report-communication-and-country-chapters_en. However, there is a chance that the way out of the crisis will be to reshuffle the state based on European rights and values. The latter depends to a great extent on the successful implementation of extensive reforms under the Recovery and Resilience Plan that will guarantee the rule of law and the modernization of the country. It is imperative in such turbulent times that the citizens are reliably informed and do not fall an easy prey to manipulation, disinformation and conspiracy theories that the actors pursing an anti-European and pro-Putin politics rely on. The lack of real transparency and accountability of the institutions has exacerbated over the last 2 years due to the failure to have a permanent Parliament that would control efficiently the executive power, in a situation of serious geopolitical challenges at that. The initiative aims at raising the awareness of citizens and the accountability of the public administration through targeted materials shedding light on key public policies related to the implementation of the Recovery and Resilience Plan that consists of 56 investments and 47 reforms. The main output will be in-depth factual materials and investigations. The situation will be monitored for hidden mechanisms, dependencies, delays or abuses. The initiative will place an important emphasis on fighting corruption, the reform of the judiciary and planned constitutional changes. The approach combines efficient monitoring of policies and expert evaluation of the impact of the policy implementation. The latter will ensure greater transparency of power, a comprehensible understanding of complex processes and a ground for an informed debate; it will also help recover trust and the democratic character of the institutions, which is also particularly important for the successful implementation of reforms. The initiative will also address the issue of controlled information, providing trustworthy content. The informal partner of the initiative is the Bulgarian Institute for Legal Initiatives, that will help with legal expertise in the area of judicial reforms and policies targeted at more transparent governance and thus the impact of the efforts of both organizations will multiply.
Inc. №: EUV/156
Organization: National Network for Children
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.nmd.bg
Name of the initiative: Democracy but with children’s rights!
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 52 160.53 (EUR)
Resume:
The initiative aims at promoting informed public debate and civic participation in child policies and child’s rights as part of human rights. Democratic processes have been threatened over the last years and the topic of children and parenting has been used for propaganda and disinformation in order to repeal key legislative acts about the child protection by playing on parents’ fears. The influence of the far-right, anti-European and anti-democratic circles is growing and children are used as a main communication target of propaganda. Bulgaria still has no Strategy for the Child at odds with national legislation. The child protection system, the children’s hotline 116111, NGOs and individual children’s rights activists have been subject to criticism. Child care is getting worse. This initiative will support with communication not only 130 civil society organizations and individuals from the National Network for Children (NNC) but will also set up a network of more than 40 children’s rights activists who will mobilise the informed public debate of child policies. The developed resource will be able to hold public debates and discussions on particular information occasions about children and families, with emphasis on the child’s rights, support for families and democratic values. The initiative envisages monitoring child policies through the monitoring report Mark Book – What is the average academic performance of the state with regard to child care, which will be developed with the involvement of more than 200 experts, parents and children. The Mark Book will be presented in at least 5 places in the country. The initiative envisages to draft at least 40 opinions, open letters and positions about child policies, organize an information campaign and reach more than 1 million citizens in the social media and the NNC website during the overall period of project implementation. In the long run the initiative aims to integrate the topic of children and their rights as an indelible part of democratic processes in the country and all child policies.
Thematic area “Diversity and equality”
Inc. №: EUV/154
Organization: Amalipe Center
Place: Veliko Tarnovo
Web page: www.amalipe.bg
Name of the initiative: Human Rights: educate, inspire, change!
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 59 968.15 (EUR)
Resume:
The Eurobarometer study showed that the Roma are the group considered to be the most discriminated (61%), followed by ethnic minorities and groups of people with a different skin colour (59%).The study of the Open Society Institute – Sofia about the social distance towards various minorities in Bulgaria showed that the Roma are the most segregated minority and the most unwilling minority to come into contact with. The period 2007-2013 showed improved attitudes towards the Roma, however, ever since 2013 the attitudes have sharply deteriorated. Schools and other education establishments are among the key centres of social and political life. School students and their parents often face challenges due to stereotypes, prejudice, hate speech and hate crimes. The issues above most often arise in the environment in which the Roma live but also happen in the classroom and at school. It is imperative for schools to become “a space of tolerance”, which guarantees that all students, parents and teachers will exercise freely their rights and will be free from hatred. It is just as important to engage the school community with tolerance campaigns and actions and overcoming of discrimination in society, in particular discrimination against the Roma and other vulnerable groups. This initiative aims at encouraging education institutions to be actively engaged in the fight against stereotypes, prejudice, hate crimes and hate speech, and encouraging active young people and the organized local communities to have the potential to be agents of a positive change, contributing to reporting and responding to all forms of hate speech and hate crimes. The initiative also aims at setting up a collaboration mechanism between the main institutions responsible for prevention and protection from discrimination (such as the Ombudsman, the anti-discrimination commissions, etc.) and organized local communities including active youth groups, parents’ committees, informal leaders, mediators, etc. The initiative also aims at achieving impact on national level among large groups in society in the districts of Plovdiv, Pazardjik, Veliko Tarnovo, Targovishte, Shumen, Vratsa and Montana. A broad range of students, teachers, parents and experts will be reached, including people from vulnerable Roma communities and underdeveloped regions, to boost their knowledge, interest in human rights and motivation to join campaigns and actions for tolerance and anti-discrimination.
Inc. №: EUV/164
Organization: LGBT Youth Organization Deystvie
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.deystvie.org
Name of the initiative: LGBTI Rights in Action
Duration in months: 18
Contract Sum: 43 336.00 (EUR)
Resume:
Bulgaria is ranked at the bottom in Europe with regard to protection of the rights of the LGBTI community. Discrimination in Bulgaria is institutionalized and the Penal Code does not recognize LGBTI hate crimes. The lack of political will to address the issue results not only in widespread homophobia and transphobia but also in politically incited hate speech, which has led to a growing number of hate crimes against the LGBTI community over the last year. The latter issue has led to the shutting off of the LGBTI community and internalized homophobia, failure to report out of fear of secondary discrimination and the respective self-isolation of dozens of LGBTI members from the social life. The initiative aims at maintaining National LGBTI Legal Action Programme and creating conditions for policy-making through analysis of the legal framework and training of university students. 300 legal consultations will be provided to the affected people. Over 5 000 people will be informed though the Rights Forum and via the information campaign of the initiative that will reach more than 20 000 people. The initiative will contribute to the overcoming of the issue by providing direct access of the LGBTI community to legal protection and by analysing the case law. Filing lawsuits leads to an official national statistical data and official recognition of the existing issue, which in turn will contribute to amendments to the legislation and to improving the life of the LGBTI people in Bulgaria.
Supported initiatives under the “Together” fund
Thematic area “EU rights”
Inc. №: EUV/195
Organization: Youth priorities Association
Partner: Nikola Jonkov Vaptzarov Secondary School
Place: Benkovski
Web page: https://sou-vapcarov.org
Name of the initiative: Strengthening EU values in our community at Benkovski village
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 4989.41 (EUR)
Resume: The problem the initiative aims to solve is the lack of knowledge among young people and the community in Benkovski village and the surrounding 12 villages about the rights and values of European citizens. Knowledge of EU values will contribute to greater tolerance and peaceful coexistence of the different ethnic and religious groups in the area. On the other hand, it will help to stimulate a more active citizenship of people in the community. The initiative will involve 180 young people aged between 15 and 29, teachers and journalists, as well as the whole community of the municipalities of Kirkovo and Zlatograd. The activities foreseen include a survey on the needs and knowledge gaps of young people on EU rights and values, quizzes with thematic questions (EU Trivia games), presentation of real-life case studies highlighting EU values in action, creation of a compendium and a network of ambassadors.
Inc. №: EUV/231
Organization: Alliance for sustainable regional development
Place: Ruse
Web page: https://srd4bg.org
Name of the initiative: Working for Europe /Evrodeetz/
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 9384.44 (EUR)
Resume: Insufficient knowledge in the field of civic education (CE) and low levels of civic participation among young people are among the biggest political, social and economic challenges in Bulgaria, an EU member state, often associated with low levels of voter turnout and civic engagement, lack of media freedom, high levels of corruption and low trust in institutions. The aim of the initiative is to help strengthen European democratic values through the promotion of civil society with a focus on the EU and freedom of information. Efforts will focus on promoting critical thinking, combating misinformation and the spread of fake news, which is becoming an increasingly significant and multi-layered societal problem. The initiative foresees the production of a digital “Compass of Civil Rights in the EU”; the preparation, filming and dissemination of an educational video series of 7 videos on different topics related to civil society; the organization and delivery of youth informal training sessions and “Working for Europe” competition”.
Inc. №: EUV/191
Organization: Community Center Ljuben Karavelov-1897
Place: Kurtovo Konare
Web page: http://chitalishtekkonare.com
Name of the initiative: Our Europe
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 17993.12 (EUR)
Resume: On a national scale, there is a decline in trust in democracy and European values and a decreasing civic engagement, which is evident from various opinion polls. In small communities, Euro-skepticism is felt both in personal conversations and on social networks. These communities are increasingly capsulated and susceptible to manipulation, misinformation and propaganda. Through the “Our Europe” initiative, a series of activities will be implemented, mainly in Kurtovo Konare, but also in several neighboring villages (Krichim, Perushchitsa, Joakim Gruevo, Trivoditsi), to raise awareness among 3,500 people about the values and objectives of the EU, as well as the rights of EU citizens. The initiative foresees two large-scale campaigns – information campaign “Our Europe – My Rights” and communication campaign “Our Europe”, which include thematic meetings-discussions, drawing and video competitions, Euro-rock concert with messages during Kurtovo Konare Fest. Partnerships will be established with five civil society organizations from neighboring localities, leading experts in the field of European policies, local experts and educational specialists.
Inc. №: EUV/226
Organization: Gavrosh Association
Place: Varna
Web page: www.gavroche-bg.org
Name of the initiative: More active and more invulnerable
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 15076.16 (EUR)
Resume: Users of social services are often excluded from public life. They are not independent and do not actively participate in the processes that affect them because they do not know their rights well and do not know how to assert them, which puts them at risk of discrimination and abuse. Consumers, and the professionals who care for them, need training and counselling on the application of human rights and EU values, opportunities for participation in processes and decision-making. Citizens, on the other hand, who tend to be supportive, need information on the types of social services and training on how to support vulnerable people, know and protect their rights and be more active in the community, especially in small settlements. Social services teams also need skills on how to involve more volunteers and widen the circle of support, including through advocacy with local institutions. The initiative includes trainings and consultations for more than 20 professionals from more than 5 social services providers in the regions of Varna and Dobrich, including from small settlements such as Suvorovo and Krushari villages and 15 volunteers and 6 local institutions. The activities will increase the quality of social services in the long term by developing skills in the teams, empowering and accepting users as active participants, advocating to the institutions and turning citizens into ambassadors to expand the supportive environment.
Inc. №: EUV/213
Organization: Horizons Association
Place: Burgas
Name of the initiative: Information literacy – a safe weapon against misinformation
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18982.87 (EUR)
Resume: Every day nearly 2 million Bulgarians are manipulated by false information. Information about values such as freedom, equality and citizens’ rights is deliberately pushed to the periphery. Disinformation dominates social networks, and journalists and other news disseminators are increasingly taking advantage of it. This initiative will bring to the fore the responsibility of those who offer information and, through properly targeted training, help them to navigate the huge information flow. The Information Literacy Month will create skills to identify fake news. Beginner journalists from regional media outlets, journalism students, influencers and staff at regional press centers will be provided with fact-checking tools. Activities also include a roundtable discussion on “Media freedom and pluralism”. The negative effects of disinformation about the EU in the region will be illustrated with printed and electronic brochures “The European Union and Bulgaria” and “Trust those who are accountable”, as well as a video “How Disinformation Works” which will show concrete victims of disinformation.
Inc. №: EUV/214
Organization: Community Foundation Stara Zagora
Place: Stara Zagora
Web page: www.fund-sz.org
Name of the initiative: Increased understanding of EU values and rights among young people
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19990.00 (EUR)
Resume: According to a 2022 study by the Open Society Institute, the overall decline in trust in the EU is due to the younger generations. This is a worrying trend that demonstrates that there is an emerging euroscepticism that is not based in the past. Although EU programs provide ample opportunities for young people to participate in youth exchanges and various initiatives, many fail to develop a sense of European belonging and sympathize with parties that call for leaving the Union. Often young people have little knowledge or understanding of EU rights and values. Greater understanding of EU rights and values will help to build public support for these values and create a more sustainable basis for European integration. In addition to young people, the project will also benefit educational institutions, NGOs, and society at large. Increasing young people’s awareness and engagement will help shape responsible European citizenship. The initiative combines research activities and active participation in educational events, creation of interactive content (maps) and quizzes and debates on understanding EU rights and values, participation in broadcasts and communication with the media on the subject.
Inc. №: EUV/215
Organization: Web shelf Foundation
Partner: Tutrakan voice Association
Place: Slivo Pole Municipality
Web page: https://webshelf.eu, http:/glas.tutrakan.org
Name of the initiative: Bulgarian citizens have European opportunities
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 17976.79 (EUR)
Resume: Not a few of the people from the small communities in the rural municipalities of Bulgaria do not understand how the EU functions, what are the values in this community and what rights and opportunities Bulgarian citizens have as part of it. These people are also the most susceptible to disinformation from social media. They do not have developed critical thinking and skills for finding reliable sources of information. The aim of the initiative is to support these small communities in informing them about EU rights and how people can find out what is disinformation. It is planned to reach about 18 000 people in the municipalities of Tutrakan and Slivo Pole, to implement 1 partnership with media, to publish 44 materials, to report 22 cases of disinformation on the web site of the Web Shelf Foundation, and to publish 11 of them in the newspaper Tutrakan voice. The results of the initiative will provide information about the sources of disinformation in small settlements, and the local opinion leaders – the community center employees, through training and joint work during the initiative, will form skills for a critical approach to disinformation in social media.
Inc. №: EUV/212
Organization: Ex nihilo
Place: Sofia
Name of the initiative: What about you?
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 7126.20 (EUR)
Resume: The strength and spirit of common European human rights and values create a strong and healthy society, sensitive to any form of action against human dignity and individuality. At a time of heightened polar paradigms, misinformation and dignity-undermining practices, it is young people who can be missionaries of change and defenders of human rights and freedoms. The initiative consists in creating an educational product – by peers and for peers – to provoke reflection on the value of human rights, their protection and missionary work. Through a variety of case studies, dilemmas and simulation experiences, youth will gain valuable practical experience and skills to solve problems basic to our civilizational situation. The scope of the initiative extends the pilot project on the territory of the Capital Municipality. Through an inclusive mechanism, this educational product will be upgraded and made available free of charge to the educational system in Bulgaria for free use.
Inc. №: EUV/204
Organization: National Association for Foster Care
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.napg.eu
Name of the initiative: The Right to European Foster Care as a Guarantee for the Rights of Children in Bulgaria
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18995.71 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative of the National Association for Foster Care is realized in a key year for child welfare policies, in which the state must commit to creating strategic documents regulating the main policies for children’s rights in the next 10 years, as well as to introduce legal changes in foster care, which is the only guarantee of the right of children at risk to grow up in a family environment. Against this background, the initiative will increase the knowledge of foster parents and foster care professionals about children’s rights and child welfare, encouraging them to be more active advocates for children’s rights, thanks to the trainings planned in 8 regions across the country. The main misinformation messages related to children’s rights and the role of foster carers in guaranteeing them will also be addressed through an information campaign. The study of European experiences in caring for children with different characteristics is key to understanding the approach to children’s rights and will serve both to generate training content and as a tool for better organizational advocacy of the National Association for Foster Care. Planned activities include trainings for foster parents and foster care professionals in 8 regional cities and an awareness raising campaign.
Inc. №: EUV/190
Organization: Institute of Mediation and Dispute Management
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.imeus.bg
Name of the initiative: Mediation in defense of human rights in cases of domestic violence
Duration in months: 9
Contract Sum: 19987.60 (EUR)
Resume: Mediation is an alternative method of conflict resolution, which from 01.07.2024 will be mandatory in a number of court cases in order to find a voluntary solution through the assistance of a mediator. Victims of domestic violence often do not have access to legal protection or are forced to participate in court proceedings that do not solve their problems. The number of cases of such violence is growing, with a 62% increase since the beginning of 2023 alone. The mediation procedure aims to provide effective protection of European and democratic values through a dialogue in which the mediator assists the parties to discuss the issues of concern. This is particularly appropriate in cases of domestic violence prior to the escalation of the abusive relationship and in the absence of sustained physical violence. Through this, families in crisis can find a quick and effective solution that also serves as a prevention of continued violence. The initiative will promote the established as effective means of mediation in domestic violence and propose concrete mechanisms for their application in Bulgaria. 60 mediators, lawyers, judges, teachers, journalists will be trained in the methods of handling and solving such cases through mediation. In parallel, public open days will be held to advise citizens on the positive effects of mediation as a way to protect human rights. In the long term, this will increase the capacity of professionals working with domestic violence cases, improve the services provided and increase the number of violence cases successfully resolved through mediation.
Thematic area “Democracy”
Inc. №: EUV/ 192
Organization: Troyan in the future
Place: Troyan Municipality
Web page: https://troyan-future.com
Name of the initiative: Informed civil participation in Troyan municipality
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 14984.39 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative provides for a study of attitudes and an informed public debate on the local environmental regulations, specifically on Ordinance No. 9 for waste management on the territory of the Municipality of Troyan and Ordinance for the construction and protection of the green system on the territory of the Municipality of Troyan. The focus of the debate will be the initiative to change the local legislation in order to harmonize it with the European eco-directives. Specifically, on the territory of Troyan Municipality there is still no well-organized and comprehensive separate waste collection. The ordinance also lacks texts regarding citizens’ participation in waste management processes and their role in monitoring compliance with environmental legislation. The results of the debate will be summarized in an official opinion and submitted to the Municipal Council of Troyan for consideration.
Inc. №: EUV/ 206
Organization: Association „Parallel-Silistra“
Place: Silistra
Web page: www.paralel-silistra.net
Name of the initiative: Democracy in action
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 14999.26 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses the low level of knowledge of the mechanisms of local democracy and low trust in democracy among young people in Silistra region. According to the OSI-Sofia report for 2021-2022, the level of trust in the North Central Region (including Silistra District) is only 35%. This low result contrasts with the data from the 2017 report, according to which 65% of respondents in the North Central Region consider “democracy as the best form …”. The initiative’s plan includes educational activities in the areas of Human Rights, European Citizenship and Youth Empowerment, and also covers remote and ethnically mixed areas in Silistra district. An educational tool – “Democracy in Action” will be developed for use by a wide range of CSOs to develop civic competence and activism, and 21 representatives of community centers/teachers and educators will be trained to use it. Youth trainings will be held in the municipalities of Silistra, Tutrakan, Glavinitsa, Dulovo, where young people will build their civic competences by acquiring theoretical knowledge about the mechanisms of local democracy and their practical application.
Inc. №: EUV/ 199
Organization: Open Society Club Stara Zagora
Place: Stara Zagora
Name of the initiative: Towards brighter future
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19796.07 (EUR)
Resume: The Open Society Club Stara Zagora presents the regional literary institutions as diplomatic, acting ambassadors who promote European values. The aim is to achieve dissemination and deeper understanding of democratic principles and values through regional literary museums and libraries. The model developed to achieve the objectives includes updating and extending traditional methods and approaches of work in regional cultural institutions. A study on the level of awareness, presence of European values in the community, informed citizen participation for their protection and promotion through different segments of regional literary tourism is envisaged. This activity will be accompanied by an advocacy campaign to update local authorities’ public policies and plans related to the important themes of EU values, including the principles of their implementation and promotion in the community. An accessible website will provide opportunities for interaction with the general public and a deeper understanding of European values in Bulgarian literature.
Inc. №: EUV/197
Organization: Budno Gabrovo
Place: Gabrovo
Web page: https://budno-gabrovo.com
Name of the initiative: We can! Active citizens for good local governance and transparent institutions!
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18992.50 (EUR)
Resume: In recent years, more and more people are left with the feeling that the rights enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights are mostly declarative and on paper; that they have no real application in people’s everyday lives; that they remain just a good wish. This feeling is particularly true in smaller localities, where the defense of these rights is usually confronted with the barrier of fear, the reluctance of local authorities to act on them, a stagnant judicial system and the conformity of small communities where kinship ties and relationships prevail. These trends make transparent and lawful spending of public funds at the local level a serious problem. The initiative aims to raise citizens’ awareness of their rights, to increase opportunities for direct participation in monitoring institutions and to stimulate change in the work of local administration towards transparency and regular accountability to the public. The envisaged methods for achieving the objectives are the online integration of a citizens’ signals panel, a reception for signals in the organization’s office and active checks and actions on the signals submitted by the organization. In addition, the activity foresees the holding of ten open information days in the four municipalities of the district to inform citizens about their rights and the different opportunities to participate in local decision-making.
Inc. №: EUV/202
Organization: NGO Club
Place: Targovichte
Web page: https://www.clubngo.org/
Name of the initiative: „Young people – the future of Europe“
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19909.48 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative highlights the high percentage of people expressing dissatisfaction with Bulgaria’s EU membership (especially those living in smaller towns) and the need to inform more young people about the values of the European Union and the specific EU policies that support the development of democracy. The aim of the organization is to implement activities that will lead to better knowledge, acceptance and application of EU values among the youngest citizens of Targovishte. Educational tools will be created through the use of interactive methods of presenting information and through the “Peers teaching peers” approach. These tools will be made available to volunteer students willing to participate as trainers who will use the educational tools in training sessions with their peers. In this way, the initiative wants to address topics such as respect for human dignity, democracy, equality and human rights in an attractive way for young people. As a closing event, a Hackathon “Young people – the future of Europe” will be held. Twenty-four students who have been through the training are scheduled to take part and produce material related to the themes in different media formats. The materials produced will be presented at the Hackathon and disseminated on various social networks.
Inc. №: EUV/210
Organization: Big brother Big sister Bulgaria Association
Place: Plovdiv
Web page: www.bbbsbg.org
Name of the initiative: Academy for work with volunteers
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 17981.35 (EUR)
Resume: After conducting a national survey on attitudes towards volunteering in Bulgaria, the BBBS – Bulgaria Association found that 61% did not receive the support they expected from organizations while volunteering, and almost 90% would like more adequate support and recognition. On the organizations’ side, the data shows that only 4% of respondents have developed rules for working with volunteers and 87% say that lack of legal regulation and funding are the biggest problems in the sector, leading to a lack of organization and good management of volunteering. All organizations surveyed said that they need more information and training regarding volunteer work and management. The aim of the initiative is to improve the capacity of CSOs in terms of volunteer management by providing training to 60 organizations and institutions in Plovdiv region. The main activity to achieve the goal is the development and implementation of a training program “Managing volunteers and organizing volunteer initiatives”, which consists of 4 full-day trainings “Managing volunteers”, 30 online consultations “Planning, implementation and evaluation of volunteer initiatives” and promotion of the results of the training program. Each organization and institution participating in the training program will have to organize its own or join a common volunteering initiative. As a final part of the initiative, a competition will be held with different categories and prizes for the organizations that have implemented volunteering activities within the initiative.
Inc. №: EUV/225
Organization: Center for Educational Programs and Social Initiatives Association
Place: Yambol
Web page: http://cepsi95.org
Name of the initiative: The strength of civil participation
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 12997.29 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses the low level of civic participation in the processes of formulation and implementation of youth policies implemented by 6 public institutions in Yambol region. As an additional problem, it is noted the unpreparedness of local NGOs to actively engage in the processes of formulation and implementation of local youth policies. The objectives of the organization are to increase the competences of the target NGOs and strengthen their role in the formation and implementation of local youth policies; to strengthen civic activism among the local population; to improve the transparency and accountability of the target institutions. For the improvement of these factors, the initiative plans to first conduct training of CSOs in the form of a workshop with a practical focus. As a second activity, the Center for Educational Programs and Social Initiatives Association wants to analyze the process of youth policy development and implementation in Yambol Region by conducting a survey on youth policies and citizen monitoring of public institutions. This research also aims to provide a basis for the elaboration of at least 12 formal proposals by experts for the elaboration and implementation of youth policies. The proposals will be accompanied by an advocacy campaign and a regional public forum to present the results and proposals to the general public and stimulate their involvement.
Inc. №: EUV/233
Organization: NATIONAL FORECASTING AND PLANNING ASSOCIATION
Partner: Economic Academy „Dimitar А. Tzenov“
Place: Svishtov
Web page: https://napp-plan.org; https://www.uni-svishtov.bg/bg
Name of the initiative: Svichtov in support of democracy and civil rights
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 9427.72 (EUR)
Resume: The organization registered a decrease of active citizens and NGOs in Svishtov. As a result of these processes, there is low activity in public discussions and consultations, ignorance of democratic principles and civil rights, and the increasingly frequent appearance of hate speech, xenophobia, harassment, lack of tolerance and violation of human rights. The initiative plans to create an innovative methodology and to train teachers and lecturers who, through modern approaches and teaching methods, will attract greater interest among learners in the topic of civic participation. The methods that will be used to achieve these goals include research and analysis of the level of civic participation in Svishtov and the development of innovative educational tools and trainings on civic education, civic rights and civic participation and European values. Accompanying activities are also planned, such as mentoring for open talks and communication initiatives to promote the methodology and share knowledge with educational institutions and NGOs.
Inc. №: EUV/222
Organization: Podobri Foundation
Place: Shumen
Name of the initiative: Volunteering is super cool
Duration in months: 11
Contract Sum: 19500.00 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses the low interest of young people when it comes to civic participation and volunteering initiatives. This trend is evident in cited public surveys and statistics. Podobri Foundation aims to involve more young people in volunteering initiatives to improve their skills and knowledge for active participation in public life, building a more effective civic participation system. With the idea of promoting informed civic participation and helping local young people to embrace the cause of volunteering, the initiative will carry out a number of activities, including the following: development of a web platform and a volunteering handbook; an information campaign to promote the handbook among teachers and young people; a youth volunteering academy; mentoring and implementation of students’ initiatives; volunteering workshops by active civil society organizations.
Inc. №: EUV/220
Organization: Active Policies Association
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://www.instagram.com/activepolitics.bg/
Name of the initiative: Increasing civic engagement and political participation among young people
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 17963.16 (EUR)
Resume: The National Youth Strategy notes that discriminatory attitudes, the tendency to believe in conspiracy theories, misinformation, low media literacy, insufficient critical thinking skills, etc., remain a problem among youth. Citing various studies, the Active Policies Association notes the decline in youth political engagement and the weak manifestations of critical political discourse, which are among the guarantors of a prosperous democratic society. The aim of the initiative is to counteract the above-mentioned negative processes that Bulgarian society is facing by working for higher awareness, engagement, critical thinking and a change in values. As an approach to work in this direction, attractive digital content and informal trainings on original civic education topics will be created. These educational tools will be used to deliver 80 civic education trainings with 11th and 12th grade students in partnerships with 80 schools in the target regions.
Inc. №: EUV/230
Organization: HALO 2019 Foundation
Partner: Municipality of Haskovo
Place: Haskovo
Web page: https://halongo.eu/; https://halo-platform.halongo.eu; https://www.haskovo.bg
Name of the initiative: Citizen Budgets 2024
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 18000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The problems that the initiative addresses are civic apathy and inaction in Haskovo municipality. Low voter turnout and the absence of citizens from public discussions and consultations at local level are cited as indicators of these problems. The aim of the organization is to organize the third edition of the Citizen Budgets Program (CBP) after two successful editions provoked high levels of civic activism in different localities of Haskovo municipality. The CBP is a mechanism for implementing direct democracy that aims to improve citizens’ understanding of democracy, empower them to make informed civic choices and interact with the municipal administration. Public debates will be held to improve the CBP, focusing on local community issues and the implementation of EU values at local level. After the upgrade of the online platform of the CBP, the proposals received for civic initiatives will be evaluated by a multidisciplinary board and those that pass will be published on the platform where citizens can vote which ones to be implemented. It is planned that the selected civic initiatives from the CBP will be supported for their quality implementation.
Inc. №: EUV/228
Organization: It’s up to Us Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: www.otnaszavisi.com
Name of the initiative: Give me five!
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 16499.40 (EUR)
Resume: After the initial research, the organization found out that there is a significant number of initiatives that aim to promote and spread youth voluntarism. In spite of this seemingly large number of opportunities for volunteering there are very few such initiatives that allow young people to develop their managerial skills and knowledge, especially their skills to manage and communicate projects and develop design thinking. The initiative aims to upgrade already existing volunteering models by engaging teenagers not only as volunteers but also to inform them on the social role of NGOs and the problems they are trying to solve. Within the framework of the initiative 250 children from nineth and tenth grade from 10 schools will get a chance to know in details the work of various civil society organizations and the problems they are facing in their everyday activities. Ten micro projects are planned to be implemented and funded as part of the initiative. The idea behind this initiative is to inspire young people to view volunteering as a way of life and to gain skills and self-confidence to solve various complex issues and problems.
Thematic area “Diversity and Equality”
Inc. №: EUV/194
Organization: Znanie Association
Place: Lovech
Web page: www.znanielovech.org
Name of the initiative: Together for diversity
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative aims to tackle the growing prejudice, discrimination and exclusion of marginalized groups in society, especially among young people. The initiative focuses on the Lovech region and aims to conduct quantitative and qualitative research on the attitudes of residents on issues such as diversity and equality. This analysis will include a survey with 200 respondents and the organization of 4 focus groups with representatives of different target groups in Lovech region – young people, businesses, institutions and media. After analysis of the survey results, training materials and training course design will be developed to cover the different aspects of diversity and equality. Also, an information campaign will be prepared to reach over 10,000 people in the region in combination with practical workshops to build on the trainings in a practical aspect. The expected results are to contribute to a change in the attitudes of decision-makers and authorities towards diversity in society, as well as to support the introduction of policies and measures at local level towards equality and respect for human dignity.
Inc. №: EUV/219
Organization: Women’s Club “Rodopchanka”
Partner: Young researchers for Youth development
Place: Smolyan
Web page: https://kjrbg.com/; https://youngimprovers.eu
Name of the initiative: Law-guide for women
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 12000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The initiative addresses women’s rights issues in the Smolyan region. It addresses issues such as lack of educational programs, insufficient information and social isolation that make women in the region vulnerable to various forms of discrimination and violation of their rights. By providing training and information to women and youth leaders and activists from different localities in the Smolyan region, the organization aims to provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively defend their rights. Information and advocacy campaigns are planned to raise awareness of women’s rights and encourage their active participation in community affairs. Also, through roundtables and the expansion of the local dialogue network, the initiative seeks to create the conditions for a broader discussion of women’s rights issues and to foster cooperation between different stakeholders. Expected results include increased awareness of women’s rights in the Smolyan region, improved conditions for exercising these rights and greater participation in public life. The initiative will thus contribute to achieving greater gender equality and strengthening civil society in the region.
Inc. №: EUV/207
Organization: Bilitis Resource Center Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://bilitis.org
Name of the initiative: Rainbow Rising: local partnerships for LGBTI inclusion
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: LGBTI people in Bulgaria face social and legal obstacles and discrimination that heterosexual and cisgender people do not. Public opinion towards them is negative, with only 39% of Bulgarians agreeing that they should have the same rights. These biases lead to the marginalization and exclusion of LGBTI people from society. The aim of the initiative is to strengthen the civic sector in the city of Varna by improving the capacity of NGOs to work for the inclusion of LGBTI people in their activities and contribute to overcoming discrimination against them. The initiative includes the creation of a joint program for five NGOs in Varna, which includes training, long-term support in specific cases, the development of a manual for working with LGBTI people and the organization of outreach events. Expected outcomes include increased awareness of the rights and needs of LGBTI people, greater willingness to support them and to involve them in civil society activities.
Inc. №: EUV/193
Organization: Foundation “Positive Skills of the Individual in Society”
Place: Pernik
Web page: www.pulsfoundation.org
Name of the initiative: Together we can do more!
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19623.80 (EUR)
Resume: Domestic and gender-based violence is a serious problem affecting a significant number of Bulgarian families. Despite the efforts undertaken in recent years, violence is still widespread and causes discrimination and hate speech. Levels of violence and discrimination are particularly high in small towns and regions with a lack of information and a critical attitude towards violence. The aim is to respond to the needs of people in small settlements and especially adolescents through a series of training activities, workshops and campaigns to increase knowledge, awareness and sensitivity on the issue of domestic and gender-based violence. The initiative will involve representatives of institutions, students and young people. Expected outcomes include increased awareness and sensitivity on the issue of domestic and gender-based violence, active involvement of young people in volunteering initiatives, as well as increased awareness of the problem and increased support for victims of violence in society.
Inc. №: EUV/236
Organization: St. Nicholas Chudotvoretz Foundation
Partners: SU St. Kliment Ohridski; Dobrudga Television Ltd.
Place: Dobrich
Web page: http://chudotvorets.bg.cm/index.php; https://klohridski.com; https://tvdobrich.com
Name of the initiative: Together in a better world
Duration in months: 11
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: St. Nicholas Chudotvoretz Foundation, with years of experience in working with people with intellectual disabilities and their families, has noticed a growing trend of hate speech and unacceptance of differences in society. The aim of the initiative is to bring about a real change in the attitudes of children under 10 by raising their sensitivity to people with intellectual disabilities and the whole spectrum of difference. It is planned to conduct modular trainings for parents and primary school children in one of the largest schools in Dobrich, focusing on the introduction of norms of behavior and rules of communication. Training videos and podcasts will be created to promote solidarity and inclusion among children and their parents. Using social media and partnering with local media, materials will be disseminated to reach a larger audience, including parents aged 35+. It is expected that the initiative will contribute to a more tolerant and inclusive school environment where respect for differences is promoted. Partnerships with local schools and media are essential to the success of the initiative, as this will contribute to the wider dissemination and impact of the actions undertaken.
Inc. №: EUV/196
Organization: Indi – Roma 97 Social Foundation
Place: Kuklen
Web page: http://indiromanews.com/
Name of the initiative: Beyond barriers
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 14996.05 (EUR)
Resume: Discrimination against the Roma community in Bulgaria has been well documented over the years in various reports by international organizations such as the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) and Amnesty International. The specific problems that the organization faces in its daily work and that the Beyond Barriers initiative addresses are related to existing anti-Roma sentiments; increased encapsulation of Roma communities, leading to other problems such as lack of communication, increased mistrust between ethnic groups and social tensions; formalism in the approach to discrimination issues, which undermines the effectiveness of governance structures. The initiative will prepare and implement a series of interactive trainings together with representatives of the Roma community and municipal administration officials that aim to raise awareness and understanding and provide practical tools to combat discrimination, especially anti-Roma sentiment in the municipalities of Kuklen, Rodopi and Perushchitsa. The interactive local and off-site trainings will encourage participants to engage in critical dialogue, share experiences and develop strategies to promote inclusion, respect and equal opportunities for all. Involving representatives of the Roma community, municipal administration officials and municipal councilors in the anti-discrimination training will help to build trust, overcome disinterest and formalism, and promote cooperation. The initiative “Beyond Barriers” will prepare and broadcast a series of three discussion TV programs on Plovdiv public television “Trakia” on the topic of discrimination and anti-Roma sentiment to reach the general public.
Inc. №: EUV/205
Organization: Amala – Friends Association
Partner: EKIP Foundation
Place: Dupnitza
Web page: www.ecip-bg.org
Name of the initiative: Equal rights – Equal opportunities
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 12247.77 (EUR)
Resume: Amala – Friends Association addresses the problem of Roma in Dupnitsa who face discrimination, segregation and poverty. Young Roma face interrupted education and lack of employment, while highly educated Roma are not effectively used as an engine for change. The initiative aims to strengthen the youth movement in the Roma community and consolidate the partnership with the EKIP Foundation through training and active participation of youth in public life, respecting the values of democracy and human rights. To achieve the objectives, the Peers Training Peers (PTP) method was chosen, creating an opportunity for young Roma to engage as co-trainers to train their peers. A one-day training on protection from discrimination and whistleblowing is also foreseen. The long-term goal is to develop a strong youth movement within the Roma community that understands the principles of democracy and human rights. Through participation in trainings and activities, it is expected to improve the social integration of youth and increase public sensitivity, respect for human dignity and the ideas of equality. As part of the initiative, a video will be produced that will present key aspects of the human rights theme and promote the PTP model. This material will be disseminated locally and regionally in order to increase public awareness of the problems of the Roma community.
Inc. №: EUV/229
Organization: Association Altruist
Place: Varna
Web page: www.altruist-ngo.com
Name of the initiative: Work is a right, not a privilege
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 7496.20 (EUR)
Resume: People who have served time in prison face serious social problems on their return to society, finding it difficult to find work and integrate into the community. This problem leads to an increased level of recidivism and difficulty in overcoming the stigma associated with people’s past of convicted prisoners. The initiative aims to overcome discrimination related to the employment of formerly incarcerated people by providing them with the opportunity to integrate into the labour market and promote their social rehabilitation. An action plan to overcome discrimination, an advocacy campaign and regular workshops between the target groups are foreseen in order to establish new practices and mechanisms to support persons returning from prison in society and the labour market. As a result, the initiative expects to reduce the recidivism rate and contribute to the social rehabilitation of formerly imprisoned persons by providing them with opportunities to participate in the labour market. This will allow them to cover their and their families’ basic needs in a lawful manner and contribute to their social integration. In the long term, this is expected to bring benefits to society as a whole, reducing prison recidivism and meeting part of the labour market need. An important aspect is also overcoming the social stigma that prevents individuals from realizing and integrating into society.
Inc. №: EUV/216
Organization: Center for Jewish-Bulgarian cooperation Alef
Place: Burgas
Web page: http://alef-bg.org/
Name of the initiative: Tolerance against hate – applying EU values in the multicultural society of Burgas region
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19781.00 (EUR)
Resume: The Center for Jewish-Bulgarian Cooperation Alef registers that in the region of Burgas there is an increase in xenophobic moods and hate speech due to migrant pressure and economic stagnation. This problem leads to an expansion of groups that become the target of hostile speech and to an increase in social fears. The aim of the initiative is to counter xenophobic attitudes and hate speech through education and information campaigns that aim to strengthen tolerance and understanding between different ethnic groups in the region. The initiative envisages monitoring of vulnerable groups in the district that are subject to hate speech, as well as an information campaign called “The different are like Us”, which will introduce the public to the culture, traditions and successfully integrated individuals from different ethnic groups. The campaign will also include an initiative called “Stronger than Words” which will involve young people in discussions and activities aimed at countering hate speech. Through the implementation of these activities, it is expected that an increase in tolerance and understanding between the different ethnic groups in the district will be achieved. The planned regional conference is expected to contribute to the creation of sustainable municipal policies against hate speech that will help reduce xenophobic sentiments and strengthen diversity and equality in society.
Inc. №: EUV/198
Organization: Club Open Society – Ruse
Place: Ruse
Web page: www.oscrousse.org
Name of the initiative: Roma ombudsman
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 13991.32 (EUR)
Resume: The Roma community in Ruse region faces marginalization and social intolerance, which leads to violations of their rights and dignity. They are excluded from decision-making processes and face discrimination in various spheres of life. The initiative aims to increase Roma’s access to justice and administrative services, promote their civic participation in policy-making and improve young people’s awareness of their rights. A study is planned on the state of respect for Roma rights and their participation in shaping local integration policies. Creation of the position of “Roma ombudsman” to be filled by a mediator and defender of Roma rights, providing the necessary support and representation of Roma before different institutions and bodies. It is also envisaged to develop a methodology for human rights education of students and its pilot implementation in two schools in Ruse region. This will contribute to raising the awareness of the young generation about Roma rights and the possibilities to fight discrimination. Publicity and transparency will be ensured for these activities through information campaigns and publications, which will highlight the objectives, results and the funding program. As results of the initiative, it is expected that at least 120 Roma will be informed about their rights and receive counselling, the main problems affecting Roma people will be researched, and a methodology for educating adolescents about human rights protection will be developed and successfully implemented in two schools in the Ruse region.
Inc. №: EUV/201
Organization: Varna Community Foundation
Place: Varna
Web page: http://www.odfv.org/
Name of the initiative: Intersecting Worlds
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: Citing the European Union Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA), Varna Community Foundation addresses the problem that people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems face stigma, social exclusion and deprivation of basic rights. The aim of the initiative is to improve the integration and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities in society and to reduce stigma and discrimination against them. Activities to achieve this include the production of short films with personal stories of people with intellectual disabilities, improvisational theatre with their participation and a strategic communication campaign to reduce discrimination and increase understanding and acceptance. These activities are expected to lead to increased understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities, reduced stigma and discrimination, increased social integration and support for their participation in society. In the long term, the initiative aims to contribute to changing perspectives on vulnerable groups and to promoting equality and diversity in society.
Inc. №: EUV/223
Organization: Mission Wings Foundation
Place: Stara Zagora
Web page: www.missionwings.bg
Name of the initiative: Diversity in action
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19998.00 (EUR)
Resume: Racist practices and social exclusion are observed in the Stara Zagora region, especially towards refugees, Roma and other minority groups. Lack of knowledge of the native language and culture leads to isolation and barriers to accessing services, while employers and institutions often violate the rights of different minority groups. The aim is to create an open and equitable community in the Stara Zagora region by reducing racist practices, improving access to services for vulnerable groups and improving human rights awareness. A local survey will be conducted to gather more detailed information about NGOs operating in the municipality of Stara Zagora that have a connection with human rights issues. Additional data on discrimination in the region will also be collected. Other approaches that will be used to achieve the objectives of the initiative include trainings on European values and human rights, an information campaign to change attitudes and capacity development of the Migrant Council (an informal group of representatives of different migrant communities in Stara Zagora). The initiative foresees a greater consolidation of the NGO sector in the region, an increased sensitivity to human rights and European values and rapidly developing leadership community of migrants that actively participates in local decisions and takes its rightful place in the public landscape.
Inc. №: EUV/200
Organization: Debut Association
Place: Kyustendil
Web page: https://debut.bg/
Name of the initiative: The faces of the different
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 20000.00 (EUR)
Resume: Discrimination against vulnerable groups in Bulgaria is a systemic problem that is often not recognized and not effectively addressed by law enforcement authorities. Debut Association found that discrimination against Roma and gender discrimination are the most widespread. The goal of the initiative is to change the mindset and increase citizen control over institutions to adequately enforce the Law on Protection Against Discrimination (LPAD) by increasing the recognition and addressing the discrimination among young people in the municipality of Kjustendil. By conducting training for young people on different forms of discrimination and collecting personal stories of discrimination from vulnerable individuals, a basis for understanding the problem will be created. As a next activity, short films will be produced and distributed that illustrate the experiences of discriminated youth. These activities will be accompanied by a roundtable discussion involving the local authorities and other responsible local institutions. It is expected to increase the recognition and non-acceptance of discrimination among young people in the municipality of Kjustendil, as well as to improve the implementation of the law on protection against discrimination by different public institutions at local level. A change in attitudes against discrimination and a wider recognition of the need to respect the rights of vulnerable groups in society are also envisaged.
Inc. №: EUV/208
Organization: Academic Ethnology Association at Sofia University
Place: Sofia
Name of the initiative: In search of an asylum: people, values and practices.
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 11984.00
Resume: Academic Ethnology Association at Sofia University, composed of students and professors, registered extremely negative attitudes towards Middle Eastern minorities residing in Bulgaria. Attitudes that are dictated by the lack of knowledge about the life and history of the countries in the Middle East. In the public discourse, the issues related to the reception of migrants coming through Turkey are used politically at the cost of even sacrificing human lives. The war in Israel in recent months has given new impetus to infodemia. The lack of information and personal contact with refugees makes it difficult to understand and overcome negative opinions. The initiative aims to raise students’ awareness and sensitivity towards Middle Eastern refugees through trainings, workshops and personal encounters. The aim is to replace stereotypical thinking with understanding and empathy. The initiative includes training of students by experts in the field of social work with refugees, organizing workshops with children and young people from the Registration and Reception Center (RRC) in Sofia and making a reflective picture of the participants’ experiences during the meetings. The students are expected to improve their level of critical thinking towards media publications and political slogans, to understand the true nature of refugees’ lives and to develop a humane attitude towards them. The activities will culminate in an exhibition that will present the students’ impressions of refugee life.
Inc. №: EUV/218
Organization: Documentalists Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://dokumentalisti.bg
Name of the initiative: Documentalism, technologies and activism in defense of human rights and values
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 19992.95 (EUR)
Resume: The Documentalists Foundation finds that Bulgaria suffers from a deficit of quality, credible and modern journalism, especially in the field of social and socially significant issues. The media environment is subjected to external influences such as malicious funding, political dependence and self-censorship, which makes it difficult to work on complex issues, especially those related to human rights. At the same time, Bulgaria is falling behind modern trends and technologies for presenting information, leading to increased media illiteracy and public vulnerability to propaganda and manipulation. This initiative seeks to address this problem by creating a digital platform for modern and quality multimedia journalism focused on important but often neglected topics. Methods and techniques to solve the problem include creating a digital platform that will offer content in line with the latest trends in journalism, including text, photography, video, audio and data visualizations. The Foundation will develop and publish five documentary stories related to human rights and vulnerable groups that will be disseminated through the platform. It is hoped that the creation of the digital platform and the publication of documentary stories will allow the public to be informed on important social issues. This is expected to raise public awareness as well as broaden public discussion on these issues. At the same time, the Foundation will strengthen its capacity to produce quality journalism and increase its visibility and influence in the media environment.
Inc. №: EUV/217
Organization: Balkan Social Integration Centre
Place: Silistra
Name of the initiative: Intercultural interaction for prevention and protection against discrimination
Duration in months: 9
Contract Sum: 10000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The region of Silistra in Bulgaria has a high percentage of ethnic minorities, which requires special social, educational and economic approaches to promote equality and tolerance in society. The integration of ethnic minorities, especially school-age children, is essential and a priority for both European and national policies. The initiative aims to help improve intercultural skills in education in the region of Silistra by creating a training course on intercultural education and anti-discrimination applicable to all schools in the country. It is planned to develop a training course to be piloted for teachers in the district of Silistra. Accompanying this course, consultations and advocacy will be conducted for the implementation of the course in other schools in the country. The realization of the initiative is expected to contribute to the improvement of intercultural skills of students and teachers in the district of Silistra. It is also expected to increase public awareness of the importance of intercultural education and encourage future initiatives to develop this type of education across the country.
Inc. №: EUV/224
Organization: BOKAYA
Place: Kula
Web page: http://bokaya.eu
Name of the initiative: Equal access to the activities of sports clubs and organizations for all
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 17997.40 (EUR)
Resume: The problem of lack of equality, diversity and equity in sport in Bulgaria requires urgent measures to tackle it. Bokaya Association has identified this problem during the implementation of the Fair Play project, which includes a survey of numerous Bulgarian athletes and training of coaches, representatives of sports organizations and sports journalists. The aim of the initiative is to carry out communication activities and trainings targeting athletes and other stakeholders in Vidin and other regions in order to raise awareness of athletes’ rights, the principles of diversity and equality and their application in the activities of sports clubs and organizations. The methods planned include conducting activities with focus groups of athletes and parents in the town of Vidin, in order to make them aware of their problems related to the lack of equality, stereotypes, violence and misapplication of rights and rules in sports organizations. It is then planned to create a framework for a document summarizing athlete’s rights, principles of diversity and equality in sport, and rules for participation in sports organization activities. This framework will be adapted to sports clubs, organizations and institutions in Vidin, the North West and across the country. This framework will be used to organize workshops with responsible institutions and organizations, as well as other stakeholders, to discuss the issues addressed in the initiative and proposals to resolve them. An information campaign will be conducted to raise awareness of athletes’ rights and the principles of diversity and equality in sport, with the aim of changing public attitudes and views on equal access rights to the activities of sports clubs and organizations.
Inc. №: EUV/227
Organization: Community Center Hristo Botev 1884 – Botevgrad
Place: Botevgrad
Name of the initiative: Changing the roles – Women’s kingdom
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 16000.00 (EUR)
Resume: The problem addressed by the initiative is related to existing gender stereotypes in society that limit people’s opportunities to pursue their interests and career goals, regardless of their gender. As a result, unequal treatment of men and women in different aspects of life is noticeable. The initiative aims to promote awareness and changes in attitudes towards gender stereotypes, especially among young people in Botevgrad municipality and the general public. The methods used to address the issue include a variety of approaches such as educational activities, encouraging critical thinking, holding discussions and promoting positive role models. The aim is to provoke dialogue and changes in the behavior and attitudes of participants, as well as to rethink existing stereotypes using performing arts, visual arts and educational activities. Expected results include increased awareness and changes in attitudes towards gender stereotypes among youth and society in Botevgrad municipality and surrounding settlements. The presentation of a photo exhibition, a play and educational meetings are expected to contribute to this process of change and awareness of the importance of gender equality.
Inc. №: EUV/209
Organization: Bulgarian Association of people with oncological and other diseases – Life Haskovo
Place: Haskovo
Name of the initiative: Rights of people with oncological diseases
Duration in months: 8
Contract Sum: 10001.00 (EUR)
Resume: The Initiative focuses on improving access to information and support for people with cancer by collecting laws and regulations related to their health, social and labour rights. The aim is to address the discrimination that cancer patients often face in treatment, work and other aspects of their lives. Improved awareness of the types of discrimination and how to protect oneself is envisaged, as well as the provision of practical support through counselling and advice for cancer patients, especially in remote locations in the Haskovo region. A special training program and the publication of a handbook with legal regulations are some of the methods used to educate and inform people with cancer. It is also planned to conduct individual consultations with lawyers for cancer patients who face misconduct or discrimination. The initiative also plans to conduct an awareness campaign through various media channels and events to reach more cancer patients and the general public regarding cancer patients’ rights and protection. Expected outcomes include increased awareness and improved skills for cancer patients in protecting their rights, as well as establishing lasting partnerships and dialogue with local government and community.
Inc. №: EUV/232
Organization: Horizons Foundation
Place: Sofia
Web page: https://horizonti.bg/
Name of the initiative: Protection against violation of rights and unequal treatment of persons with disabilities
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 15001.40 (EUR)
Resume: The Horizons Foundation addresses the problem of people with disabilities in Bulgaria who face constant unequal treatment, violation of their rights, prejudice and stigmatization that lead to the violation of their dignity and social isolation. The aim of the initiative is to support people with disabilities who are victims of discrimination and rights violations by providing legal assistance and training to protect their rights. It is envisaged to provide legal advice to at least 100 persons with disabilities and to hold three training workshops with representatives of NGOs for the protection of the rights of persons with disabilities. These activities aim to raise awareness of national and international human rights instruments. Expected results include increased awareness about these rights among persons with disabilities and NGO representatives, increased capacity of Horizons Foundation to protect the interests of persons with disabilities, and wider dissemination of the values of respect for human dignity and equality in society.
Inc. №: EUV/221
Organization: Project NorthWest Foundation
Place: Lyutibrod
Web page: www.severozapad.net
Name of the initiative: Support for persons with mental suffering and intellectual disabilities in the Municipality of Mezdra
Duration in months: 10
Contract Sum: 19000.00 (EUR)
Resume: People with intellectual disabilities and mental disorders, especially those living in small towns, are deprived of access to appropriate services and support. They are at risk of discrimination and abuse, and lack of identity documents prevents them from getting the medical and social care they need. The initiative aims to raise awareness in local communities of at least 17 villages and build capacity to respond to identified risk for people with intellectual and mental disabilities. In addition, the idea is to create a working model of support and demonstrate good practice for future use. The activities include the active participation of professionals from different fields who will be involved in the process of coordination and partnership with local authorities and communities. Meetings will be held with mayors, pensioner clubs and civic groups in the villages to build a joint inter-institutional model for supporting people with special needs. In addition, campaigns will be carried out to promote EU values and the rights of people with intellectual and mental disabilities. As an outcome of the initiative, it is expected that a working model for supporting vulnerable people in small villages will be developed, based on EU values and demonstrating good practice. Promoting these values among local communities and institutions will contribute to a better understanding and implementation of the rights of people with intellectual and mental disabilities.
Inc. №: EUV/235
Organization: Social Integration Initiative Foundation
Place: Sofia
Name of the initiative: Together with parents with disabilities
Duration in months: 12
Contract Sum: 16999.09 (EUR)
Resume: The Social Integration Initiative Foundation found that parents with disabilities and their families face serious challenges in the process of raising their children due to the lack of adequate support from society and institutions. They are not recognized as a specific social group in the country’s policies and legislation. The initiative aims to highlight the problems faced by parents with disabilities and their families by conducting a sociological survey and formulating recommendations to public institutions. It also aims to increase the competence of parents through training workshops and to create conditions for improving their social status and the exercise of their parental rights. A sociological survey will be carried out with 200 people with disabilities and recommendations will be made to public institutions. The activities of the initiative are expected to stimulate the creation of conditions for communication, cooperation and organized action of parents with disabilities. This would lead to the possibility of formulating recommendations to public institutions to improve support for parents with disabilities and would increase the competences of parents. As a final result, the initiative will help to improve the social status and the exercise of parental rights of this vulnerable group of citizens.