ANNOUNCEMENT for applications from the civil society for getting financing for activities meant to promote shadow reports within the Universal Periodic Review mechanism

In the autumn of the current year, the UN Council for Human Rights is to review the human rights situation in the Republic of Moldova. The process of the Universal Periodic Review of the Republic of Moldova under the II cycle was marked by a consistent involvement of the civil society organizations, representing the most disadvantaged groups in the reporting process within the UPR mechanism.

To ensure the promotion of findings outlined in the shadow reports submitted by the civil society organizations and to supply objective information coming from the vulnerable groups about the human rights’ violations, the organizations representing these groups shall get involved in promoting the reports at the international level.

Hence, the UN Office for Human Rights intends to support the travelling of representatives from three civil society organizations to the headquarters of the Council for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland so as to carry out activities for promoting the recommendations included in the shadow reports sent to the Council in spring 2016.

The support of the Office will cover the costs for the trip (transport, accommodation). As well, the Office intends to organize some empowering sessions in the area of advocacy at the international level for the representatives of the selected organizations.

The selection conditions are as follows:

1. The organization should represent a group vulnerable to discrimination and other human rights’ violations (e.g.: Roma people, women, religious minorities, persons with disabilities, ethnical-linguistic minorities, elderly persons); the delegation of a representative from the respective vulnerable group shall be an advantage;
2. The organization should not be part of the group of “expert organizations” in promoting human rights, which would be able to identify some other financing sources for such participation;
3. The organization should have lodged an shadow report or should have contributed to a joint shadow report for the Universal Periodic Review of the Republic of Moldova, cycle II, 2016;
4. The participation of the organization in the public consultation of the shadow reports, as well as in the consultations organized by the Government in relation to the National UPR Report in July 2016 shall be a significant advantage.
5. To participate in the respective call for applications, the organizations should send the below documents to the following e-mail: consultantperean@ohchr.org :
6. CV of the organization or a brief description of the activities carried out by the organization;
7. A motivation letter reflecting the extent to which the organization meets the criteria set forth above;
8. CV and consent for participation of the person delegated by the organization;
9. Copy of the UPR shadow report submitted by the organization or the contribution to the joint shadow report.

The document may be submitted in one of the following languages – Romanian, Russian, and English.

The deadline for submission of documents – 21 August 2016.

*The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN Office for Human Rights) provides assistance to the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office, UN Country Team in the Republic of Moldova, Government, and civil society organizations for strengthening the capacities related to promotion of human rights based approach when implementing the national legal and policy framework. The priorities of the Office for 2016 include among others:

1. promotion of the rights of the persons with disabilities in line with the provisions set in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – reforming the guardianship institution based on article 12 of the Convention; 
2. promotion of human rights in health area;
3. promotion of economic, social, and cultural tights at the national level;
4. implementation of international human rights standards at the national level, including through contribution to ratification by the Republic of Moldova of the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant for Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights and of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
5. promotion of the UPR mechanism and recommendations of the Council for Human Rights through development and effective implementation of the Action Plan for Human Rights;
6. empowerment of the vulnerable groups in promoting their rights.