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Ten years ago, in 1994, 179 nations endorsed the Programme of Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo.
This was an international show of support for the issues of population, sexual
and reproductive health and rights, gender equality and HIV/AIDS. The Programme
of Action was paramount in guiding EC Regulations in the field of population,
reproductive health, the fight against HIV/AIDS and gender equity. Much has
been achieved in the last ten years, but much more still remains to be done.
More than an estimated 40 million people are living with HIV/AIDS and many
more are still at risk of being infected. At the same time, unwanted pregnancies
and inadequate access to health care are putting at risk the lives of young
people in developing countries. The interest in the XV AIDS Conference, which
took place in Bangkok, Thailand from 11-16 July 2004, which some 17,000 delegates
attended and was widely covered by the media, clearly reflected the urgency
of these issues, both from a humanitarian and a developmental point of view.
The clearer understanding that improved sexual and reproductive health is a
crucial element in the fight against poverty, call for continued and increased
investments in health, AIDS and population. In working towards achieving the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and other internationally agreed development
targets, the European Commission (EC) has committed itself to achieving a 50%
reduction in the number of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 and a wide
range of other targets for health, education, gender equality, environmental
sustainability, food security and global partnerships. Since 1994, the EC has
committed over EUR 1 billion to support work in developing countries that is
in line with the objectives set out in the ICPD Programme of Action.
A significant amount committed to NGO co-financing for projects dealing with
sexual and reproductive health and family planning has not been disbursed according
to what was agreed. This is due to - amongst other reasons - project applications,
which either did not meet the necessary quality criteria or were not eligible
for these special budgets or programme lines of the European Community. Another
problem facing both staff members from NGOs and from the European Commission
is that various budget lines are heavily oversubscribed. This leads to an increased
workload for staff members from both the EC and NGOs.
In addition, as a result of increasing political conservatism in several donor
countries, budgets world-wide for ICPD-related activities (except for financing
for the fight against HIV/AIDS) have been cut. Inevitably, the work of NGOs
and governmental institutions in developing countries in these fields is being
hampered and the support for multilateral institutions such as the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF)
and others is impacted. The European Community and several donor countries
have tried wherever possible to fill the resulting funding gaps created. As
a consequence of enlargement, the European Union has new Eastern neighbours
with often very high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates and many new members who are
believed to have a rather conservative approach to ICPD-related issues. It
is too soon to assess the impact of enlargement on EU funding in sexual and
reproductive health and rights, but there will be almost certainly the need
for close monitoring. Some newly-joined countries do not (yet) contribute towards
development aid; they do, however, have the means to influence decision-making
in the European Parliament and the Council, with all of the consequences that
this implies.
For these reasons, it is of utmost importance to secure resources for implementing
the ICPD Programme of Action, as well as to help developing countries, NGOs
and government institutions to identify and allocate funding for projects in
this field. Therefore, appropriate and full information about the various existing
budget lines of the EC is vital.
In serving governmental and non-governmental institutions world-wide, "Tips & Tricks
on how to apply for the European Commission's Budget Lines for Sustainable
Development" is intended to be a valuable resource to grant-seekers, as
it provides detailed, practical and annually updated information on funding
lines from the European Commission. The selection of the budget lines described
in this guide is primarily tailored for institutions working in ICPD-related
issues, but can be of interest also for other governmental and non-governmental
institutions working in the field of sustainable development.
Each of the entries is built up in the same way and gives contact information,
a review of financial information and, most importantly, detailed information
about how to submit a proposal and how to apply for funding.
Describes the unit, which is responsible for releasing information or application forms, including guidelines about funding and programmes.
Indicates the name and title of the person to contact for information or an application.
Always provides a complete address.
Presents a description and background information of the budget line or funding instrument.
Describes the kind of support provided.
Gives an indication of the average amount of funding, naming the minimum and maximum amounts.
Defines the necessity of providing own resources or contributions in cash or in kind in order to receive a grant.
Indicates the sectors for which funding can be obtained and what a proposal should focus specifically on.
Gives details of prerequisites for application, which may lead to approval, or disapproval of an application.
Instructs on existing guidelines to be followed.
Provides information about the average timescale of a project.
Describes existing deadlines for submitting proposals to the European Commission.
Outlines application procedures and existing forms, which must be completed.
Explains how to apply and the different steps to be taken in order to apply for funding.
Indicates the languages in which the proposals may be submitted.
Shows how the quality of a proposal could be improved and who should be contacted in order to guarantee a successful application.
Indicates the last update of the information on the budget line.