AusAID opens 2011-12 human rights grants scheme

The Australian Agency for International Development is now accepting applications for its Human Rights Grants Scheme, a funding mechanism for organizations that promote the protection of human rights in measurable ways.

For this round, only selected countries from Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean are invited to send in proposals. In previous rounds, organizations from developing countries across the world could apply.

Human rights organizations from the following regions and countries are eligible:

Africa: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi, Morocco, South Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zimbabwe

Middle East: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian territories

Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, East Timor, Indonesia, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam

Pacific: Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu

Latin America and the Caribbean: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Cuba, Haiti

Grants between AU$20,000 ($19,616) and AU$100,000 ($98,023) will be paid out in a single installment to awardees. This year, there is only a one-step application process. Interested parties must send in a full application and forego the submission of an expression of interest. However, applicants must discuss the proposed project with the relevant Australian diplomatic office in their country before submitting a full application.

Deadline for applications is on Oct. 14, 2011. For more details and to download the application forms, visit this link.