The European Commission has signed eight contracts with different civil society organisations (CSOs) in Cyprus to address issued such a domestic violence against women and improving access of the LGBTI community to human rights within the framework of the EU aid programme for the Turkish Cypriot community.
According to an announcement on the website of the European Commission representation in Cyprus, the contracts total €2.3 million and an aim to strengthen the organisational capacities, outreach and impact of civil society in promoting and defending democracy, fundamental rights and freedoms, cultural diversity and reconciliation and to reinforce partnerships, cooperation and networking across Cyprus and/or with CSOs from other EU Member States to jointly address societal needs.
The signed contracts will address the following areas: prevention of domestic violence against women and children; improving the access of LGBTI+’s to human rights; improving the awareness and enforcement of patient’s rights; increasing awareness for pluralistic views, democratic values, diversity, critical ideas and inter-cultural tolerance through art; strengthening journalists’ and media institutions’ capacity to promote press freedom and fundamental human rights; contributing to the empowerment of youth in the peace discourse in Cyprus; enhancing the role of civil society in democracy, governance and peace building via environment; and contributing to peaceful cohabitation of Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot communities.
Since 2007, the European Commission has launched six calls for proposals for Civil Society in the northern part of Cyprus, for a total amount of €12 million
