Sida Call for Proposals: Using ICTs for Democratisation and Freedom of Expression

The Swedish International Development Agency (Sida) has announced a new funding opportunity under the Swedish Government’s Special Initiative for Democratisation and Freedom of Expression. This open call for proposals will provide funding support to initiatives and activities in which the Internet and new technologies are used to strengthen actors who work for democratisation and freedom of expression, mainly in challenging and repressive environments.

The overall objective of this call for proposals is to promote democratisation and increase freedom of expression in countries and situations where they are most at risk and where human rights defenders and civil society organisations work under severe constraints and are most under pressure.

The specific objective of this call is to provide direct support and protection to initiatives and activities in which information- and communication technologies are used to strengthen civic movements for democratisation and freedom of expression in challenging and repressive environments.

The proposed actions shall contribute directly in a given country or region to improve the situation relating to at least one of the following themes:

• The right to freedom of opinion and expression and the right to information, including freedom of the media, fight against censorship, and access to the Internet and ICTs;
• The right to political participation;
• Accountability;
• Transparency

Deadline for submission of applications is October 18, 2012.

For more information, visit this link.