The European Union has announced a new Ksh500 million initiative aimed at addressing urgent human rights challenges in the country.
The funding opportunity, announced on Friday, February 27, sets aside resources to support civil society organisations with the capacity to advance and protect the rights of Kenyans.
Dubbed ‘Empowering Kenyan Citizens to Enjoy Political and Civic Rights,’ the initiative calls on eligible civil society and human rights organisations to submit proposals by April 2025.
In its notice, the EU revealed what proposals civil society organisations and human rights organisations should submit, with the submissions required to be made into separate lots.
“The EU Delegation to Kenya is inviting eligible civil society organisations and human rights organisations to submit a Concept Note in line with either Lot 1 or Lot 2,” the document read in part.
Lot 1 focuses on promoting an enabling environment for civil society and enhancing citizens’ participation in democratic processes.
Proposed activities are expected to promote an inclusive and resilient civic space, foster meaningful participation in electoral and governance processes, and enhance access to accurate and credible information.
The initiative also aims to reshape democratic governance by encouraging broader citizen participation, with the Union setting the budget for Lot 1 at Ksh306 million.
Lot 2, with a budget of Ksh206 million, targets urgent human rights concerns as this funding stream seeks to support actions that promote and protect human rights and document and report violations.
The EU delegation is particularly interested in initiatives that support vulnerable and marginalised groups, including youth, women, children, and persons at risk.
Interested organisations were directed to submit their applications online through the EU’s prospect system. The lead applicant and any co-applicants must register in the EU’s Partner Data Online Registration (PADOR) system before submission.
Eligible organisations were encouraged to review the detailed guidelines and prepare their submissions ahead of the April 2026.