Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)
Strengthening And Uniting Nascent Business Organizations (SUNBO) Phase III
$252,973
Public Summary: To improve the organizational capacity of nascent business associations across Central Asia to represent their members and advocate reforms. The Center will prepare independent business organizations by making organizational improvements, implementing capacity-building action plans, and organizing mentorship and peer-learning sessions. Concurrently, the Center will provide tailored support on public-private dialogue and advocacy to individual associations demonstrating potential to become leading advocates for democratic reforms. Further, the Center will facilitate intra-regional and cross-regional knowledge-sharing opportunities among partners to leverage differing experiences and skillsets and support an emerging network of business associations in the region. This project will be the third phase of a multi-phase project focused on strengthening the capacity of independent business organizations for advocacy in Central Asia.
Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE)
Creating Enabling Environments For Constructive Capital In Eurasia ‘ Phase III
$499,927
Public Summary: To enhance engagement of local stakeholders in the Eurasia region to promote good governance norms through anti-corruption compliance and corporate governance, to support local initiatives to address challenges posed by corrosive capital, to promote a better enabling environment for constructive capital, and to facilitate cross-regional learning and thought leadership. The Center will engage and connect partners in the region, in Europe, and around the world, though training programs, advocacy, and research to create the conditions for rule of law-driven constructive capital flows into the emerging markets of Eurasia. The Center will build upon the previous two project phases to continue fostering networks of business and civil society organizations committed to ethics, integrity, and good governance, working with domestic and international businesses to articulate and highlight the potential benefits of constructive capital and inclusive growth for the region.
Solidarity Center (SC)
Raising Awareness Of And Respect For Worker Rights Phase III
$532,950
Public Summary: To improve migrant workers’ access to legal services, to support civil society efforts to advocate on behalf of workers in Central Asia, and to advocate for governments in the region to adhere to international labor rights standards. The Center in phase III of this project will conduct pre-departure rights trainings with migrant workers, provide access to a labor lawyer in a destination country, and conduct research on migration policy to inform advocacy campaigns. The Center will conduct consultative meetings with relevant government, union, employer, and NGO representatives to advocate for policy changes regarding labor migration, labor inspection, gender-based violence, and international labor standards.
Solidarity Center (SC)
Fostering Workers’ Rights and Democratic Provision of Public Resources Phase II
$465,400
Public Summary: To expand the capacity of organizations to protect core worker rights, including Freedom of Association, and conduct social policy advocacy around quality public services, the Center will support activities that facilitate organizing, collective bargaining, adherence to labor law, gender empowerment, and strategic planning among strategically selected partners in the education and healthcare sectors. Through these activities, the Center will support organizations in building their capacity to protect fundamental labor rights, build trust in public institutions, promote gender equality and conduct social policy advocacy This project is a follow-on Phase II to the Center’s current project in the region.
Universal Rights
Promoting Internet Access
$125,000
Public Summary: To promote free and open access to an interconnected global web, and to increase public awareness and engagement around significant internet access issues. The organization will conduct sophisticated monitoring of internet restrictions, as well as provide reporting and analysis to raise public awareness and engagement with relevant internet freedom issues, with a particular focus on developing its work in the Eurasia region. The organization’s work to monitor and promote internet access, the basic condition upon which all other digital rights such as free expression and assembly depend, is a significant new contribution to the Eurasia region’s internet freedom programming.
Human Rights
Supporting Activists at Risk
$133,710
Public Summary: To provide support to human rights activists at risk. In response to ongoing authoritarian crackdown against civil society actors, the organization will host activists who come under pressure in their home countries, offering a respite and rehabilitation program. Participants also will have training and networking opportunities. This will allow activists to counter potential burnout and to increase the effectiveness of their work upon their return. Based in Tbilisi, the organization provides extensive programmatic, logistical, and personal support for activists throughout the Eurasian region.
Accountability and Transparency
Promoting Human Rights
$200,000
Public Summary: To raise awareness of forced labor practices in the agricultural sectors in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The organization will work with domestic and international civil society to address systemic labor rights abuses by both countries’ governments. The organization will coordinate a public campaign to end forced labor, maintain high-level discussions with the Uzbek government regarding ongoing reforms, coordinate a new civil society effort in Turkmenistan, and educate European and international policymakers about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
Rule of Law
Legal Defense and Independent Journalism
$235,067
Public Summary: To enable civil society to continue its work despite government pressure. Legal defense will be provided and strategic litigation will be pursued to oppose laws and practices that deny citizens fundamental freedoms. Awareness of relevant issues will be raised and lawyers will be trained to conduct similar work. To increase the amount of high-quality investigative journalism available to the public while providing an independent source of news in compelling digital formats. Investigative journalism and reporting will be regularly published online. The organization has demonstrated its impressive capacity to promote and protect human rights through both legal and media programs while also expanding its work more widely across the region.
Freedom of Religion/Conscience
Promoting Freedom of Religion
$57,000
Public Summary: To promote freedoms of thought, conscience, and belief Eurasia. The organization will monitor violations of the freedoms of conscience and religion across the region. It will publish monitoring results and analysis to its website and social media. It will conduct advocacy with European governments, international institutions, and human rights organizations. The organization has more than seventeen years of experience monitoring and advocating for freedom of thought, conscience, and belief in Eurasia.
Freedom of Movement
Investigating Kleptocracy in Eurasian Oil and Gas Sectors
$160,750
Public Summary: To investigate transnational corruption in the oil and gas sectors of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, and Kazakhstan. The organization will work with local civil society, independent media, and international researchers to identify kleptocrats in these countries’ oil and gas sectors and the domestic and international policies and legislation that enable them. The organization will publish investigations in local and international independent media. It will work with local and international civil society to advocate for policies that would limit the enabling environment. The organization has been working with civil society and journalists in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan since 2003 and is uniquely placed to explore the intersection between oil and gas and kleptocracy in these three countries
Freedom of Expression
Developing Digital Media in Eurasia
$263,557
Public Summary: To provide a compelling alternative to and thus reduce the influence of state media propaganda narratives. High-quality independent reporting on current events and key issues will be produced and regularly published in popular and innovative digital formats by an independent Russian-language media outlet with a broad regional audience. A program of mentorship and networking will also be carried out to strengthen the independent Russian-language media community.
Human Rights
Supporting Civil Society in Central Asia
$285,000
Public Summary: To strengthen and support nongovernmental organizations in Central Asia and to conduct human rights monitoring and advocacy. The organization will conduct a small grants program for emerging grassroots civic initiatives, providing mentoring and advice. In addition, the organization will use its extensive network of contacts to monitor the human rights situation in the region in order to conduct international advocacy. The organization is a leading international human rights advocacy group based in Europe with significant in and projects across Eurasia and extensive contacts with European governments and international organizations. This project fits with NED’s strategy of nurturing emerging individual activists and small organizations throughout the region, as well as using international fora to raise awareness about abuses in Central Asia.
Freedom of Information
Promoting Data Journalism
$48,000
Public Summary: To increase the capacity of Eurasian journalists to conduct, publish, and promote investigations sourced from open data. The organization will select ten teams of data journalists, designers, and programmers to develop cross-border investigations using open data and present them at the only Russian-language data journalism conference. Six of the teams will receive funding and mentorship to further develop their investigations and publish them in local and international media in Russian and regional languages. In only two years, the experienced data journalists and educators have grown it to be one of Eurasia’s forefront data-journalism organizations
Freedom of Association
Defending Labor Rights in Central Asia
$194,000
Public Summary: To strengthen labor activism and organizing in Eurasia. The organization will support labor activists in Eurasia through training, monitoring, network-building, strategic planning, and advocacy in international bodies. The project will address internal and cross-border labor rights problems in Central Asia, such as state repression of independent unions, forced labor, and labor migration. Activities will emphasize lessons from experience in other countries and collaboration for greater influence and impact.
Coda Media, Inc.
Reporting on Disinformation
$253,030
Public Summary: To raise awareness in the West of authoritarian influence and its impact in Eurasia and beyond. The organization will bring together journalists and independent media outlets to create high quality, narrative journalism, including investigations, multimedia pieces and a new podcast, focusing on a set of key themes relating to disinformation and authoritarian influence. The organization will continue building its network of partners to enable them to reach a larger audience
Public Foundation “Socio-Ecological Fund”
Promoting Youth Activism
$184,700
Public Summary: The organization will maintain its website which highlights youth and civic activism on environmental issues across Central Asia. The organization will award travel stipends to young activists across Central Asia so that they can meet with other young activists and develop their skills It will also support the activities of a Kazakhstan-focused YouTube channel dedicated to video investigations into state corruption, poor governance, and environmental degradation
Human Rights
Developing the Capacity of Human Rights Activists
$120,000
Public Summary: To promote the monitoring and defense of human rights in Eurasia and to enhance the capacity of human rights activists to remain engaged in human rights work. Activities will include a series of advanced training seminars for human rights activists and lawyers, online mentorship and in-person internships, and the publication and dissemination of human rights reports.
Human Rights
Promoting Human Rights
$257,000
Public Summary: To support human rights defenders and civil society activists in Central Asia. The organization will use and expand its wide network in the region, both supporting individual local activists and fostering cross-border cooperation. The project will strengthen the reach and capacity of local partners to implement activities in the region, to inform international advocacy, and investigate the international dimensions to human rights and governance problems in Central Asia
Universal Rights
Supporting Independent Media
$82,492
Public Summary: To promote the availability of accurate, independent, and timely information about the human rights situation in Central Asia. The organization will operate a news website and social media accounts where it will cover human rights related issues in Central Asia. Endowment funds will support correspondents covering Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan. The website will collaborate closely with regional and international human rights organizations by providing on their work and providing them with information.
Human Rights
Defending Human Rights and Democracy Activists at Risk
$67,100
Public Summary: To provide humanitarian and legal support for human rights activists, journalists, and opposition political party activists who are at risk in their home country. Shelter, medical, and psychological aid will be provided to democrats at risk, as well as legal assistance to sustain civil society work for the medium to long term. To help activists adapt, a workshop on NGO legislation in Georgia will be hosted as well as Georgian and English language training.
Supporting Emerging Civil Society in the South Caucasus
$150,000
Public Summary: To enhance the capacity of emerging CSOs in the South Caucasus to engage with their communities and advocate on their behalf The organization will conduct workshops and provide mentoring for emerging CSOs to help them develop skills and capacities identified as priorities for organizational development To promote collaboration, the organization will host a series of participant-led barcamps on topics of mutual interest, and host one online event for participants. The organization will provide CSOs with support for their own projects.
Freedom of Expression
Enhancing Independent Video Journalism in Eurasia
$82,230
Public Summary: To enhance the capacity of emerging CSOs in the South Caucasus to engage with their communities and advocate on their behalf The organization will conduct workshops and provide mentoring for emerging CSOs to help them develop skills and capacities identified as priorities for organizational development To promote collaboration, the organization will host a series of participant-led barcamps on topics of mutual interest, and host one online event for participants from all three countries The organization will provide CSOs with support for their own projects
Freedom of Expression
Independent Online Journalism
$231,393
Public Summary: To increase the availability of high-quality independent news and commentary in video format for Russian-language audiences, to foster the development of new independent video media, and to strengthen networks and promote new collaborations among popular commentators and bloggers across the Eurasia region. A mentorship, training and networking program will be carried out and a series of videos by pro-democracy Eurasian activists will be produced.
Freedom of Expression
Promoting Freedom of Expression
$136,475
Public Summary: To promote freedom of expression, expand access to information about democratic values and human rights, and provoke discussions. Project staff will organize cultural events, with different sessions in different countries, and support aspiring filmmakers. They will host public discussions and offer classes, mentorship, and financial support to young artists who would not receive support from elsewhere.
Eastern European Centre for Multiparty Democracy
Strategic Planning for New Parties
$98,200
Public Summary: To improve the capacity of new and small political parties in Georgia and the Kyrgyz Republic to establish a political identity and compete in elections. The partner will build on work in a previous project to help four Georgian political parties or movements to make progress on areas identified for strategic development. It will also work with three new Georgian and four Kyrgyzstani political parties and movements to develop strategic plans and begin their implementation.
Freedom of Information
Data Tools for Civil Society
$208,214
Public Summary: To improve the ability of investigative journalists and NGOs to utilize data research tools and methods in their work. A program to support and grow the community of civil society actors that are currently using an investigative data platform as well as to further develop and improve the usability of the platform’s data research tools will be conducted. Regional and global networks among civil society actors employing new data tools will be fostered.
Public Fund “PostSovetistan”
Promoting Political and Economic Analysis in Central Asia
$54,500
Public Summary: To engage a broad regional audience in policy relevant discussions. The organization will publish an analytical podcast series discussing key regional political, social, and economic challenges in Central Asia. The podcast will feature analysists, activists, economists, and journalists as guests. The podcast will be broken into distinct seasons of three episodes, each season discussing an overarching policy topic or issue. This new organization began its life as part of as Astana-based think tank that focuses on regional challenges and has the expertise to select its guests and produce quality analytical content.
Truth Hounds Georgia
Promoting Human Rights Through Art
$80,000
Public Summary: To promote public discussion of human rights challenges through collaborations between activists and artists in Eurasia and Europe. The organization will train, mentor, and support cross-border pairs of activists and artists to create public art projects addressing topics related to human rights, civic activism, or citizen participation. The project aims for activists to use artistic creativity to reach larger audiences and for artists to understand how civic engagement defends their rights
Accountability and Transparency
Curbing Corruption
$128,060
Public Summary: To promote accountability and increase transparency among Eurasian public officials and to counter the destructive influence of transnational kleptocracy on European democratic institutions and rule of law. The organization will update and improve adatabase with publicly available information about officials and their assets and ownership rights abroad. The database will be made available to stakeholders in order to encourage adherence to anti-corruption and anti-money laundering legislation.
Human Rights
Supporting Activists at Risk
$50,000
Public Summary: To provide humanitarian and legal support for human rights activists, journalists, and family members in mortal danger in Afghanistan. The organization will provide shelter, medical and psychological aid, housing, transport, legal advice, and assistance with schooling for children.
Accountability and Transparency
Promoting Human Rights
$6,900
Public Summary: To raise awareness of forced labor practices in the agricultural sectors in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. The organization will work with domestic and international civil society to address systemic labor rights abuses by both countries’ governments. The organization will coordinate a public campaign to end forced labor, maintain high-level discussions with the Uzbek government regarding ongoing reforms, coordinate a new civil society effort in Turkmenistan, and educate European and international policymakers about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan.
The Oxus Society for Central Asian Affairs
Strengthening Partnerships between Activists and Academics
$56,000
Public Summary: To promote the cross-sharing of skills between academics and activists in Central Asia. This project will create mixed teams of academics and activists working in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and train and mentor them to produce either a policy brief or advocacy campaign on a country-specific theme. Activists will get the chance to learn about research, data, and policy writing, while academics will benefit from the opportunity to apply their work outside of academia.
Human Rights
Defending Human Rights and Democracy Activists at Risk
$50,000
Public Summary: To provide humanitarian and legal support for human rights activists, journalists, and opposition political party activists who are at risk in their home country. Shelter, medical, and psychological aid will be provided to democrats at risk, as well as legal assistance to sustain civil society work for the medium to long term. To help activists adapt, a workshop on NGO legislation in Georgia will be hosted as well as Georgian and English language training.
Clovek v tisni, o.p.s. (People in Need)
Supporting Emerging Civil Society in the South Caucasus
$55,000
Public Summary: To provide humanitarian and legal support for human rights activists, journalists, and family members in mortal danger in Afghanistan. The organization will provide shelter, medical and psychological aid, housing, transport, legal advice, and assistance with schooling for children.
EurasiaNet Inc.
Expanding Access to Information in Eurasia
$485,600
Public Summary: To increase the availability of compelling, objective news and information contesting the propaganda narratives of Eurasian governments. The organization will run a fellowship program in which its experienced editors and journalists will increase the capacity of early-career Russian-speaking journalists. It will publish Russian and English language news and analysis on economic, social, and political issues in the Eurasian region, with a particular focus on countries undergoing significant political or economic changes, as well as Russia and China’s influence on Eurasian affairs.
OC Media
Independent News for the Caucasus
$200,000
Public Summary: To expand access to regional news and analysis in local languages in the Caucasus The organization will produce weekly news stories and opinion pieces in English and Russian and disseminate them through the organization’s website and social media platforms. It will work with five regional media partners to provide relevant content in Armenian, Azerbaijani, and Georgian, and will conduct tailored journalism trainings for four additional regional media outlets
