European Endowment for Democracy An overview: who we are and what we do

Lisbeth Pilegaard, Vice-Chair of EED Executive Committee

BLACK SEA NGO FORUM, VARNA, BULGARIA31 OCT - 2 NOV 2016

Objective

“to foster and encourage

democratisation and deep

and sustainable democracy

in countries in political

transition and in societies

struggling for

democratisation”

Mission

Foster – not impose –democracy and freedom

Support the unsupported

Complement and add value to

existing democracy support

programmes

Where we workEastern Partnership Middle East and North Africa

Armenia Algeria

Azerbaijan Egypt

Belarus Jordan

Georgia Lebanon

Moldova Libya

Ukraine Morocco

Palestine

Syria

Tunisia

Balanced engagement and funding between Eastern and Southern EU neighbourhood

Neighbours of the neighbours’ (e.g. Mauritania, Bahrain, Kazakhstan etc) based on needs,

available funds and context

EED - a demand-driven organisation

Create or preserve space for freedom of expression

Build capacity of political actors and movements

Increase citizen political participation

Support for pro-democracy groups in fragile environments

Provide emergency support in times of crisis

Focus areas

pro-democratic movements and actors

social movements and actors

civil society organisations

emerging leaders, independent media and journalists (including bloggers, social media activists)

non-governmental institutions, foundations and educational institutions also in exile

Must adhere to core principles:

Democratic values

Respect for international human rights standards

Non-violence

Who can apply

EED Grants in numbers

Amount approved: €23 million

Requests for support: 3,038

Approved initiatives: 348

Ongoing initiatives: 198

Types of initiatives

38%

18%2%3%

3%

24%

2%3% 1%

2% 4%Awareness raising, advocacy,campaigningCapacity building

Conferences/seminars/meetings

Cultural activities

Development of manuals,information briefsDevelopment of media

Election monitoring

Legal assistance

Online activism

Other

Political dialogue and consultations

Thematic areas

4%

29%

5%

4%9%8%1%

29%

2%

6%3%

Arts and culture

Civic activism &participation

Elections

Gender Equality

Governance, Rule of law,anti-corruption

Human Rights activismand monitoring

LGBTI

Media

Policy Development

Political Pluralism

Youth

Our team

EED secretariat: 17 staff members ( 16 nationalities)

Executive Committee: 7 members (SCO experts, MEP, Member States)

Our network

EED

County Consultants

EU Institutions

and Delegations

Think Tanks

Civil Society Foundations

and other NGOs

Member State

Embassies

Other democracy

support organisations

What do we look for in a project?

What relevance does it have to the political environment and needs?

What is the applicant’s capacity to deliver? (experience, references)

How will activities be sustained after the project?

What is EED’s added value?

Medialab Armenia: political cartoons

Marianna Grigoryan of Umbrella Journalists’ International Network NGO.

EED supported Umbrella to: Produce popular satirical cartoons

tackling topical political issues Train young cartoonists and organise

exhibitions

“Every government needs to be held to account and be prepared to be criticised. They should respond with answers

rather than repression.”

Meydan - an alternative source of information

EED support helped Meydan TV to start up and broadcast a series of reports and debates addressing political and social life in Azerbaijan

Now in its third year, articles are reprinted by international media (BBC, Guardian, Washington Post)

EED supported SimSim to:

Facilitate exchange between citizens

and elected representatives in National

Assembly

Develop a website for citizens to put

questions to parliamentarians who are

asked to publish responses on the site

‘SimSim’ Morocco: civic participation

Find out more

democracyendowment.eu

Follow us:EuropeanEndowmentForDemocracy

@EEDemocracy