Combate ao tráfico de seres humanos e à violência sexual e de género na Guiné-Bissau Combate ao tráfico de seres humanos e à violência sexual e de gén...

EU restricted grant call 'Combate ao tráfico de seres humanos e à violência sexual e de género na Guiné-Bissau' funds a consortium to increase survivor-centred support services and strengthen justice-sector responses to SGBV and human trafficking in Guinea-Bissau with an envelope of €3,000,000. The action is managed under NDICI-Global Europe and aligns with the 2021–2027 MIP, prioritizing services outside Bissau, capacity building of justice actors, shelters, referral systems and community awareness. Eligible applicants are non-profit NGOs/CSOs forming a consortium with at least two co-applicants established in Guinea-Bissau and must register in PADOR and apply via the EU Funding & Tenders/PROSPECT portal. The call follows a two-stage process with concept notes due 24 June 2026 and shortlisted applicants invited to submit full proposals under the provided EU templates and safeguarding, M&E and co-financing requirements.

Título da ação

Combate ao tráfico de seres humanos e à violência sexual e de género na Guiné-Bissau

O convite financia ações para aumentar a disponibilidade e qualidade de serviços de apoio centrados na vítima na Guiné-Bissau, com foco na prevenção e resposta à violência sexual e de género e ao tráfico de seres humanos.

O que financia:Intervenções de reforço de capacidades institucionais e de OSC, criação/expansão de serviços centrados na vítima (abrigo, apoio jurídico e psicossocial), formação de polícia e justiça, e campanhas locais de sensibilização; inclui atividades de coordenação interinstitucional e sistemas de referência.

1. 1Quem pode candidatar-se: organizações sem fins lucrativos e redes/consórcios com presença e experiência operacional na Guiné-Bissau; candidaturas devem incluir pelo menos dois correquerentes estabelecidos na Guiné-Bissau
2. 2Elegibilidade financeira e técnica será verificada; candidatos devem registar-se no PADOR/PROSPECT

Montante indicativo total disponível:€3 000 000. Subvenções solicitadas devem situar-se entre €2 950 000 e €3 000 000; cofinanciamento mínimo 50 % e máximo indicativo 95 % do custo elegível (até 100 % para requerentes estabelecidos na Guiné-Bissau). O prazo para envio da nota conceptual foi 24/06/2026 e o processo é em duas fases (nota conceptual seguida de pedido completo para pré-selecionados).

Footnotes

1. 1Detalhes sobre elegibilidade, formato do pedido, documentação e o processo de avaliação constam nas Orientações para Requerentes e no Modelo de Contrato (anexos publicados no portal PROSPECT).

Summary and Administrative Data

Title:Combate ao tráfico de seres humanos e à violência sexual e de género na Guiné-Bissau. Call identifier: EuropeAid. Budget allocated to this call: €3,000,000. Deadline for submission of full proposals (if pre-selected): indicated to invited applicants in PROSPECT; deadline for concept notes: 24 June 2026, 19:00 Brussels time. Start date (programme action document reference): May 2026. Reference programme: NDICI-Global Europe financing; this call sits under the EU Annual Action Plan and the Action Document Strengthening the security and justice sectors to ensure quality service delivery in Guinea-Bissau. Implementation modalities: grants, direct or indirect management; a portion of the overall programme is implemented via entrusted entities (UNDP and an EU Member State or UN agency for security), and a grants call will select a CSO consortium for victim-centred services.

Project purpose and scope

Overall objective of the Programme:Promote and protect the rule of law and human rights for all in Guinea-Bissau. Specific objective for this grant call: Contribute to more equitable provision of quality justice services, notably increased availability and quality of victim-centred support services to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings, including services for women and vulnerable groups outside Bissau. This grant call forms the human-rights component of a larger Action with three components: justice, security and human rights. The human-rights component is focused on victim-centred support, strengthening CSOs and state service delivery to victims, survivors' protection and reintegration, awareness and community resilience, training of justice and security actors and improved referral/coordination mechanisms.

Who should apply

This is a restricted call for proposals for a grants contract to be awarded to a consortium of organisations. Target applicants and implementation partners are civil society organisations and non-governmental organisations with proven capacity in victim-centred support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and trafficking in human beings, with operations in Guinea-Bissau and demonstrated track record in service delivery, advocacy and coordination with justice and security institutions. The action requires local presence and capacity to operate in regions outside Bissau.

Key objectives, priorities and eligible activities

Priorities:1) Increase availability and quality of victim-centred support services for vulnerable groups (SGBV and trafficking victims); 2) Training and capacity building of justice, law enforcement and social service actors on victim rights and trauma-informed approaches and development of standardized curricula and institutionalization of training; 3) Community and national awareness campaigns on rights of victims, prevention, reporting pathways and services available (adapted to local languages and contexts). Eligible activities include: legal/policy reviews and support to law reform for victim protection; strengthening Centres of Access to Justice and shelters run by qualified CSOs; creating or upgrading safe shelters and referral protocols; training and twinning for police, prosecutors, judges, CAJ staff, social workers and medics; multidisciplinary case management and secure data systems; community outreach and media campaigns; survivor reintegration and livelihoods support; strengthening monitoring, accountability and participatory M&E; government-civil society coordination and police-public partnership pilots in selected regions.

Geographic and thematic scope

Country:Republic of Guinea-Bissau. Activities must be implemented across the national territory and include regions outside the capital Bissau. Applicants must justify geographic targeting and at least include two regions outside Bissau in their proposals. Thematic focus: justice, human rights, gender-based violence prevention and victim support, trafficking in human beings, community resilience and protection, capacity building, advocacy and service delivery.

Funding, form and amount

Total call envelope:€3,000,000 for this restricted grants call within the overall €14,000,000 Action. Applicants should propose projects between €2,950,000 and €3,000,000 ¹

Form of funding:Grants. The grant may be structured as reimbursement of eligible costs and may include use of simplified cost options where applicable. The call allows the use of financing not associated to costs only where specifically indicated in the call documents; the main expected modality is reimbursement of costs and grants to a consortium.

EU co-financing rate:Minimum co-financing rate: 50% of eligible costs. Maximum EU contribution: 95% of eligible costs under normal cases; up to 100% may be considered where applicant(s) and affiliated entities are established in Guinea-Bissau, subject to the call rules. The remainder must be covered from other non-EU sources or own contributions.

Eligible applicant types

Eligible applicant profile and partners must be carefully observed. Summary:

1. 1Requiring lead applicant: established NGO/CSO (non-profit legal entity) acting as coordinator and lead beneficiary; must have minimum three years experience working on gender-based violence and/or trafficking in Sub-Saharan Africa in the last five years.
2. 2Mandatory co-applicants: at least two co-applicants established in Guinea-Bissau. Co-applicants must actively participate in design and implementation and comply with eligibility criteria.
3. 3Affiliated entities: permitted when a structural link exists (control or membership) and must satisfy same eligibility criteria; affiliations are verified at contracting.
4. 4Associated partners: may participate and be named in the proposal but are not funded from the grant except for travel/per diem as participants.
5. 5Contractors/subcontractors: procurement rules apply (see annex IV).
6. 6Third-party recipients of financial support: allowed if foreseen in the proposal and regulated by the call (max €60,000 per third party unless justified).

Eligibility conditions in detail

Core requirements and exclusions:

1. 1Applicants and co-applicants must be legal persons; must be non-profit entities (NGO/CSO) or semipublic/local institutions where explicitly allowed by the call.
2. 2Applicants must be established in an eligible country per NDICI rules; co-applicants must be established in Guinea-Bissau.
3. 3Applicants and co-applicants must not be in any of the exclusion situations (bankruptcy, criminal convictions, fraud, terrorist financing, sanctions, etc.). Declaration under honour required; documents requested at full application stage.
4. 4Applicants must demonstrate technical and managerial capacity: project delivery record, relevant sectoral expertise, human resources and logistics, M&E and safeguarding policies.
5. 5Financial capacity: applicants will be assessed; submission of last financial statements and audit report (where applicable) is required for grants exceeding thresholds.
6. 6Single applicant submissions are not permitted for this call: consortia with mandated coordinator and co-applicants are required.

Consortium requirement and partnership model

Consortium required. The call requires a lead coordinator and at least two co-applicants established in Guinea-Bissau. The coordinator signs the grant contract on behalf of the consortium and coordinates the implementation and reporting. All co-applicants must sign a mandate authorising the coordinator to represent them during the grant process. Affiliated entities may be included where a structural legal link exists; associated partners may participate but not receive direct grant funding except limited participant costs.

Beneficiary geographic scope (eligibility)

Primary geographic eligibility:Guinea-Bissau. Lead applicant may be established in an eligible country as defined by NDICI-Global Europe rules. Co-applicants must be established in Guinea-Bissau. Activities must include regions outside the capital Bissau; target at least two regions beyond Bissau, with justification.

Target sectors

Primary sectors:human rights, justice, social protection, gender equality, access to justice, anti-trafficking, victim support services, SGBV prevention and response, community resilience. Secondary sectors: health, education, livelihoods, digital data systems for case management, communications and media.

Project maturity and expected stage

Project stage expected:implementation-ready initiatives at demonstration, pilot and scale-up stage. The grant funds operational delivery of victim-centred services, capacity building and institutional strengthening, rather than purely research. Applicants should present both immediate implementation plans and sustainability strategies for medium-term continuation.

Application modalities and timeline

This is a restricted two-stage call. Stage 1:Concept note (documento de síntese) submitted through PROSPECT by 24 June 2026, 19:00 Brussels time. Stage 2: Shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit full applications via PROSPECT within the timeframe indicated in the invitation. Full proposals must include budget, logical framework, PADOR registration and supporting documents as specified. The applicant coordination and consortia documents (mandate for co-applicants, declaration of affiliated entities) must be included at full application stage.

Application forms and templates

Required templates provided by the call and to be used exactly:A.1 Concept note form; A.2 Full application form (complete proposal); Annex B budget template (Excel) including cost-based budget and optionally cost-based plus financing-not-associated-to-costs sheet; Annex C Logical Framework (Excel); Annex F PADOR offline registration form for organizations that cannot register online; Annex H Declaration of honour on exclusion and selection criteria; Annex L SEA-H self-assessment questionnaire. Applicants must submit the A.1 for the concept stage and A.2 + annexes for full stage. All templates are available in the call publication and must be used without modification.

Full application structure (high level):Complete proposal A.2 structure summary: 1) Administrative data and contacts; 2) Action description including context, objectives, outcomes, activities and methodology; 3) Indicative 48-month workplan and activity schedule; 4) Logframe (Annex C); 5) Detailed budget using Annex B (costs by category, optionally FNAC items); 6) Capacity / experience evidence for coordinator, co-applicants and affiliates; 7) Declarations and signatures including mandate from co-applicants and declarations of affiliates. Supporting financial documents (accounts, audit reports where required) and PADOR entries must be provided.

Evaluation and selection

Stage 1:Concept notes evaluated against relevance and design criteria with weighting and pass thresholds. Only concept notes scoring above threshold are shortlisted. Stage 2: Full proposals are evaluated against selection (financial & operational capacity) and award criteria (relevance, quality of design, implementation approach, sustainability, cost-effectiveness). Shortlisted proposals may be invited to provide clarifications and documentary evidence of eligibility and capacity. A final verification of eligibility and compliance of the shortlisted applicants is completed before award.

Nature of support and payments

Nature of support:Monetary grants. Payment modalities follow the contract template: pre-financing instalments and balance payment in line with contract conditions. If required by the contract, an initial pre-financing guarantee (bank guarantee) may be requested for amounts above €60,000. Financial reporting, audit and verification of costs follow Annex VII-A and contract conditions. The grant may use reimbursement of eligible costs and simplified cost options where allowed.

Application stages and success chance

Stages:2 stages (1: concept note; 2: invitation and full application). Success rates: not published for this specific call. Competition is expected to be strong given the large single award envelope and restricted approach. A shortlisting process will select a limited number of applicants to submit full proposals; a shortlist equivalent to approximately 200% of available budget will be invited for full proposals.

Reporting, monitoring and audit requirements

Full contractual package includes narrative and financial reporting requirements (annex VI templates for interim and final reports), regular project monitoring, M&E obligations, mid-term and final independent evaluations by Commission-contracted evaluators, and possible audits. Beneficiaries must keep original supporting documents for at least five years after final payment (three years for small grants) and must permit checks by EU institutions, OLAF, EPPO and auditors. Assets acquired must be transferred to final beneficiaries or authorities unless otherwise agreed (Annex IX). Applicants must demonstrate capacity for robust M&E and gender, disability and conflict sensitivity mainstreaming.

Co-funding and eligibility of costs

Co-financing required:yes. Minimum beneficiary co-financing 5% to 50% depending on applicants and rules; the call sets minimum co-financing at 50% of eligible costs and allows up to 95% EU contribution normally and up to 100% for local applicants where permitted. Cofinancing must not come from EU funds and must be declared and documented. Eligible costs follow the general grant conditions (Annex II) and detailed budget rules: personnel, travel, equipment (assets transferred at end unless otherwise agreed), office operating costs, audit, evaluation, subcontracts, support to third parties (max €60,000 per third party unless justified). Certain categories are ineligible: debt service, provisions, land/buildings except where strictly necessary and transferred at end, recoverable VAT, contributions in-kind except authorized volunteer work under specified unit costs.

Safeguarding and SEA-H

All shortlisted applicants and eventual beneficiaries (unless public bodies or small grants below threshold) must complete the SEA-H self-assessment questionnaire (Annex L) and demonstrate policies and procedures to prevent exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. The Commission applies a zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment; failure to provide adequate safeguarding measures may lead to rejection or contract termination.

Key contractual documents and templates

Applicants must use the provided templates:Annex A.1 Concept Note, Annex A.2 Full Application, Annex B Budget (Excel), Annex C Logframe (Excel), Annex F PADOR offline registration, Annex G standard grant contract (zip), Annex H declaration of honour, Annex J tax information, Annex L SEA-H questionnaire, Annex VII-A verification of expenditure templates and guidance. All templates are downloadable from the EU Funding & Tenders Portal call page. Use of templates is mandatory.

Risk management and adverse scenarios

The Action Document lists principal risks including recurrent political instability, political change after elections, mutual distrust between civil society and public authorities, fragmentation and lack of coordination among national entities, limited technical and financial capacity of beneficiaries, high turnover of staff, competition for funding among CSOs, and overlapping donor interventions. Proposals must include risk analysis and mitigation measures, conflict sensitivity and contingency planning, including safety for staff and beneficiaries and adaptive programming measures.

Audit, verification and documentation requirements

Grant beneficiaries will be subject to desk and on-site verification, expenditure verification reports (required for grants above defined thresholds), audits and third-party evaluations. They must maintain accounting records, supporting documents, procurement documentation and asset registers in accordance with Annex II general conditions and Annex IV procurement rules. Beneficiaries will need to cooperate with EU audits and OLAF/EU bodies, providing access to premises and documents.

Selection and award: decision and contract signature

After evaluation, a provisional selection and a reserve list will be published. Selection is subject to final eligibility verification and submission of requested supporting documents. Successful applicant(s) will conclude a grant contract based on the standard Annex G model and general conditions in Annex II. Contract signature follows completion of verification and possible negotiation of minor technical clarifications. Payments follow contract terms with pre-financing and interim payments linked to reporting and verification.

Co-financing, matched funding and third-party support

Co-financing is required. The applicant must indicate other sources of financing (own funds, other donors) and demonstrate financial sustainability. Support to third parties is permitted only if foreseen in the description of the action and subject to predefined selection criteria and limits (normally €60,000 maximum per third party unless justified). Financial flows must be transparent and verifiable and third-party agreements documented.

How to prepare a competitive bid

1. 1Follow strictly the templates A.1 and A.2 and Annex B and Annex C budget and logframe formats; do not change templates.
2. 2In the concept note stage, provide all requested information — concept stage is the only basis for shortlisting.
3. 3Be clear on geographic targeting: include at least two regions outside Bissau and justify site selection.
4. 4Show proven track record: include 3 years of relevant experience, deliverables and examples of past service delivery and M&E.
5. 5Provide robust safeguarding, SEA-H and gender mainstreaming approaches and show how services will be survivor-centred.
6. 6Include realistic budgets with cost-effectiveness justification and sustainability measures (financial, institutional, policy).
7. 7Demonstrate coordination with other EU-funded components (UNDP justice component, Camões security component) and with UN agencies and donors active in-country.

Key contact and where to apply

Submit concept notes and full applications via the PROSPECT portal. Questions on procedural matters should be sent to delegation-guinea-bissau-tenders@eeas.europa.eu; technical/PADOR/PROSPECT support via ec-external-relations-application-support@ec.europa.eu. Applicants should consult the call page on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal and the annexed documents available for download.

Final overall summary

What this opportunity is about and how to explain it:This restricted EU grant call finances the human-rights component of a larger Action to strengthen security and justice sectors in Guinea-Bissau, specifically to combat sexual and gender-based violence and trafficking in human beings. The call provides an envelope of €3,000,000 intended to fund a consortium led by an experienced NGO coordinator together with at least two co-applicants established in Guinea-Bissau. The funded project must scale up victim-centred services, strengthen Centres of Access to Justice, shelters and referral systems, provide training for justice and security actors, and run community awareness and prevention campaigns, all with a strong gender, human-rights and disability-inclusive approach and robust safeguarding measures. The process is two-stage: concept notes via PROSPECT by 24 June 2026, shortlisted applicants will be invited to submit full proposals. Applicants must use the exact EU templates provided and meet eligibility, selection, safeguarding and financial documentation requirements. The contract will follow the standard EU grant contract with reporting, audit and evaluation obligations. Proposals must demonstrate operational readiness, cost-effectiveness, sustainability and strong local partnerships and will be evaluated against relevance, design quality, implementation approach, sustainability and value for money.

Footnotes

1. 1Budget envelope and project size information sourced from the action document and call metadata on the EU Funding & Tenders portal.

This grant opportunity forms part of a larger EU action titled Strengthening the security and justice sectors to ensure quality service delivery in Guinea-Bissau, financed under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI-Global Europe). The specific grant targets Output 2.3: Increased availability of survivor-centred support services to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and trafficking in human beings, contributing to Outcome 2: More equitable provision of quality justice services, including in regions outside Bissau and for women and vulnerable groups. The overall action promotes the rule of law and human rights in Guinea-Bissau, addressing challenges like political instability, organized crime, corruption, and limited state presence.

Key Details

Funding Amount:€3,000,000. This is the dedicated envelope for grants within the broader action budget of €14,000,000.

Deadline:24 June 2026 at 17:00 UTC.

Programme Period:Aligned with 2021-2027 Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Guinea-Bissau.

Implementation Modality:Direct management through grants via a Call for Proposals. Grants will be awarded to a consortium of organisations.

Geographical Focus:Guinea-Bissau, with emphasis on remote areas outside Bissau, targeting victims of SGBV and human trafficking.

Objectives and Scope

The grant supports activities under Output 2.3, including:assessment and update of legal frameworks, plans, and tools on SGBV and human trafficking; sensitization, training, and monitoring of justice services for victims; and improvement of victims protection mechanisms, such as temporary shelters and reintegration support. Activities involve partnerships with the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, Ministry of Women, Family and Social Cohesion, Centres of Access to Justice (CAJ), and CSOs. A human rights-based approach, gender mainstreaming, and disability inclusion are mandatory.

Eligibility and Who Can Apply

• Legal entities established as non-profit international and national Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) or assimilated Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), or their networks, platforms, or federations.
• Applicants must demonstrate expertise in human rights, SGBV prevention/response, anti-trafficking efforts, and service delivery in Guinea-Bissau, particularly for vulnerable groups.
• Preference for consortia combining national and international CSOs with proven track record in victim support, advocacy, and partnership with state institutions.
• Geographical eligibility follows NDICI-Global Europe rules, with possible extensions for urgency or market unavailability.

Detailed eligibility criteria, including exclusion/selection rules, will be specified in the Call for Proposals guidelines. Applicants must register in PADOR and submit via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal EU Funding Portal.

Application Requirements and Process

1. 1Complete grant application form (summary and full versions available in PT).
2. 2Annexes: Budget (Annex B), Logical Framework (Annex C), Identification Form (Annex D), PADOR form (Annex F), Declaration of Honour (Annex H), SEA-H self-evaluation (Annex L).
3. 3Action Document and Standard Grant Contract templates provided.
4. 4Proposals must align with the logical framework, mainstream gender (G1 marker), human rights, disability (D1), and inequalities reduction (I1).
5. 5Reporting templates: Narrative (interim/final), Financial, Payment Requests.

Funding Conditions and Rates

Grants emphasise survivor-centred services, cultural sensitivity, and synergy with ongoing initiatives like UNDP-supported CAJs and EU Gender Action Plan III. Risks include political instability and institutional distrust, mitigated via coordination structures like Project Steering Committee (PSC) and Technical Working Group (TWG).¹

Context and Strategic Alignment

Guinea-Bissau faces high SGBV prevalence (e.g., 52% female genital mutilation rate), child trafficking (talibes begging, child labour/sex exploitation), and weak justice/security due to state fragility. Aligns with MIP SO 3.1-3.2, SDGs 5,10,16,17; EU Anti-Trafficking Strategy 2021-2025; national plans like 2024-2028 Anti-Trafficking Strategy.

Key Documents and Resources

• Action Document: Strengthening Security and Justice
• Grant Application Forms: Available via Prospect Portal
• MIP Guinea-Bissau: MIP 2021-2027

Applicants should review all annexes for compliance. Contact EU Delegation in Guinea-Bissau for clarifications. Strong consortia with local CSOs (e.g., Manitese, FEC, Guinean League of Human Rights) and proven victim support experience are advised. Mid-term/final evaluations and audits required.

Footnotes

1. 1Full logical framework and indicators available in Action Document; disaggregated by sex, disability, age for monitoring.