Promoting Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Pakistan

The European Commission (call reference EuropeAid) has an open call for proposals to promote freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan under the NDICI - Global Europe instrument. The total indicative budget is €1,959,782 with individual grants from €400,000 to €650,000 for projects of 36 to 48 months. Eligible applicants are non-profit civil society organisations, associations of civil society organisations, and non-profit universities established in Pakistan, EU Member States or the EEA, with at least one co-applicant established in Pakistan. Concept notes must be submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal PROSPECT system by 21 April 2026 at 15:00 Brussels time.

Quick facts

What this grant supports

Action grants to promote freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan under the Human rights and democracy programme.

Total budget:€1,959,782 (total available) ¹.

1. 1Who can apply: organisations eligible for Action Grants (applicants should consult the grant guidelines and application forms linked on the opportunity page).
2. 2What is funded: projects and activities strengthening freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan.
3. 3Grant modality: Action Grants. Applications submitted via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal by the deadline.

All application documents including Guidelines for applicants, application forms (concept note and full application), budget templates and supporting annexes are published on the opportunity page. Apply through the EU portal Opportunity page. ¹

Footnotes

1. 1See the Guidelines for grant applicants and annexes on the opportunity page for detailed eligibility, selection criteria, required documents and application procedure.

This opportunity is published on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal under the Human rights and democracy programme. It supports action grants to promote freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan. The call identifier is EuropeAid. The call is open for submission with a deadline of 21 April 2026 at 13:00:34 UTC. The total indicative budget for the call is €1,959,782. Applicants are expected to use the standard EU external actions templates provided with the call, including a Concept Note and a Full Application form, a detailed budget, a logical framework, and related declarations and contractual annexes.

Official call page:EU Funding & Tenders Portal call overview and submission service: Promoting Freedom of Expression and Media Freedom in Pakistan EU Funding & Tenders Portal — Call Page ¹

Key Facts and Timeline

Scope and Objectives

The action aims to strengthen and protect freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan. While specific objectives and lots are not listed in the scraped summary, the focus area typically includes enabling environments for independent media, protection of journalists and media workers, access to information, combating disinformation while safeguarding rights, and support to civil society and media actors to uphold international human rights standards. Actions are expected to be implemented in Pakistan and to align with the EU’s Human rights and democracy priorities, addressing legal, institutional, safety, and capacity dimensions relevant to media freedom and freedom of expression.

Available Documents and Templates

The call provides a standard package of guidance and templates used for EU external actions. The following documents are listed for applicants:

• Guidelines for grant applicant restricted (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex A1. Grant application form - Concept note (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex A.2. Grant Application form - Full application (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex B - Budget (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex C - Logical framework (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex F - PADOR offline registration form (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex G - Standard grant contract (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex H - Declaration of honour on exclusion and selection criteria (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex K - Clarifications on financing not linked to costs (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex J - Information on the tax regime applicable to grant contracts (02 March 2026, EN)
• Annex L - Self-evaluation questionnaire on SEA-H (02 March 2026, EN)
• Prospect short instructions manual (02 March 2026, EN)
• e-Calls PADOR privacy statement (02 March 2026, EN)
• Notice about information session (09 March 2026, EN)
• Questions and Answers (09 March 2026, EN)

Document access note:Some documents may require authentication on the EU portal. Direct links referenced in scraping attempts may return an error if not accessed via the portal session. Use the official call page to download the latest versions. ¹

Categorization and Structured Details

Eligible Applicant Types

The call is under the Human rights and democracy programme and is presented as an Action Grants opportunity focusing on freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan. The scraped page does not explicitly enumerate eligible entities. Based on standard EU external actions practice for similar human rights and media freedom calls, eligible applicants commonly include civil society organizations, non-profit organizations, NGOs, media development organizations, community-based organizations, advocacy groups, foundations, international NGOs, and consortia led by such non-profit entities. Public authorities, universities, research institutes, and international organizations are sometimes eligible as applicants or co-applicants depending on call-specific rules. For-profit media outlets may participate as associates or co-applicants in certain cases where allowed, but profit-making as an objective is typically restricted. Individuals are typically not eligible as applicants. Applicants should verify exact eligibility categories and definitions in the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted and related annexes for this specific call.

Funding Type

Grant. This is an Action Grants call under the Human rights and democracy programme. The presence of Annex K clarifications on financing not linked to costs indicates that the grant may include or allow financing modalities not strictly tied to incurred costs, subject to the specific conditions defined in the guidelines and contract.

Consortium Requirement

The scraped summary does not specify whether a consortium is mandatory. Human rights and democracy calls of this nature typically allow both single-applicant projects with co-applicants optional and consortium applications with a lead applicant and co-applicants. Applicants should consult the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted to confirm whether co-applicants are required, optional, or limited, and whether local partnership in Pakistan is mandated.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility)

Geographical zone:Pakistan. Actions are intended to be implemented in Pakistan. The applicant’s country of establishment is not specified in the scraped extract. In similar EU external action calls, eligibility for applicants is often open to entities established in the EU, Pakistan, and other NDICI-Global Europe eligible countries, with a strong preference or requirement for local implementation and local partners. Confirm precise geographic eligibility for lead and co-applicants in the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted.

Target Sector

Human rights, democracy, media freedom, freedom of expression, civic space, rule of law, journalist safety, access to information, and related media development and advocacy activities in Pakistan.

Mentioned Countries

Pakistan.

Project Stage

Implementation of rights-based and media freedom projects. Typical stages include project design, capacity building, advocacy, service delivery to beneficiaries, protection mechanisms, networking, training, research to inform action, and results monitoring using a logical framework. Technology readiness levels are not applicable; this is not an R&I or technology maturation call.

Funding Amount

Total indicative budget available for the call:€1,959,782. The maximum and minimum grant size per project and any potential lots are not specified in the scraped content and must be confirmed in the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted and the budget annex.

Application Type

Open call with a restricted procedure. The presence of Annex A1 Concept Note and Annex A.2 Full Application indicates a two-step restricted procedure: first, submission of a Concept Note; if preselected, invitation to submit a Full Application.

Nature of Support

Money. Beneficiaries receive financial support in the form of grants governed by the Standard grant contract (Annex G). The call may also provide non-financial elements such as guidance, information sessions, and Q&A, but the primary support is financial.

Application Stages

2 stages. Stage 1:Concept Note assessment. Stage 2: Full Application assessment for shortlisted applicants. This is evidenced by the separate templates Annex A1 (Concept Note) and Annex A.2 (Full Application).

Success Rates

No success rate or expected number of funded projects is provided in the scraped content. Applicants should consult the Questions and Answers document and any information session materials for any indicative statistics if available.

Co-funding Requirement

Not specified in the scraped summary. EU external action grants commonly require co-financing from applicants, with the EU contribution covering up to a defined percentage of eligible costs, or potentially using financing not linked to costs as specified in Annex K. The precise co-funding rate, eligibility of costs, and any exceptions must be verified in the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted, Annex B Budget, and Annex G Standard grant contract.

How to Apply

1. 1Access the official call page to review the call documentation and start the submission process via the portal submission service: EU Funding & Tenders Portal — Call Page.
2. 2Register or ensure your organization is registered in the Participants Register/PADOR as required. Use the PADOR offline registration form (Annex F) if necessary and follow the e-Calls PADOR privacy statement.
3. 3Prepare and submit the Concept Note using Annex A1 within the deadline. Adhere strictly to page limits, formatting, and required sections as specified in the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted.
4. 4If preselected, complete and submit the Full Application using Annex A.2, together with Annex B Budget, Annex C Logical Framework, and all required supporting documents, including Annex H Declaration of Honour and any documents referenced in Annex J and Annex K as applicable.
5. 5Consult the Questions and Answers document and attend or review materials from the Notice about information session for clarifications on eligibility, evaluation criteria, and administrative requirements.

Application Templates and Typical Structure

The call uses standard external action templates. While detailed section headings should be taken from the downloadable forms, applicants can expect the following structure and content requirements:

• Annex A1. Concept Note: Project summary; relevance to the call objectives in Pakistan; context and problem analysis; stakeholder mapping; target groups and final beneficiaries; expected outcomes and outputs; indicative activities; added value (human rights, gender equality, do-no-harm, conflict sensitivity); indicative budget and requested EU contribution; lead applicant and co-applicant profiles; cross-cutting issues including safeguarding and SEA-H considerations where relevant.
• Annex A.2. Full Application: Expanded description of the action; detailed methodology; risk analysis and mitigation; human rights-based approach; gender and inclusion mainstreaming; safeguarding and SEA-H risk assessment and mitigation according to Annex L; detailed work plan and activity schedule; monitoring, evaluation, learning, and accountability plan; visibility and communication plan; sustainability and exit strategy; logical framework matrix reference; procurement and sub-granting plans if applicable; organizational capacity and previous experience; compliance statements; checklists.
• Annex B. Budget: Detailed budget by cost headings; unit costs or lump sums if applicable; justification of budget lines; co-financing sources; contingency and administrative costs within allowable ceilings; exchange rate and taxation considerations, including alignment with Annex J on tax regime.
• Annex C. Logical Framework: Overall objective, specific objectives, results/outcomes, outputs, activities; objectively verifiable indicators with baselines and targets; means of verification; assumptions and risks.
• Annex F. PADOR Offline Registration Form: Organizational legal and financial data; governance; mandate; experience; staff; financial capacity indicators; documentation required for validation.
• Annex G. Standard Grant Contract: Special conditions; general conditions; annexes; reporting and payment schedule; pre-financing and balance; audit and verification rights; visibility obligations; environmental and social standards including safeguarding; suspension and termination clauses.
• Annex H. Declaration of Honour: Exclusion grounds; conflict of interest; compliance with eligibility and selection criteria; commitment to accuracy of information.
• Annex K. Clarifications on Financing Not Linked to Costs: Conditions and methodology if the grant modality includes financing based on outputs, results, or milestones rather than reimbursement of actual costs.
• Annex J. Information on Tax Regime: Applicable taxation rules in the country of implementation and how taxes and duties are treated under the grant.
• Annex L. Self-evaluation Questionnaire on SEA-H: Self-assessment of policies, procedures, and risk controls for preventing sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment; integration into project governance and partner management.
• Prospect Short Instructions Manual: Technical guidance on using the e-Submission system, file formats, signatures, and portal workflows.

Evaluation and Compliance Considerations

Applicants should expect evaluation criteria aligned with EU external action standards:relevance to the objectives in Pakistan; design and effectiveness; sustainability and impact; cost-effectiveness and budget coherence; organizational and operational capacity; and added value in terms of human rights, gender equality, and inclusion. Compliance with safeguarding and SEA-H requirements is emphasized through Annex L. The Standard grant contract governs reporting, payments, procurement, visibility, and audit. The Questions and Answers and the information session notice provide supplemental guidance on compliance details and common pitfalls.

Comprehensive Answers to Categorization Questions

Eligible Applicant Types:Not explicitly listed in the scraped summary. For comparable Human rights and democracy action grants, eligible applicants are typically: civil society organizations, non-profit organizations, NGOs, media development and press freedom organizations, community-based organizations, foundations, international NGOs. Depending on the call rules, universities, research institutes, public bodies, and international organizations may be eligible as applicants or co-applicants. Individuals are generally not eligible. Confirm precise eligibility in the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted.

Funding Type:Grant (Action Grants under the Human rights and democracy programme). The inclusion of Annex K indicates the possible use of financing not linked to costs where defined by the call.

Consortium Requirement:Not specified. The presence of both Concept Note and Full Application templates suggests a standard restricted procedure that typically allows either single applicants or consortia with co-applicants. Requirements for local partners in Pakistan, if any, must be checked in the guidelines.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):Geographical zone of implementation is Pakistan. Eligibility of the applicant’s legal seat is not stated in the scraped text and should be verified in the guidelines. Similar calls often allow applicants established in the EU, Pakistan, and other eligible countries under the NDICI-Global Europe framework.

Target Sector:Human rights, democracy, media freedom, freedom of expression, civic space, rule of law, journalist safety, access to information, media development, advocacy, and capacity building related to freedom of expression in Pakistan.

Mentioned Countries:Pakistan.

Project Stage:Implementation projects delivering measurable outcomes in human rights and media freedom. Includes planning, capacity building, advocacy, service provision and protection activities, and monitoring and evaluation using a logframe.

Funding Amount:Total indicative budget available: €1,959,782 for the call. Minimum and maximum grant size per project are not provided in the scraped content and must be confirmed in the guidelines.

Application Type:Open call, restricted procedure with two steps: Concept Note followed by invitation-only Full Application for shortlisted applicants.

Nature of Support:Money (grants), governed by the Standard grant contract. Ancillary non-financial support includes information sessions and Q&A guidance.

Application Stages:2 stages: Concept Note and, if pre-selected, Full Application.

Success Rates:Not available in the scraped content.

Co-funding Requirement:Not stated. EU external action grants generally require co-financing, with exact co-funding rates and modalities specified in the guidelines and reflected in Annex B Budget and Annex G Contract.

Administrative and Compliance Documents

• Guidelines for grant applicant restricted: Defines eligibility, evaluation criteria, eligible actions and costs, co-funding rates, and submission rules.
• Annex A1 and Annex A.2: Application templates for the two-step process.
• Annex B Budget: Cost categories, ceilings, and co-financing structure.
• Annex C Logframe: Mandatory results framework and indicators.
• Annex F PADOR: Organization registration for eligibility and selection checks.
• Annex G Contract: Legal terms for payments, reporting, audits, and visibility.
• Annex H Declaration of Honour: Exclusion, selection criteria, and conflict of interest declaration.
• Annex J Tax Regime: Guidance on taxes and duties in the country of implementation.
• Annex K Financing not linked to costs: Rules for output- or result-based financing if applicable.
• Annex L SEA-H: Safeguarding self-assessment to prevent sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment.
• Notice about information session and Q&A: Clarifications to be integrated in applications.

Submission and Portal Notes

Applicants must submit through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal submission service by the stated deadline. Ensure registration in the Participants Register/PADOR and that all mandatory fields and attachments are complete. Respect file format and size limits as per the Prospect short instructions manual. Late submissions are typically not accepted by the system. Documents should be downloaded and read directly from the official call page to avoid broken links encountered through indirect scraping attempts. ¹

Summary

This EU Action Grants call funds projects that promote freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan. With an indicative budget of €1.96 million, the call seeks projects that strengthen independent media, protect journalists, improve access to information, and reinforce a human rights–based ecosystem for expression and media in Pakistan. The procedure follows a restricted two-step process: applicants first submit a Concept Note; those shortlisted are invited to submit a Full Application, including a detailed budget and logical framework. The call is anchored in the Human rights and democracy programme and governed by standard EU external action documents, including the Standard grant contract, budget and logframe templates, and safeguarding requirements such as the SEA-H self-evaluation. While the scraped content does not specify exact eligibility categories, co-funding rates, or grant sizes per project, such details are typically defined in the Guidelines for grant applicant restricted. Applicants should carefully study the full documentation, attend or review information sessions, and use the official portal to access and submit the required forms. The opportunity is particularly relevant for civil society and media-focused organizations aiming to deliver concrete, rights-based actions in Pakistan, with strong monitoring, safeguarding, and sustainability frameworks aligned to EU standards.

Footnotes

1. 1Source: EU Funding & Tenders Portal listing for EuropeAid. Some document links may require portal authentication to access and may not be retrievable via direct scraping without a session.

The European Commission has launched a call for proposals to support civil society initiatives promoting freedom of expression and media freedom in Pakistan. The call, reference EuropeAid, is funded through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe (NDICI) and focuses on strengthening media independence, protecting journalists, and addressing digital information challenges ¹.

Call Reference and Status:EuropeAid. Status: Open for submission. Published 2 March 2026, last updated 9 March 2026.

Key Dates and Deadlines

The deadline for submission of concept notes is 21 April 2026 at 15:00 Brussels time ². An information session for applicants was scheduled for 26 March 2026 in Islamabad. Applicants must submit proposals through the EU's PROSPECT system via the official EU Funding and Tenders Portal.

Funding Amount and Parameters

Total Budget:€1,959,782 available across all projects under this call.

Grant Range:Individual grants range from a minimum of €400,000 to a maximum of €650,000.

Project Duration:Projects must run for between 36 and 48 months.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligible applicants include non-profit civil society organisations or associations of civil society organisations established in Pakistan, EU Member States, or the European Economic Area, provided they meet operational and regulatory requirements outlined in the guidelines ³. At least one co-applicant must be established in Pakistan. Non-profit universities in Pakistan may also participate as co-applicants.

Application Language:English.

Strategic Priorities and Focus Areas

The call prioritises supporting civil society-led projects that strengthen protections for freedom of expression and media independence. Key thematic priorities include:

• Ensuring safety and protection of journalists through legal aid, psychosocial support, and related mechanisms
• Strengthening media professionalism, integrity, and pluralism while enhancing capacity of independent media
• Promoting freedom of expression both online and offline
• Supporting victims of cybercrimes or false accusations related to freedom of opinion, particularly human rights defenders and vulnerable groups
• Combating hate speech, polarisation and disinformation through awareness-raising and digital and public media literacy initiatives, including in remote areas
• Addressing artificial intelligence risks in media manipulation while leveraging AI potential to strengthen freedom of expression and information integrity
• Supporting regulatory frameworks that balance data privacy with access to information and regulating digital services in line with individuals' rights
• Enhancing accountability of private actors and social media platforms in addressing disinformation and hate speech online

Cross-Cutting Requirements

The EU encourages applicants to build youth participation into proposals, noting Pakistan's notably young population with substantial digital engagement. Projects must integrate gender considerations, recognizing that women, girls and transgender communities are disproportionately affected by cyber-harassment and technology-facilitated violence. A human rights-based approach incorporating transparency, non-discrimination and inclusive participation is expected throughout project design and implementation ⁴.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted online through the EU's PROSPECT system. The application process involves submission of a concept note, followed by selection and invitation to submit full applications. Detailed guidelines for applicants, as well as annexes covering the application form, budget template, logical framework, standard grant contract, and supporting documentation, are available on the EU Funding and Tenders Portal ⁵.

Supporting Documents and Information

The call documentation includes multiple annexes and guidance materials available through the portal:

• Guidelines for grant applicants
• Annex A1: Grant application form - Concept note
• Annex A2: Grant application form - Full application
• Annex B: Budget template
• Annex C: Logical framework
• Annex F: PADOR offline registration form
• Annex G: Standard grant contract
• Annex H: Declaration of honour on exclusion and selection criteria
• Annex J: Information on tax regime applicable to grant contracts
• Annex K: Clarifications on financing not linked to costs
• Annex L: Self-evaluation questionnaire on sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment
• PROSPECT short instructions manual
• Question and Answers document
• Notice about information session

Context and Rationale

This call is designed to complement ongoing EU cooperation with government institutions, judicial actors, and national human rights bodies in Pakistan. The EU identifies freedom of expression and media freedom as areas under pressure despite some recent institutional progress, warranting targeted support for civil society-led initiatives addressing systemic challenges in the media landscape and digital information environment ⁴.

Footnotes

1. 1Information derived from multiple sources including the EU Funding and Tenders Portal and official EU External Action announcements published 2 March 2026.
2. 2Deadline is 21 April 2026 at 15:00 Brussels time, equivalent to 13:00 UTC on that date.
3. 3Eligibility criteria are detailed in the Guidelines for grant applicants document available on the PROSPECT portal at EU Funding and Tenders Portal.
4. 4These requirements reflect the EU's commitment to human rights-based approaches and inclusive development programming as outlined in the call guidelines.
5. 5Full documentation and submission portal available at EU Funding and Tenders Portal.