Tackling gender-based violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people

The EU funding opportunity titled HORIZON-CL2 aims to tackle gender-based violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people. It is part of the Horizon Europe program, specifically under the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society theme for the 2026 call. The action falls within the Horizon Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA) framework and utilizes a lump sum grant model. Eligible applicant types include research institutions, universities, think tanks, civil society organizations, and public research organizations that can manage EU-funded projects. The consortium must include multiple organizations, and individual researchers cannot apply alone. Eligible countries are EU member states, EEA countries, and EU-associated countries, with non-EU partners eligible but typically without direct EU funding. The funding amount ranges from €3.5 million to €4 million per project, with a total budget of €12 million allocated for this opportunity and approximately three grants expected to be awarded. The call encourages a multi-country approach and aims to generate new knowledge regarding the drivers and impacts of gender-based violence in political contexts through interdisciplinary research. The application process is a single-stage, with a planned opening date on May 12, 2026, and a submission deadline of September 23, 2026. Successful proposals are expected to enhance understanding of violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ individuals, develop policy recommendations, promote responsible media portrayals, and encourage inclusive political participation. Proposed research must examine how different forms of violence intersect and analyze their effects on victims, thereby addressing critical societal challenges. The call highlights the importance of ensuring representation from diverse national contexts and engaging stakeholders throughout the research process. This opportunity reflects the EU's commitment to promoting gender equality and democratic values while confronting the challenges posed by violence in political environments.

This EU funding opportunity, HORIZON-CL2, aims to tackle gender-based violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people. It falls under the Horizon Europe (HORIZON) program, specifically the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 2026 call (HORIZON-CL2-2026-01). The type of action is a HORIZON Research and Innovation Action (HORIZON-RIA), utilizing a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant [HORIZON-AG-LS] Model Grant Agreement (MGA).

The funding opportunity is forthcoming with a single-stage deadline model. The planned opening date is 12 May 2026, and the deadline for submission is 23 September 2026 at 17:00:00 Brussels time.

The expected outcomes of the projects funded under this topic include:

Enhanced understanding:EU and national policymakers and relevant stakeholders will gain a deeper understanding of the drivers of violence against women and LGBTIQ people who are politically active or political aspirants.

Improved prevention and intervention:Better understanding of the drivers and impacts of violence (short- and long-term) on women and LGBTIQ people engaged, or aspiring to engage, in online and offline political activities, and how their participation evolves after experiencing violence and harassment. This will lead to enhanced prevention and early intervention strategies.

Evidence-based policy recommendations:Policymakers and relevant stakeholders will adopt evidence-based policy recommendations to tackle gender-based violence alongside violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people, promoting equal political participation and addressing harmful narratives.

Responsible media portrayals:Broader adherence to media guidelines on responsible, ethical, and safe portrayals of and reporting on gender-based violence in a political context, embedding gender-sensitive and intersectional reporting and incorporating successful practices with demonstrable, positive outcomes.

Inclusive environment:Promotion of an inclusive environment that encourages political participation of women, and LGBTIQ people, notably from underrepresented groups, through collaboration across key public, political and civil society actors.

The scope of the funding opportunity addresses the intersection of increased participation and visibility of women and LGBTIQ people in public life with the rise of politically motivated violence and gender-based violence (GBV). This intersection obstructs progress toward equality, reinforces traditional gender norms and stereotypes, power imbalances, and poses significant threats to democratic societies.

The EU Directive on combating violence against women acknowledges the impact of violence on women active in public life, particularly its silencing effect. The European Commission’s 2024-2029 political guidelines place the fight against GBV at the heart of the post-2025 Equality Strategy, notably to empower women in politics. The Roadmap for Women’s Rights recalls that women face higher risks of threats and violence limiting their participation in public life, while the Equality Commissioner’s Mission Letter identifies hate-motivated harassment and (online) violence as a key focus for the EU LGBTIQ equality strategy for 2026-2030. The mission letter to the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law emphasises strengthening the protection of political candidates and elected representatives facing growing threats and undue pressure.

The violence occurs in various forms, including sexual and physical threats and assaults, harassment, character assassinations, hate speech, disinformation campaigns exploiting misogynistic or anti-LGBTIQ narratives and deceptive image manipulation. With technological advancements, the methods of violence and harassment have moved online and become increasingly sophisticated and viral, exemplified by phenomena like cyber pile-on harassment and deepfakes. Their consequences extend to the physical world, causing physical and psychological harm, as well as impacting professional and personal reputations, quality of life, and family. Proposals should explore the wide range of impacts, including the chilling effect on victims, such as their withdrawal from social media public debates or public offices, including political ones. As situations of social, economic or political instability can exacerbate GBV and LGBTIQ-phobic violence, proposals are encouraged to explore how crises affect the nature, prevalence, and prevention of these types of violence, as well as victims’ access to support and justice.

Both political and media spheres, including radio, television, print, and online platforms, play a key role in shaping societal norms. Yet, coverage of GBV and cases of LGBTIQ-phobic violence are often sensationalised and biased, particularly when it involves public figures. For instance, little is known on how fictional and non-fictional narratives influence public awareness and perceptions of violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people. Such gaps can lead to inadequate responses and support systems, while reinforcing gender stereotypes and contributing to victim blaming. Proposals should gather data on this impact and counteract sensationalism and misogyny to position media as driver of positive change. Proposals should also include analysis of the impact and potential gaps of existing EU legislation such as the Digital Services Act, and provide recommendations to policymakers.

Proposals are encouraged to explore cultural beliefs and practices, considering fields such as cinema and literature alongside social media platforms to explore how cultural representations and national context influence perceptions and responses to intersecting violence.

Given that politically motivated violence, GBV and LGBTIQ-phobic violence intersect with various forms of discrimination, including racism, proposals must consider at least three intersecting factors, such as disability, racial or ethnic background, age, religion or belief or other relevant intersecting dimensions. An intersectional lens is key to understand how the perpetration and experience of violence, including to report and access support, vary according to social, economic and identity-related characteristics of victims and perpetrators.

A multi-country approach using quantitative and qualitative data is key. Proposals should draw on a range of relevant disciplines (including SSH), and engage stakeholders, civil society organisations and individuals directly affected by the issues in the design and implementation of research activities. Engaging men and boys in preventing violence and challenging norms should be an integral part of the research. This could include exploring how arts and humanities approaches can foster critical reflection on gender norms, violence and discrimination.

Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this topic is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).

Proposals are encouraged to identify other relevant EU-funded projects, and to explore potential collaboration opportunities with them.

The admissibility conditions include:

Proposal page limit and layout:As described in Annex A and Annex E of the Horizon Europe Work Programme General Annexes. The page limit for Part B of the Research and Innovation Action (RIA) application using a lump sum is 50 pages. A detailed budget table must be submitted using the template available in the Submission System.

Eligible countries:As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes. Specific provisions may exist for non-EU/non-Associated Countries; refer to the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Other eligible conditions:As described in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Financial and operational capacity and exclusion:As described in Annex C of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award:Award criteria, scoring and thresholds: As described in Annex D of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Evaluation and award:Submission and evaluation processes: As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Online Manual.

Evaluation and award:Indicative timeline for evaluation and grant agreement: As described in Annex F of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Legal and financial set-up of the grants:Eligible costs will take the form of a lump sum as defined in the Decision of 7 July 2021 authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme. The granting authority may object to a transfer of ownership or exclusive licensing of results up to 4 years after the action's end. Also, refer to Annex G of the Work Programme General Annexes.

Specific conditions:As described in the specific topic of the Work Programme.

Application and evaluation forms and model grant agreement (MGA):

Application form templates:Available in the Submission System (Standard application form HE RIA, IA).

Evaluation form templates:Will be used with necessary adaptations (Standard evaluation form HE RIA, IA).

Guidance:HE Programme Guide.

Model Grant Agreements (MGA):Lump Sum MGA.

Call-specific instructions:Detailed budget table (HE LS), Guidance: "Lump sums - what do I need to know?".

Additional documents:

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 1. General Introduction

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 5. Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society

HE Main Work Programme 2026-2027 – 15. General Annexes

HE Programme Guide

HE Framework Programme 2021/695

HE Specific Programme Decision 2021/764

EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509

Decision authorising the use of lump sum contributions under the Horizon Europe Programme

Rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR Appointment and Financial Capacity Assessment

EU Grants AGA — Annotated Model Grant Agreement

Funding & Tenders Portal Online Manual

Funding & Tenders Portal Terms and Conditions

Funding & Tenders Portal Privacy Statement

The budget overview for this topic in 2026 is as follows:

HORIZON-CL2 - HORIZON-RIA:Budget of €12,000,000, single-stage, opening date 2026-05-12, deadline 2026-09-23, contributions between €3,500,000 and €4,000,000, indicative number of grants: 3

There are partner search announcements available for those looking to collaborate on this topic. LEARs, Account Administrators, or self-registrants can publish partner requests after logging into the Portal.

The submission system is planned to be opened on the date stated on the topic header.

For support, applicants are encouraged to read all provisions carefully, consult the Online Manual and Horizon Europe Programme Guide, check the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, use the Research Enquiry Service, contact National Contact Points (NCPs) or the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN), and contact the IT Helpdesk for technical issues. The European IPR Helpdesk and CEN-CENELEC/ETSI Research Helpdesks are also available for specific advice.

In summary, this funding opportunity aims to address the critical issue of violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people. It seeks to fund research and innovation actions that will lead to a better understanding of the drivers and impacts of this violence, inform policy recommendations, promote responsible media portrayals, and foster an inclusive environment for political participation. The call encourages a multi-country, interdisciplinary approach, engaging stakeholders and affected individuals in the research process. The funding is provided as a lump sum, and proposals must adhere to specific admissibility conditions and page limits. The call is a single-stage process with a deadline of September 23, 2026.

Eligible Applicant Types:The eligible applicant types are not explicitly stated but can be inferred to include research organizations, universities, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders involved in research and innovation related to culture, creativity, and inclusive society. The call is open to a multi-country approach, suggesting that international organizations may also be eligible.

Funding Type:The funding type is primarily a grant, specifically a HORIZON Lump Sum Grant, under the HORIZON Research and Innovation Actions (HORIZON-RIA) and HORIZON Innovation Actions (HORIZON-IA) and HORIZON Coordination and Support Actions (HORIZON-CSA).

Consortium Requirement:A multi-country approach is key, implying that a consortium of multiple applicants is preferred or required.

Beneficiary Scope (Geographic Eligibility):The geographic eligibility includes EU member states and associated countries, with specific provisions for non-EU/non-associated countries as detailed in Annex B of the Work Programme General Annexes and the Horizon Europe Programme Guide.

Target Sector:The program targets the following sectors: culture, creativity, inclusive society, democracy, gender equality, LGBTIQ rights, media, political participation, social sciences, humanities, and digital services.

Mentioned Countries:The opportunity explicitly refers to the EU and non-EU/non-associated countries.

Project Stage:The project stage includes research, innovation, coordination, and support actions, suggesting a focus on research, development, and implementation of solutions.

Funding Amount:The funding amounts vary depending on the specific topic and type of action, ranging from approximately €3,000,000 to €6,000,000.

HORIZON-CL2 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-02 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-03 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-04 - HORIZON-IA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-05 - HORIZON-CSA:€4,000,000 to €4,500,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-06 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-07 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-08 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-09 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-DEMOCRACY-10 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,500,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-01 - HORIZON-RIA:€4,500,000 to €5,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-02 - HORIZON-IA:€5,000,000 to €6,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-03 - HORIZON-IA:€4,000,000 to €5,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-04 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-05 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €3,750,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-06 - HORIZON-RIA:€5,000,000 to €5,750,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-HERITAGE-07 - HORIZON-CSA:€4,500,000 to €5,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-02 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-03 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-04 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-05 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-06 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €3,300,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-07 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-08 - HORIZON-RIA:€3,000,000 to €4,000,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-09 - HORIZON-RIA:around €3,750,000

HORIZON-CL2-2026-01-TRANSFO-10 - HORIZON-CSA:around €3,500,000

Application Type:The application type is an open call with a single-stage submission process.

Nature of Support:Beneficiaries will receive money in the form of a lump sum grant.

Application Stages:The application process involves a single stage.

Success Rates:The success rates cannot be determined from the provided text.

Co-funding Requirement:The text does not explicitly mention a co-funding requirement.

Summary:This Horizon Europe call, part of the Culture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 2026 program, aims to fund projects that address the rise of violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people. The call seeks to enhance understanding of the drivers and impacts of such violence, promote evidence-based policy recommendations, encourage responsible media portrayals, and foster an inclusive environment for political participation. The funding is provided as lump sum grants, and the call is open to multi-country consortia. The program targets a range of sectors, including culture, democracy, gender equality, media, and digital services, and encourages a multi-country approach using quantitative and qualitative data.