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1. AREAS OF INTERVENTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY The Union shall contribute to advancing the fundamental values of democracy, the rule of law, the universality, indivisibility and interdependence of human rights, respect for human dignity, the principles of non-discrimination, equality and solidarity, and respect for the principles of the Charter of the UN and international human rights law, mainly in the following areas:

1. Upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, contributing to forging societies in which participation, tolerance, non-discrimination, human dignity, equality, social justice, international justice and accountability prevail. This includes two major axes:

(a) Monitoring, promoting and strengthening respect for and observance of all human rights, be they civil and political, as well as economic, social and cultural rights. This shall include, inter alia, actions: to abolish the death penalty, promote the fight against enforced disappearances, to prevent and eliminate torture, ill-treatment and other cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment or treatment, to promote freedom of expression, assembly and association, freedom of thought, conscience and religion or belief; to promote and protect gender equality and women and girls’ empowerment in all spheres of life, including in education, health and those areas and rights referred to in Article 8(4), work-life balance, political decision-making and supporting measures to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls; to promote and protect, the rights of the child, women, youth, LGBTI persons, including measures to decriminalise homosexuality, persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, indigenous peoples as set out in the UNDRIP, and persons with disabilities, and to fight racism, xenophobia and discrimination based on any grounds. Within the specified scope, Union assistance shall particularly address the most context-sensitive human rights issues, respond to the shrinking space for civil society active in the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as counter other emerging and complex challenges;

(b) Protecting and empowering human rights defenders worldwide, in particular in countries where disrespect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is particularly pronounced and systematic, including where restrictive measures have been introduced to limit their actions and their action is critical to reinforce the institutional and legal human rights framework. Emergency, medium-term and long-term assistance as well as sustainable measures shall be given to human rights defenders and civil society, in particular local human rights defenders and civil society, including through a dedicated mechanism for the protection of human rights defenders, to carry out their work unhindered.

2. Developing, supporting, consolidating and protecting democracy, addressing all aspects of democratic governance, including reinforcing political pluralism, representation, and accountability, reinforcing democracy at all levels, enhancing citizen and civil society participation, supporting credible, inclusive and transparent electoral processes as well as supporting citizen capacity in monitoring democratic and electoral systems, through the support to domestic citizen election observation organisations and their regional networks. Democracy shall be strengthened by upholding the main pillars of democratic systems, democratic norms and principles, free, independent and pluralistic media, both online and offline, internet freedom, the fight against censorship, accountable and inclusive institutions, including parliaments and political parties, and the fight against corruption. Union assistance shall support civil society action in strengthening the rule of law, promoting the independence of the judiciary and of the legislature, supporting and evaluating legal and institutional reforms and their implementation, monitoring democratic and electoral systems and promoting access to affordable justice for all, including to effective and accessible complaint and redress mechanisms at national and local level. Election observation shall play a full part in the wider support for the democratic processes. Within this context, EU election observation shall continue to be a major component of the programme as well as the follow-up to recommendations of EU election observation missions. Areas of intervention 1 and 2 shall contribute to strengthening cooperation and partnership with civil society working on human rights and democracy, including in sensitive situations, and fostering new regional and cross-regional synergies, by means of knowledge sharing, including best practices sharing, and networking building among local civil society and between civil society and other relevant human rights bodies and mechanisms to enhance their capacities, including their resilience, and develop a compelling narrative on human rights and democracy with a multiplying effect.

3. Promoting effective multilateralism and strategic partnership, contributing to reinforcing capacities of international, regional and national instruments and mechanisms in promoting and protecting human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Strategic Partnerships shall be boosted, with a particular attention to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Criminal Court and other relevant international, regional and national human rights mechanisms. Furthermore, the programme shall promote education and research on human rights and democracy, including through the Global Campus of Human Rights.

2. AREAS OF INTERVENTION FOR CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS 1. Inclusive, participatory, empowered and independent civil society and democratic space in partner countries (a) Creating an enabling and accessible environment for citizen participation and civil society action, including through foundations by supporting active civil society participation in policy dialogues and the consolidation of dialogue platforms for non-state actors;

(b) Supporting and building the capacity of civil society organisations, and foundations, to act as both actors of development and good governance in their own right;

(c) Capacity building for civil society organisations for their support of vulnerable and marginalised groups by providing basic social services such as health - including nutrition, education, social protection, and access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene;

(d) Supporting and empowering women’s organisations and other relevant organisations working on gender equality as well as women human rights defenders to have the opportunity to work and be protected against threats and violence;

(e) Increasing the capacity of civil society networks, platforms and alliances in partner countries;

(f) Enabling civil society to carry out their work, through, inter alia, capacity building, coordination and institutional strengthening for civil society organisations, taking into account the importance of enabling space for their actions and access to funding, including to engage within their organisations and between different types of stakeholders. Fostering dialogue between civil society organisations and governments on public policy.

2. Inclusive and open dialogue with and between civil society actors (a) Promoting inclusive multi-stakeholder dialogue fora, including interaction and coordination between citizens, civil society, local authorities, Member States, partner countries, the private sector and other key development stakeholders;

(b) Enabling cooperation and exchange of knowledge and experience between and with civil society actors domestically and internationally;

(c) Fostering cooperation and partnerships of civil society organisations with international intergovernmental organisations, including capacity building aimed at promoting and monitoring the implementation of international and regional instruments, including those concerning human rights, justice, the rule of law and democracy;

(d) Ensuring a substantive and continued structured dialogue and partnerships with the Union.

3. Awareness, understanding, knowledge and engagement of European citizens regarding development issues (a) Empowering people to increase their engagement on development issues and the SDGs, including through raising public awareness, promoting formal, informal and non-formal education for development, especially among youth, and promoting knowledge sharing between the relevant actors, focusing on the Union Member States, candidate and potential candidate countries;

(b) Mobilising public support in the Union, candidate countries and potential candidates for sustainable and inclusive development strategies, including poverty reduction, in partner countries.

3. AREAS OF INTERVENTION FOR PEACE, STABILITY AND CONFLICT PREVENTION

1. Assistance for conflict prevention, peacebuilding and crisis preparedness The Union shall provide technical and financial assistance covering support for conflict-sensitive measures aimed at building and strengthening the capacity of the partners to analyse risks, prevent conflict, build peace and address pre- and post-crisis needs in close coordination with the UN and other international, regional and sub-regional organisations, and State, civil society and local authorities actors, in relation to their efforts mainly in the following areas, including specific attention to gender equality, ensuring the effective participation and empowerment of women and youth:

(a) early warning and conflict-sensitive risk analysis in policy-making and the implementation of policy;

(b) facilitation and building capacity in confidence-building, mediation, dialogue and reconciliation measures, including at community level, with particular regard to emerging inter-community tensions, especially with a view to the prevention of genocide and crimes against humanity;

(c) conflict prevention;

(d) strengthening capacities for participation and deployment in civilian stabilisation, peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions;

(e) improving post-conflict recovery as well as post-disaster recovery, with relevance to the political and security situation;

(f) supporting stabilisation, safety of individuals and human security restoration measures, including mine action, demining and transitional justice in line with relevant multilateral agreements;

(g) supporting peacebuilding and state-building actions, involving, where appropriate, civil society organisations, states and international organisations, as well as strengthening state-society relations;

(h) contributing to the further development of structural dialogue on peacebuilding issues at various levels, between civil society and partner countries, and with the Union;

(i) crisis response and preparedness;

(j) curbing the use of natural resources to finance conflicts, and supporting compliance by stakeholders with initiatives such as the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, and including legal acts such as Regulation (EU) 2017/821, especially as regards the implementation of efficient domestic controls over the production of, and trade in, natural resources;

(k) capacity building of military actors in support of development and security for development in accordance with Article 9;

(l) supporting actions promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment, in particular through implementation of UNSCRs 1325 (2000) and 2250 (2015) as well as participation and representation of women and youth in formal and informal peace processes;

(m) promoting a culture of non-violence, including by supporting formal, informal and non-formal peace education;

(n) supporting actions strengthening the resilience of states, societies, communities and individuals, including resilience assessments designed to identify the endogenous capacities within societies that allow them to withstand, adapt to and quickly recover from pressures and shocks;