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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.

(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

(f) capacity building of military actors in support of development and security for development, in accordance with Article 9. Priority shall be given to trans-regional cooperation involving two or more third countries which have demonstrated a clear political will to address the aforementioned threats. The measures shall place particular emphasis on good governance and shall be in accordance with international law. Cooperation in the fight against terrorism may also be conducted with individual countries, regions or international, regional and sub-regional organisations. With regard to assistance to authorities involved in the fight against terrorism, priority shall be given to supporting measures concerning the development and strengthening of counter-terrorism laws, the implementation and practice of financial law, of customs law and of immigration law, the development of law-enforcement procedures which are aligned with the highest international standards and which comply with international law, the strengthening of democratic control and institutional oversight mechanisms, and the prevention of violent radicalism.

With regard to assistance relating to the problem of drugs, due attention shall be given to international cooperation aimed at promoting best practices relating to the reduction of demand, production and harm.

4. AREAS OF INTERVENTION FOR GLOBAL CHALLENGES A. PEOPLE 1. Health (a) Developing crucial elements of an effective and comprehensive health system, including communicable diseases, that are best addressed at a global level to secure equitable, affordable, inclusive and universal access to health services, including those referred to in Article 8(4);

(b) Promoting, providing and expanding essential services and psychological support services for victims of violence, in particular women and children rape victims;

(c) Reinforcing global initiatives that are key enablers of universal health coverage through global leadership on a ‘health in all policies’ approach with a continuum of care, including health promotion, from prevention to post-treatment;

(d) Addressing global health security and antimicrobial resistance through communicable diseases research, including on poverty-related and neglected and vaccine-preventable diseases and control, combating fake medicines, translating knowledge into safe, accessible and affordable products (including generic medicines) and diagnostics and related health technologies, and policies that tackle the changing disease burden (non-communicable diseases, all forms of malnutrition and environmental risk factors), and shape global markets to improve access to affordable essential health commodities and health services, including those referred to in Article 8(4);

(e) Supporting global initiatives for the development of safe, efficient and affordable vaccines.

2. Education (a) Promoting the achievement of internationally agreed goals in education through joint global efforts for accessible, inclusive and equitable quality education and training, including of teachers, at all levels, for all ages, also in emergency and crisis situations and with a particular priority on strengthening free education systems;

(b) Strengthening knowledge, skills and values through partnerships and alliances, including support for education data and analysis, research and innovation, knowledge exchange, and education networks, for active citizenship and productive, educated, democratic, inclusive and resilient societies;

(c) Supporting global action on reducing all dimensions of discrimination and inequalities, such as the gaps between girls/women and boys/men, and between different groups in society, to ensure that everyone has equal opportunity to take part in economic, political, social and cultural life;

(d) Supporting inclusive and quality education in fragile environments;

(e) Supporting actions and promoting cooperation in the area of sport to contribute to the empowerment of women and of young people, individuals and communities.

3. Gender equality and women’s and girls’ empowerment

(a) Committing to advance gender equality and girls’ and women’s empowerment in all spheres; including support to establish a more enabling economic, political and social environment for the fulfilment of girls’ and women’s rights that will enable them to fully participate in society, have equal opportunities for leadership in social, economic, political and civil life and be a driver of development;

(b) Leading and supporting global efforts, partnerships and alliances for the rights of women and girls, as set out in the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Optional Protocol thereto to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and girls, including exclusion that women suffer in the different areas of their private and public lives such as the labour market and access to social and health services;

(c) Leading and supporting global efforts, partnerships and alliances for the rights of women to eliminate all forms of violence, harmful practices against women and girls, including physical, psychological, sexual and gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, as well as forced, early and child marriage and economic, political and other types of violence and discrimination, including in crisis situations as well as the exclusion that women suffer in the different areas of their private and public lives;

(d) Addressing root causes of gender inequalities as a means of supporting conflict prevention and peacebuilding; promoting the empowerment of women, including in their roles as development actors and peacebuilders;

(e) Promoting the protection and fulfilment of all women’s and girls’ rights, including those referred to in Article 8(4);

(f) Promoting the protection and fulfilment of rights of women and girls, including economic, political, labour and social rights and those referred to in Article 8(4).

4. Children and Youth