ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE COMPETITION OF PROJECT PROPOSALS
(Financial Support to Third Parties – FSTP) within the framework of the project “Breaking the Vicious Circle: A Multifaceted Approach to Combating Torture in Kazakhstan”, funded by the European Union
1. General Information
This call for proposals is announced within the framework of the project “Breaking the Vicious Circle: A Multifaceted Approach to Combating Torture in Kazakhstan”, implemented by the Taldykorgan Human Rights Center (THRC) in partnership with the Kazakhstan International Bureau for Human Rights and Rule of Law (KIBHR) and the international organization Penal Reform International (PRI).
This call is conducted within the framework of a project funded by the European Union. The contents of this announcement are the sole responsibility of the implementing organization and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.
The objective of the project is to contribute to the eradication of torture in Kazakhstan by improving the effectiveness of investigations, strengthening prevention mechanisms, developing systems of rehabilitation and compensation for victims, and enhancing advocacy efforts.
2. Purpose of the Call
The purpose of this call is to provide financial support to non-governmental organizations for:
– providing qualified legal assistance to victims of torture;
– ensuring psychological rehabilitation of victims of torture;
– strengthening the capacity of participants of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) through training and Training of Trainers (ToT).
3. Timeline of the Call
Date of announcement: April 27, 2026
Application submission deadline: May 18, 2026
Application evaluation period: May 19 – June 1, 2026
Announcement of results: June 5, 2026
The organizer reserves the right to extend the application submission deadline by informing interested parties accordingly.
4. Priority Areas (Lots)
Applicants may submit an application for only one lot:
Lot 1. Provision of Legal Assistance to Victims of Torture
Support for initiatives aimed at providing qualified legal assistance to victims of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including legal counselling, legal representation and case support during pre-trial investigation and court proceedings, engagement of specialized lawyers and attorneys, as well as documentation and analysis of law enforcement practice.
Expected results / indicators:
– provision of at least 50 legal services to victims of torture;
– creation of a practical case database to identify systemic problems in the investigation of torture and improve law enforcement practice;
– support of cases during pre-trial investigation and court proceedings while ensuring victims’ access to qualified legal assistance.
Lot 2. Psychological and Psychiatric Assistance and Development of Rehabilitation Methodology
Support for initiatives aimed at providing psychological and psychiatric assistance to victims of torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, including individual consultations, support for persons suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), engagement of specialized professionals, as well as development of practical rehabilitation approaches.
Expected results / indicators:
– provision of at least 5 psychological consultations to victims of torture and ill-treatment, including in an inpatient rehabilitation center;
– provision of psychological and psychiatric assistance to persons who survived torture and ill-treatment, including persons with PTSD;
– development of a rehabilitation methodology for persons who survived torture and ill-treatment, including persons with PTSD;
– preparation of methodological materials for subsequent submission to the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Kazakhstan for consideration as an approved protocol for medical and psychosocial assistance.
Lot 3. Training of Trainers for the NPM (ToT)
Support for initiatives aimed at conducting Training of Trainers (ToT) for the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM), preparing regional trainers in all regions of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and strengthening the capacity for monitoring closed institutions in order to prevent torture and ill-treatment.
Expected results / indicators:
– training of at least 22 trainers for further training of regional NPM participants;
– strengthening the capacity for monitoring closed institutions at the regional level;
– improving the quality of training and work of NPM monitors.
5. Eligibility Criteria
Who may apply:
– registered NGOs of the Republic of Kazakhstan;
– organizations with experience in the areas of:
Additional requirements:
– organizational and human resource capacity;
– experience working with vulnerable groups (preferred);
– ability to implement the project within the proposed timeframe.
6. Funding Amount and Conditions
7. Eligible Activities
The following activities may be funded within the framework of the project:
– provision of legal and psychological assistance;
– conducting trainings and seminars;
– documentation of torture cases;
– conducting research and preparation of analytical materials;
– engagement of experts (lawyers, psychologists, trainers).
8. Application Evaluation Criteria
Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
1. Relevance
2. Effectiveness
3. Impact
4. Sustainability
5. Organizational Capacity
6. Community Engagement
9. Submission of Applications
To participate in the call, applicants must submit:
Applications must be submitted in Russian.
📎 Application forms and related documents (Annexes 1–4) are available for download at the following link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15ZpeqMVjpByRctDZjeibcu9q9ZaA1E7o?usp=sharing
Applications should be submitted electronically to:
Nurmukhanova.zhanar@gmail.com with the subject line:
“Mini-Grant Competition – [name of organization]”
Incomplete applications or applications submitted in violation of the requirements may be rejected.
10. Application Evaluation Procedure
The evaluation process will consist of several stages:
Stage 1. Administrative Review
The completeness of the application, compliance with formal requirements, and eligibility criteria will be checked.
Stage 2. Technical Evaluation
Applications will be evaluated by independent experts based on the approved evaluation matrix.
Stage 3. Shortlisting
Based on the technical evaluation results, a shortlist of applications receiving the highest scores will be formed.
Only applications included in the shortlist will proceed to the next evaluation stage.
Stage 4. Assessment of Organizational Capacity
Applicants shortlisted will undergo an additional assessment of organizational and financial capacity (based on the organizational capacity assessment questionnaire).
Stage 5. Final Decision
The final decision on grant awards will be made by the selection committee taking into account the results of all evaluation stages.
11. Key Principles
12. Conflict of Interest
Applicants are required to disclose any potential conflict of interest.
If a conflict of interest is identified, the application may be rejected.
13. Final Provisions
Applications will be selected on a competitive basis taking into account technical requirements and expected results.
Supported projects will contribute to the development of the system for protection of torture victims, improvement of investigation effectiveness, and strengthening of torture prevention mechanisms in Kazakhstan.
The organizer reserves the right not to award all or part of the grants without providing reasons.
Annexes:
Annex 1. Application Form
Annex 2. Budget
Annex 3. Evaluation Matrix
Annex 4. Organizational Capacity Assessment Questionnaire (completed upon request)