The Program aims to reduce gender-based violence in our society by mobilizing and empowering a wide range of non-governmental organizations to work on this issue. The Program will strengthen the overall capacity of the NGOs to integrate gender perspectives in their day-to-day activities, with a particular focus on the prevention of gender-based violence, and promote cooperation between regional NGOs in the design and implementation of joint projects to change gender stereotypes. The Program is implemented in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia in 2024-2027.

The Program is developed and implemented by the Open Lithuania Foundation, the Centre for Equality Advancement, the MARTA Centre in Latvia, and the Women’s Support and Information Centre in Estonia. The Program is funded by the European Union Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Program (CERV-2023-DAPHNE).

Gender-based violence is one of the broadly spread crimes that have a dramatic impact on the societies of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. In Lithuania reporting to police about incidents of domestic violence annually comprises about 15,1 % of all crimes. Femicide rates in Latvia increase every year and are the highest among all European states. In Estonia, nearly twice as many Estonian women (64%) than European women (35%) have fallen victim to physical violence at home.
While gender-based violence is pervasive throughout the EU, problems in the prevention and protection of domestic violence against women are very similar in all 3 Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The explanations for this are the common historical and political backgrounds. In the time of the Soviet occupation, gender-based violence was considered a domestic conflict and a private matter to be solved within a family.

The GrassRoots program is open to all NGOs working to promote fundamental principles of human dignity, equality, and non-discrimination, in addition to NGOs with experience in combating violence. The Program welcomes applications from organisations of all sizes and scopes, from local and regional NGOs to national NGOs.

The first call for proposals is specifically targeted at regional NGOs in Lithuania to strengthen their capacities. The capacity-building Program consists of two stages: training (Stage I) and application for project funding, implementation of a funded project (Stage II).

The second call for proposals aims to strengthen NGO advocacy efforts to stop and prevent gender-based violence in Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. In 2025, national NGOs from all three Baltic States that have established partnerships with regional NGOs will be eligible to apply.

This section will publish all open calls for NGO participation in the Program and Program documents (in Lithuanian only) Please follow the information Veikiam – ALF