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Democracy & Human Rights Fund

The Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF) is a unique program designed to support small, high-impact activities in civil society that aid, protect and advocate human rights and democratization throughout Africa. This grants program was established in 1991 when the United States Congress, recognizing the need to instill more flexibility in U.S. aid efforts, authorized a fund to support grassroots activities aimed at promoting democracy, good governance and respect for human rights. To date, the DHRF has contributed over $1.5 million to further its objective.

Some of the themes that proposals may cover and encourage include, but are not limited to, the following ideas:

  • Human Rights: Education, human rights NGO start-ups, creative projects to improve respect of human rights, rehabilitation of HR abuse victims.
  • Legal: publication and/or translation of the Constitution or other laws into minority dialects, legal education, legal association start-ups, legal aid projects.
  • Judicial: improving the Judiciary's efficiency, training court officials including local and traditional officials.
  • Civic Education: public education for independent journalists on the role of independent media in a democracy, technical assistance. Support to journalists association start-ups, public awareness campaign of voting rights and/or the social cost of public corruption.
  • Women's Rights: education, counseling and legal support for the prevention of violence against women or harmful traditional practices, empowerment of women, women-led NGO start-ups, increased access of women to ethnic groups to the Judicial system and to the political process.
  • Electoral: very limited assistance to independent electoral commissions, assistance to local NGO election monitoring groups.
  • Conflict Resolution: limited to activities which promote tolerance and understanding between sectors of society, such as ethnic or religious groups or political factions such as workshops publication of civic education material pertaining to equality of rights and responsibilities under a democratic system.Remember, our project should result in some change in the democratic or human rights field. Priority will be given to proposals that promote human rights and democracy in Ghana.

All proposals are due on November 30 th for funding consideration the following year. Please refer to the DHRF guidelines for clarification on project proposal ideas. Email the DHRF Coordinator, on (233)(21) 741000 for questions and coments.