← All opportunities

Horizon Europe · European Union

Women’s, LGBTIQ and minority rights in a context of autocracy, conflict and geopolitical shifts

Opens 13 May 2027

The EU's Horizon Europe programme expects to make 3 awards of €3.5 million – €4 million each, from a total budget of €12 million. Applications close on 23 Sep 2027 (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time). Organisations in EU member states and Horizon Europe associated countries such as Türkiye can usually take part; the topic conditions control.

Expected outcome

Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:

• Policymakers, public administrations, human rights organisations, and civil society actors have strengthened mechanisms to protect groups in a vulnerable situation (such as women, LGBTIQ people, persons with disabilities and minorities) in contexts of autocracy, conflict, and geopolitical instability.

• Researchers and data collection bodies benefit from robust methodologies to systematically document and analyse the impact of democratic backsliding, conflict, and geopolitical shifts on the rights of these specific groups in a vulnerable situation.

• Civil society organisations and grassroots movements have enhanced their resilience and advocacy strategies, thanks to the identification of best practices and innovative approaches to counter repression, expand civic space, and promote inclusive governance, including in authoritarian or conflict settings.

Scope

Autocratic regimes, armed conflicts, and global geopolitical shifts pose significant threats to fundamental rights. These challenges manifest in the rollback of legal protections, increased political violence, shrinking civic space, and targeted discrimination, both offline and online. In this context, a deeper understanding of the disproportionate impact of these crises on different groups is key to developing more targeted and effective policies.

The proposed research should examine the intersection of age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, minority status, or migratory background, in contexts of democratic erosion, authoritarian governance, and geopolitical crises. It can focus on one or multiple groups in a vulnerable situation, such as women, LGBTIQ people, ethnic and/or religious minorities, people with disabilities, children or the elderly. Case studies could be selected to reflect a wide range of geopolitical contexts, including regions undergoing democratic erosion, post-conflict reconstruction, or consolidation of authoritarian rule.

Who can apply

Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries, at least one in a Member State (Horizon Europe standard rule).

Applicant categories are a starting point. The official call decides eligibility.

Topics

Ageing, work, social policies Collective Awareness Crisis management Gender in Security Gender in social sciences Political & Cultural, ethical and religious analysis Protection of citizens (goods and people) Social structure, inequalities, social mobility, interethnic relations Structures vulnerability prediction Autocracy Civil Society Conflict Democratic backsliding Fundamental Rights Gender equality Geopolitical shift Geopolitics Human rights Intersectionality LGBTIQ

Timing

Single-stage call. Next deadline 2027-09-23. The portal states the exact cut-off time (EU calls usually close at 17:00 Brussels time).

How to apply

1. Read the full topic on the Funding & Tenders Portal: expected outcome, scope, type of action and the topic conditions, including any country restrictions.
2. Register each participating organisation in the Funding & Tenders Portal to get a PIC.
3. Consortium of at least 3 independent legal entities from 3 different EU Member States or associated countries (Horizon Europe standard rule; Türkiye is associated). Confirm in the topic conditions.
4. Prepare Part A (administrative forms and budget, completed in the portal) and Part B (the technical description on the official template for this type of action).
5. Submit in the portal before the cut-off time on the deadline day. Late submissions are not accepted.

From the call text

Who can apply

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Company stage

Not stated in the call text we hold — check the official page

Single applicant or consortium

Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Where applicants must be based

Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Where to apply

Read the topic conditions on the EU Funding & Tenders Portal for eligible countries, consortium requirements, budget and the application route.

Read the EU application guide

Where these facts come from

Official sources

Official call page

Facts on this page come from the funder’s official data, taken on 14 Nov 2026. The funder's own documents, including later amendments, always take precedence.

More from Horizon Europe