The European Commission said on Monday it had pledged 119.5 million euros ($140 million) to finance programs aimed at supporting democracy and human rights in countries across the world in 2021
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th September, 2021) The European Commission said on Monday it had pledged 119.5 million Euros ($140 million) to finance programs aimed at supporting democracy and human rights in countries across the world in 2021.
"Following the 2021 International Democracy Week, the European Union has announced five actions worth 119.5 million to boost the strong European support to democracy and human rights around the world in 2021," the EU body said in a statement.
Of those funds, 5 million euros will be sent to non-profit Alliance of Democracies Foundation to foster data collection and analysis, as well as strengthen cooperation within the EU in the area of democracy and human rights. Another 4.8 million euros are set to support this year's budget of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
"Around 100.8 million will be used to support local civil society organisations, democracy activists and human rights defenders in 116 partner countries. These funds will come from the country allocations under the new Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe (NDICI), and will be managed by EU Delegations," the statement read.
Four more million euros will ensure rapid and confidential support to civil society groups via the bloc's Human Rights Crises Facility in the regions with the most difficult, dangerous and unpredictable political situations and human rights records. The remaining 4.9 million euros will be allocated to the Global Campus of Human Rights, a unique network of one hundred universities set up by the EU to advance regional and global cooperation in human rights education.
The Democracy week is annually held by the EU around International Democracy Day, September 15. It features a series of events dedicated to protecting and promoting human rights and democracy.
