Projects should also help creating a channel of communication with the EU level to report on the state of the civic space in their countries and voice their concerns.

More specifically, projects could create a systematic and comprehensive monitoring system to regularly and consistently monitor the environment in which civil society organisations work in the national contexts, building on the Fundamental Rights Agency indicators about the shrinking civic space and of internal organisations’ data, and in particular of breaches of civil society organisations and human rights defenders’ fundamental rights.

Projects could also support and enhance the protection of civil society organisations, their members and human rights defenders working to protect and promote EU values under attack, including by facilitating access to dedicated support services. As such, they could also contribute to strengthening the resilience of civil society actors against attacks, including cyber threats, and their capacity to fully exploit the possibilities of the converged media to carry out effective, visible and impactful advocacy activities in the digital environment.

Transnational partnerships with mutual learning possibilities for partners in several EU Member States are particularly encouraged to apply, as well as networks of relevant actors at national level such as National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), equality bodies, Ombuds-institutions, and the national Charter Focal Points.

The following activities can be covered:

• Analytical activities and creation of a methodology to monitor the civic space in EU Member States, including activities to: encourage and facilitate cooperation and coordination between all actors potentially involved in such monitoring activities; enhance the capacity of staff – in particular within civil society organisations – to carry out monitoring activities;
• Mutual learning, exchange of good practices, including those that may be transferable to other countries;
• Communication activities, including dissemination of information and awareness raising about the state of play on civic space, including towards the EU level;
• Capacity building for civil society organisations on monitoring the civic space, including developments of tools and services to: Support and protect civil society organisations, their members as well as human rights defenders working to protect and promote EU values, facing threats and under attacks;
• Facilitate access to special procedures or channels to report threats and attacks, and document and analyse the environment in which civil society organisations work;
• Ensure that existing victim support services and emergency helplines are available and tailored to individuals working for civil society organisations and persons close to them when their safety is under a credible actual or potential risk due to their work.
• Development of synergies and protocols of cooperation among the actors working to protect the civic space at local, regional, national and European level and between them and the national and European authorities.