Call for Proposals

CRD Mini-Grants Program

Call for Proposals
October 4, 2006

The Mini-Grants Program, a project of CRD, calls for proposals with focuses on the following subjects:

1. Local elections: Investigation of obstacles and irregularities facing independent candidates in the 2006-07 local elections of deputies to People’s Congress;
2. Housing rights and forced eviction: Case studies of property (housing/land) rights abuses, reform and policy change;
3. Freedom of movement and rights of the person: Investigation of violations of freedom of movement and rights to privacy (personal correspondences and property, etc.) against human rights and democracy activists;
4. Arbitrary detention facilities: Investigation of custody and repatriation practices after the abolition of the “Custody and Repatriation” system;
5. Migrant labor: Study and monitoring of labor conditions at construction sites;
6. Human rights lawyers: Studies on the restriction on and harassment of lawyers representing clients in politically sensitive cases or class-action lawsuits;
7. Media and publishing control: Study on government restrictions and controls on conventional media and publishing;
8. Internet control: Investigative reporting on free expression and information on the Internet, including email, BBS, online forums and instant messenging;
9. Rights to education: children’s rights to basic education in rural areas and of parents of migrant workers.
10. Treaty obligation to fight against torture: Shadow report on the government’s implementation of the UN Convention Against Torture;
11. Police violence: Case study, law/policy analysis of the widespread use of police violence (especially in relation to the new regulations on the use of riot police against demonstrators and authorization to use lethal weapon under certain circumstances);
12. Women human rights defenders: A study on the obstacles and challenges facing women human rights defenders;
13. Political participation rights: Production of educational materials for raising awareness of citizens’ rights to vote;
14. Independence of judges and the judiciary: Study of government and Party rule by law - manipulation and interference in the court system and judiciary process.

All research reports should include the following components:
1. Macro analysis on policy and legal system (for example: building a case for systematic discrimination against migrant workers);
2. Case study or field investigation;
3. Evaluation making reference to international conventions or standards;
4. Recommendations about legal/structural/policy reform and government actions.

Grant period: Between one year to one and a half year, with the possibility of extension on the basis of actual needs.

Contact: admin@monicafund.org, minigrants.crd@gmail.com

Please visit this website to learn about how to prepare a proposal:
http://weiquan-aid.org/?page_id=16

The CRD Grants Committee as well as invited experts evaluate and choose proposals based on quality and the principle of fair competition.