Global Clearinghouse Matters:
MARIO Special Edition

NGO: Equal Opportunities Initiative Association

Website: https://www.equalopportunities.eu/bg/

Project: Research on the legal framework for hate speech and the right to privacy in Europe and Bulgaria

Jurisdiction: European Union (Bulgaria)

Legal Topics: Freedom of expression, hate speech, right to privacy, EU legal framework, Bulgarian law

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Language: English

Criteria: Knowledge of hate speech, freedom of expression and discrimination in EU legislation and in the Bulgarian legal framework

Additional Information: 

The Equal Opportunities Initiative Association it’s a Bulgarian association established in 1996. The Association develops initiatives aimed at affirming equality in the opportunities of the Roma population through the development and implementation of programs for legal assistance, legal education and ensuring equal opportunities in the main public areas of education, health care, employment and housing conditions. The Association also promotes relations of mutual cooperation and tolerance between Roma and other groups of Bulgarian citizens.

The organization is seeking assistance with legal research on the legal framework of hate speech  and freedom of expression in Europe and Bulgaria. In particular, the Association would like to better understand the legal limits and the balance between freedom of expression/speech and the right to be defended against hate speech at the European Union level and in the Bulgarian context to better prepare arguments for claims and recommendations.

The organization also needs legal support to gain a comprehensive understanding of the rights and obligations enshrined in Article 8 of ECHR to understand the legal context and implications surrounding the violation of the article, in the context of discrimination against the Roma population.

NGO: Equal Opportunities Initiative Association

Website: https://www.equalopportunities.eu/bg/

Project: Assistance with drafting social media policy

Jurisdiction: Bulgaria

Legal Topics: Social media law, privacy law, defamation, discrimination

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Language: English

Criteria: Social media law, Privacy law, Libel, Slander, and Defamation law

Additional Information: 

The Equal Opportunities Initiative Association it’s a Bulgarian association established in 1996. The Association develops initiatives aimed at affirming equality in the opportunities of the Roma population through the development and implementation of programs for legal assistance, legal education and ensuring equal opportunities in the main public areas of education, health care, employment and housing conditions. The Association also promotes relations of mutual cooperation and tolerance between Roma and other groups of Bulgarian citizens.

The Association does not currently have a social media policy and is seeking legal assistance to draft such a document, especially in relation to the activity of monitoring the media space for hate speech against Roma communities, to create a safe and inclusive online environment for users.

NGO: Kitchen of conflicts Foundation

Website: https://kuchniakonfliktu.pl/en

Project: Reviewing Policies and addressing possible gaps

Jurisdiction: Poland  

Legal Topics: Non-profit Law, NGO compliance, Polish employment law

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Language:  English, Polish

Criteria: Specialized in organizations’ policy development and compliance, anti-money laundering regulations, knowledge of Polish Employment law.

Additional Information: 

Conflict Kitchen is a grassroot charity and a social enterprise co-created by refugees. They had been running a socially engaged bistro for 7 years, which has become a space for dialogue and mutual assistance through operating a place where refugees could share the foods from their hometowns. In 2021, the bistro was passed over to the refugee-led initiative called Women on the Move. This is the fulfillment of the idea of the Kitchen – supporting the self-agency and empowerment of refugees. Kitchen of conflicts Foundation continues to support refugees in their personal development and help them in everyday challenges, working towards intercultural dialogue and community empowerment.

The organization is looking for a professional who can conduct a review of its current policies and provide recommendations to address any possible gaps or deficiencies. The organization currently has the following policies in Polish and English language: 1.General Guidelines; 2. Discrimination, Mobbing Sexual Harassment; 3. Anti Money Laundering and Conflict of Interest; and 4. Beneficiaries’ Protection.

The organization also needs a general assessment to evaluate the need of any potential missing policy and consequent drafting of eventual missing policy.

NGO: Kitchen of Conflicts Foundation

Website: https://kuchniakonfliktu.pl/en 

Project: Reviewing Data Protection Policy and addressing possible gaps

Jurisdiction: Poland

Legal Topics: GDPR

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Language: English, Polish

Criteria: Expertise in GDPR

Additional Information: 

Conflict Kitchen is a grassroot charity and a social enterprise co-created by refugees. They had been running a socially engaged bistro for 7 years, which has become a space for dialogue and mutual assistance through operating a place where refugees could share the foods from their hometowns. In 2021, the bistro was passed over to the refugee-led initiative called Women on the Move. This is the fulfillment of the idea of the Kitchen – supporting the self-agency and empowerment of refugees. Kitchen of conflicts Foundation continues to support refugees in their personal development and help them in everyday challenges, working towards intercultural dialogue and community empowerment.

The organization is seeking assistance from a bilingual professional to review its current data protection policy and to provide a legal translation of the policy (English/Polish)

NGO: NGO Unity | Fundacja Jedność

Website: https://minorityrights.org/marioproject/database/ngo-unity-from-weakness-to-strength/

Project: Reviewing Policies and addressing possible gaps

Jurisdiction: Poland

Legal Topics: Nonprofit law, NGO compliance, Employment law

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Language: Ukrainian or Russian (preferable), Polish (optional) 

Criteria: Knowledge of non-profit policy development and compliance. Knowledge of Polish non-profit law.

Additional Information: 

NGO Unity is a foundation led by a team of 7 Ukrainian women teachers, who are currently in Poland amid the war in Ukraine. The group has been creating cultural and educational center for children, teenagers and adults in Dnipro (Ukraine) for 8 years, and now for 1 year in the heart of Krakow (Poland). During the last year, the NGO created several cultural and educational projects involving more than 1000 Ukrainians.

NGP Unity is currently looking for legal support to conduct a review of its current Code of Conduct and a Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) policies and provide recommendations to address any possible gaps or deficiencies. The organization also needs a general assessment to evaluate the need of any potential missing policy and, if needed, support in drafting missing policies. In particular, the organization is looking at creating a policy framework sufficiently robust to enable it to take part in partnership at regional level, especially with international organizations.

NGO: NGO Unity | Fundacja Jedność

Website: https://minorityrights.org/marioproject/database/ngo-unity-from-weakness-to-strength/

Project: Consulting on Labor Law

Jurisdiction: Poland

Legal Topics: Polish employment law

Deadline: October 31, 2023

Language: Ukrainian or Russian (preferable), Polish (optional) 

Criteria: Knowledge of Polish employment law

Additional Information: 

NGO Unity is a foundation led by a team of 7 Ukrainian women teachers, who are currently in Poland amid the war in Ukraine. The group has been creating cultural and educational center for children, teenagers and adults in Dnipro (Ukraine) for 8 years, and now for 1 year in the heart of Krakow (Poland). During the last year, the NGO created several cultural and educational projects involving more than 1000 Ukrainians.

NGO Unity is looking for an employment law expert to review their current employees’ contracts and to create templates for future use, in line with Polish Labor Law.

NGO: Human rights- step by step association

Website: https://minorityrights.org/marioproject/database/human-rights-step-by-step-association-i-want-to-be-heard/

Project: Assistance with drafting social media policy and evaluation of any potential missing policy

Jurisdiction: European Union (Bulgaria)

Legal Topics: Social Media law, Privacy law, Non-profit Law, NGO compliance

Deadline: November 30, 2023

Language: English / Bulgarian 

Criteria: Specialized in organizations’ policy development and compliance

Additional Information: 

Human rights- step by step association is a Bulgarian organization working towards a balanced  civil society, equal opportunities and equal representation of men and women and various ethnic groups in public and in private sectors. One of the current projects of the organization is focusing on the inclusion of the Roma population in the local municipality of Varna (Bulgaria).

The association needs a general assessment to evaluate the need of any potential missing policy (such a social media policy) and, if needed, support in drafting such policies. In particular, the organization is looking at creating a policy framework sufficiently robust to enable it to take part in partnership at regional level, especially with international organizations and networks.

NGO: Roma Advocacy and Research Centre

Website: https://romadata.org/

Project: Assistance with drafting internal and external social media policies

Jurisdiction: Slovakia

Legal Topics: Social media law, privacy law, defamation, discrimination

Deadline: November 30, 2023

Language: English / Slovakian (optional)

Criteria: Social media law, Policy development,  Libel, Slander, and Defamation law

Additional Information: 

Roma Advocacy and Research Centre was founded in August 2014 by a group of young Roma advocates from various backrounds, who decided to use their professional knowledge to influence the public discourse on the Roma minority. The main activity of the organization consists in influencing the community development of the Roma minority through an inclusive approach, especially by educating the new generation and improving the social status of disadvantaged groups.  The organization’s advocacy is channeled on the horizontal priorities of equality and non-discrimination within employment, education, health and housing

The Organization does not currently have an internal social media policy and is seeking legal assistance to draft a policy to govern its communication on social media and to reflect its positions. The organization is planning to use such a policy also as a model social media policy for advocacy purposes to disseminate and create awareness on non discriminatory online language in relation to minorities (particularly Roma communities), especially for journalists, other organizations and companies.

NGO: Roma Advocacy and Research Centre

Website: https://romadata.org/

Project: Legal research on EU human rights framework and applicable case law in the area of equality and non-discrimination and the application of relevant national criminal law

Jurisdiction: Slovakia

Legal Topics: ECHR, Directive 2000/43, Directive 2000/78

Deadline: November 30, 2023

Language: English / Slovakian (optional)

Criteria: Expertise in EU human rights legal framework, non-discrimination and equality

Additional Information: 

Roma Advocacy and Research Centre was founded in August 2014 by a group of young Roma advocates from various backrounds, who decided to use their professional knowledge to influence the public discourse on the Roma minority. The main activity of the organization consists in influencing the community development of the Roma minority through an inclusive approach, especially by educating the new generation and improving the social status of disadvantaged groups.  The organization’s advocacy is channeled on the horizontal priorities of equality and non-discrimination within employment, education, health and housing.

The organization is seeking assistance with legal research in support of their advocacy work.  They need legal support in compiling a comprehensive list of relevant EU legislative framework which includes an analysis and examples of practical applications of binding international human rights instruments, treaties and directives, as well as a list of applicable case law and relevant official resources (such as guides and action plans) in the area of equality and non-discrimination. 

The organization also needs an in depth analysis and application of selected articles the Slovak Criminal Code (articles 421, 422a-c, 423 and 424 related to propaganda against a group of person, production, distribution and possession of extremist materials, defamation and incitement of National, Racial and Ethnic Hatred) in comparison with the EU legal framework.