Youth Engagement in Support of Multilateral Environment Agreements

Specific activities to be funded:

GEF SGP is looking for an entity that will undertake planning and implementation of virtual youth engagement activities linked to the global events of Multilateral Environmental Agreements, including Rio conventions, and other related UN events. The activities will be designed and implemented in close collaboration with the GEF SGP and relevant convention focal points.  

1. Virtual events: Ensuring empowerment of civil society, communities and vulnerable groups and supporting their participation in the global policy processes is part of core GEF SGP mandate. Over the past 6 years GEF SGP supported the events facilitating this participation such as dialogues, video competitions and conference side events. During the past two years the majority of these events became virtual because of the global health crisis. As virtual events, trainings, and other engagements are becoming more common, they are likely to stay, even as the health crisis abates. GEF SGP is looking to pilot and further develop these new approaches to preserve the momentum of this work as well as to complement possible in-person efforts in the future. 

2. Virtual Competitions/Contests: The selected organization will work closely with GEF SGP and convention focal points to design suitable ways to engage youth, particularly in the global South, through online competitions such as filmmaking and visual storytelling to showcase innovative solutions to the key environmental problems addressed by the conventions. The competitions can potentially be integrated in the work of the organization and form a part of its youth engagement efforts. 

3. Virtual Training and Networking: The selected organization should be able to provide training and capacity building, specifically in virtual format in youth journalism, filmmaking, storytelling and environmental advocacy. It is expected that such training forms part of the selected organization’s capacity and mission and is fully integrated in its programming. The organization will also be expected to facilitate the networking among the young participants and trainees through the website and virtual events.

Overriding Principle

SGP is calling for proposals based on a new grant making modality to be administered at the global level. This is in addition to similar ‘Call for Proposals’ (CFP) which are undertaken by national level SGP country programmes. The principles under which this CFP will work is based on the interest of fairness, transparency and integrity. This modality is recommended as the most appropriate solicitation method for announcing available grant support under the competitive selection method. The selection will be undertaken by a committee whose decisions will be final. The eligible entities who may wish to pursue further information related to their bids may follow the UNOPS advisory related to this call for proposals. 

Background of GEF SGP 

The GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) is a corporate programme of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) since 1992. SGP grant-making in over 125 countries promotes community-based innovation, capacity development, and empowerment through sustainable development projects of communities’ local civil society organizations with special consideration for indigenous peoples, women, and youth. SGP projects support biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and adaptation, prevention of land degradation, protection of international waters, and reduction of the impact of chemicals, within a sustainable development framework that promotes sustainable livelihoods and citizen empowerment.

Objective

In connection with these efforts GEF SGP is calling for proposals to support youth engagement at the global level, particularly related to the Multilateral Environmental Agreements and related Conferences of Parties. In the changing global context, particularly, as a result of the ongoing global health crisis, the proposed activities are expected to be largely virtual, involving social media, video conferencing and other similar means of communication. They may include (but are not limited to) video competition or similar activity, virtual events linked to the agreements, Conferences of Parties, General Assembly and other UN and international events, provision of online training, networking and other similar activities. 

For further information and details, including how to submit your proposal, please refer to the attached CFP document.