Professor Caroline Fennell

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission will award small grants of up to €6,000 and general grants of up to €20,000 to support activities in Ireland that promote access to justice for people who face the greatest barriers to accessing their rights.

Now in its fifth year, grants are open to civil society organisations, rights-holder and community led groups, and trade unions from across the country, who can bring forward proposals on empowering people to understand and claim their rights.

This includes people at risk of discrimination protected under the nine grounds of Ireland’s equality legislation: gender, civil status, family status, age, sexual orientation, disability, race, religion, and membership of the Traveller community and people at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

The strict deadline for receipt of applications is Monday 27th April at 4pm and full details of the grant scheme are available on the Commission’s website.

Acting chief commissioner Professor Caroline Fennell said: “The Human Rights and Equality Grants Scheme 2020-21 will support civil society organisations, rights-holders and community-led groups, and trade unions to build the capacity of people who are at risk of discrimination or human rights abuses to understand and more effectively claim their rights and organise themselves to advance their human rights and equality.

“Through this grant scheme focused on people’s access to justice, the Commission looks to empower people in claiming their rights, and shaping the decisions that impact on their human rights and the achievement of equality.”