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- Deadline: 23 September 2026 ProgrammeHorizon Europe (HORIZON)Switzerland is an Associated Country to Horizon Europe and Swiss entities may participate as beneficiaries and coordinators. Call restrictions may apply.CallCulture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 2026 (HORIZON-CL2-2026-01)Planned opening date12 May 2026Deadline date23 September 2026 17:00:00 Brussels timeTopic descriptionExpected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:EU and national policymakers and relevant stakeholders get an enhanced understanding of the drivers of violence against women and LGBTIQ people who are politically active or political aspirants.Enhanced prevention and early intervention through better understanding of the drivers and impacts of violence (short- and long-term) on women and LGBTIQ people engaged, or aspiring to engage, in online and offline political activities and how their participation evolves after experiencing violence and harassment.Uptake of evidence-based policy recommendations by policymakers and relevant stakeholders on tackling gender-based violence alongside violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people, promoting equal political participation and addressing harmful narratives.Broader adherence to media guidelines on responsible, ethical, and safe portrayals of and reporting on gender-based violence in a political context, embedding gender-sensitive and intersectional reporting and incorporating successful practices with demonstrable, positive outcomes.Promotion of an inclusive environment that encourages political participation of women, and LGBTIQ people, notably from underrepresented groups, through collaboration across key public, political and civil society actors.Scope:The increased participation and visibility of women and LGBTIQ people in public life coincides with a rise in two severe forms of violence: politically motivated violence targeting public figures and gender-based violence (GBV). When these two forms of violence intersect, they obstruct progress toward equality, reinforce traditional gender norms and stereotypes, power imbalances, and pose significant threats to democratic societies.The EU Directive on combating violence against women acknowledges the impact of violence on women active in public life, particularly its silencing effect. The European Commission’s 2024-2029 political guidelines place the fight against GBV at the heart of the post-2025 Equality Strategy, notably to empower women in politics. The Roadmap for Women’s Rights recalls that women “face higher risks of threats and violence limiting their participation in public life”, while the Equality Commissioner’s Mission Letter identifies hate-motivated harassment and (online) violence as a key focus for the EU LGBTIQ equality strategy for 2026-2030. The mission letter to the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice and the Rule of Law emphasises strengthening the protection of political candidates and elected representatives facing growing threats and undue pressure.This violence occurs in various forms, including sexual and physical threats and assaults, harassment, character assassinations, hate speech, disinformation campaigns exploiting misogynistic or anti-LGBTIQ narratives and deceptive image manipulation. With technological advancements, the methods of violence and harassment have moved online and become increasingly sophisticated and viral, exemplified by phenomena like cyber pile-on harassment and deepfakes. Their consequences, however, extend to the physical world, causing physical and psychological harm, as well as impacting professional and personal reputations, quality of life, and family. Proposals should, therefore, explore the wide range of impacts, including the chilling effect on victims, such as their withdrawal from social media public debates or public offices, including political ones. As situations of social, economic or political instability can exacerbate GBV and LGBTIQ-phobic violence, proposals are encouraged to explore how crises affect the nature, prevalence, and prevention of these types of violence, as well as victims’ access to support and justice.Both political and media spheres, including radio, television, print, and online platforms, play a key role in shaping societal norms. Yet, coverage of GBV and cases of LGBTIQ-phobic violence are often sensationalised and biased, particularly when it involves public figures. For instance, little is known on how fictional and non-fictional narratives influence public awareness and perceptions of violence against politically active women and LGBTIQ people. Such gaps can lead to inadequate responses and support systems, while reinforcing gender stereotypes and contributing to victim blaming. Proposals should gather data on this impact and counteract sensationalism and misogyny to position media as driver of positive change. Proposals should also include analysis of the impact and potential gaps of existing EU legislation such as the Digital Services Act, and provide recommendations to policymakers.Proposals are encouraged to explore cultural beliefs and practices, considering fields such as cinema and literature alongside social media platforms to explore how cultural representations and national context influence perceptions and responses to intersecting violence.In addition, given that politically motivated violence, GBV and LGBTIQ-phobic violence intersect with various forms of discrimination, including racism, proposals must consider at least three intersecting factors, such as disability, racial or ethnic background, age, religion or belief or other relevant intersecting dimensions. An intersectional lens is key to understand how the perpetration and experience of violence, including to report and access support, vary according to social, economic and identity-related characteristics of victims and perpetrators.A multi-country approach using quantitative and qualitative data is key. Proposals should draw on a range of relevant disciplines (including SSH), and engage stakeholders, civil society organisations and individuals directly affected by the issues in the design and implementation of research activities. Engaging men and boys in preventing violence and challenging norms should be an integral part of the research. This could include exploring how arts and humanities approaches can foster critical reflection on gender norms, violence and discrimination.Where applicable, proposals should leverage the data and services available through European Research Infrastructures federated under the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC). Particular efforts should be made to ensure that the data produced in the context of this topic is FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable).Proposals are encouraged to identify other relevant EU-funded projects, and to explore potential collaboration opportunities with them.
- Deadline: 26 September 2026 ProgrammeHorizon Europe (HORIZON)Switzerland is an Associated Country to Horizon Europe and Swiss entities may participate as beneficiaries and coordinators. Call restrictions may apply.CallCulture, Creativity and Inclusive Society 2026 (HORIZON-CL2-2026-01)Planned opening date12 May 2026Deadline date23 September 2026 17:00:00 Brussels timeTopic descriptionExpected Outcome:Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes:Policymakers are made aware and are equipped with the knowledge and tools to integrate inclusive and intersectional perspectives into their policymaking, which strengthens their capacity to promote and protect democracy, fundamental rights, and EU values.Researchers gain insights on how to translate their findings on intersectional inequalities and democracy into actionable, evidence-based recommendations, enabling them to effectively inform policy and practice at local, regional, national, and EU levels.Innovative solutions developed under Horizon Europe and other EU-funding programmes empower equally all citizens, to participate in democratic processes and decision-making.Scope:This call topic aims to establish a Research and Innovation Network for a Union of Equality. The proposed network should bring together academic institutions, public bodies and civil society organisations to collaborate and promote the advancement of inclusive, equal, and resilient democratic societies.The proposed network should contribute to the development of a comprehensive approach to democracy, fostering a culture of participation and inclusivity, and promoting the EU values of equality, justice, and human rights. It should also address how equality and intersectionality are defined across the EU’s diverse socio-political landscapes to ensure inclusive policies that account for varying cultural and social contexts. It could also reflect on how to foster the implementation of EU strategies under the Union of Equality.The network should support the implementation of gender-inclusive and intersectional strategies to counter disinformation, reduce societal polarisation, and re-engage citizens in democratic practices. These efforts could also aim at promoting critical thinking, media literacy, and active civic participation across diverse groups including youth and underrepresented groups. The network could also leverage foresight to anticipate emerging challenges to democracy and inform effective policy responses. Its work should be informed by close contact with elected representatives at local, regional, national and EU levels.As soon as possible in the network’s lifecycle, a dedicated online platform should be established to share evidence-based recommendations and innovative solutions to strengthen democratic practices based on Horizon Europe projects’ results and other relevant sources. This platform should be backed by a comprehensive repository that gathers information on existing tools, trainings, data, including disaggregated data, and methodologies for gender mainstreaming and addressing intersectional inequalities. It could also include a collaborative webpage for stakeholders to share information on events, calls for papers, and funding opportunities related to inclusive democracy, gender equality, and intersectionality.The network should ensure and support the translation of research findings (including from SSH disciplines) into actionable, evidence-based proposals, and to enable the development of practical and effective recommendations that drive positive change at different level of actions (local, national, supranational). Living labs and innovation hubs could be used to provide a collaborative environment for stakeholders to co-create and test solutions.To foster collaboration and drive progress, the network should host an annual thematic forum, providing a platform for stakeholders and policymakers to meet in person and share innovative ideas, receive feedback, and learn from one another.As a research and innovation area where freedom of science is enshrined and protected, the European Union offers an ideal environment to advance a career. Therefore, the network should also explore how to ensure a safe and enabling research environment, protecting researchers from backlash, hate speech and harassment, and promoting academic freedom and integrity when researching on democracy, inclusive societies, and intersectionality.The network’s actions should contribute to ensuring that the results and innovations generated by Horizon Europe projects related to inclusiveness in the public space, democracy, and governance are taken up and made available to relevant stakeholders. It could particularly build on past and on-going EU-funded projects, such as those under the topics HORIZON-CL2-2021-DEMOCRACY-01-03, HORIZON-CL2-2022-TRANSFORMATIONS-01-05; HORIZON-CL2-2022-TRANSFORMATIONS-01-08 and HORIZON-CL2-2024-DEMOCRACY-01-05. Proposals are encouraged to identify other relevant EU-funded projects, and to explore potential collaboration opportunities with them.The action to be funded should have a minimum duration of 4 years.