What is ‘Webs of Safety and Care’ and what does it support?
UAF A&P recognises that respite, well-being, and connection are essential for human rights defenders navigating multiple crises, risks, and challenges on a daily basis. Yet, there are very few spaces and opportunities in Asia and Pacific where defenders can seek respite, learn from each other, share wisdom grounded in their own experiences and traditions, and reflect on how to protect and care for themselves and their communities. Further, there are insufficient resources for local communities to build sustainable and effective responses to their unique needs.
The Webs of Safety and Care (WSC) Grant, under UAF A&P’s Enabling Defenders Programme, intends to support women, trans, and non-binary activists’ organisations and networks to create community-based structures and resources through which they are able to build and strengthen their collective safety and care needs, and sustain their lives and activism for the the long run.
A WSC grant can be used to:
Assess — Grantees can conduct a holistic assessment of the risk and threats they face as an individual or as part of a collective or movement. They can also assess existing systems and practices that can support them in times of crisis. UAF A&P can provide assessment tools that can be adapted as required to analyse activists’ needs and help design optimal solutions.
Create – Grantees can create new systems and care practices that help human rights defenders and their communities prioritise rest and rejuvenation, build resilience, and provide holistic well-being and care. This could mean creating sustainable safe spaces for women, trans, and non-binary human rights defenders to seek refuge during crises or while facing threats, but also for rest and respite from their day to day activism whenever needed.
Build – Grantees can expand or deepen existing initiatives that cater to the safety and well-being of women, trans, and non-binary human rights defenders, their organizations, and networks. This can include skills training for defenders to address risks and threats (such as digital security training), skilled peer psycho-social counselling, or building a network of pro-bono lawyers.
Connect – Grantees can share their learnings, ideas, and experiences within their own community or across movements to promote practices of well-being and collective care for greater resilience. Based on the needs identified, organisations and networks can use this grant for workshops and convenings to create spaces for brave conversations on care and well-being, reflections, and strengthening connections.
Why is ‘Webs of Safety and Care’ important?
The “Webs of Safety and Care” framework looks at safety and care of activists and defenders in a holistic way. This means the framework looks at women, trans, and non-binary defenders not only as activists and defenders, but also recognises any other roles or identities they hold. The “Webs of Safety and Care” framework has four specific lenses under which the overall risks and threats faced by defenders may be categorised. These are: 1) health and well-being, 2) legal and political protection, 3) economic viability and sustainable livelihood, and 4) social and cultural support.
The different lenses allow activists and defenders to reflect on their lives beyond their identity activists and defenders, especially on how their other identities also impact on their safety, care and well-being. An example of how this framework has informed an assessment of risks and the support needed to address those risks can be seen here.
Who is eligible to apply? What is the grant amount and duration?
Cis-women, trans women, trans men, and non-binary human rights activists-led organisations, communities, and networks in Asia and Pacific are eligible to apply for the Webs of Safety and Care grant. Please note:
This is a one-year grant.
1) up to USD 5000 per grant is provided to applicants proposing to conduct a complete safety and care assessment of their organisation, network, or community.
2) up to USD 10,000 per grant is provided to applicants who have conducted a complete safety and care assessment to carry out initiatives that address the safety and care needs identified in this assessment. You MUST already have conducted an assessment in order to be eligible for this grant.
Additional criteria and pro-tips for applicants:
If you have previously conducted safety and care needs assessment on your own, you can apply for this grant right away. Just make sure to include a copy of your needs assessment report in your application — we assure you that it will remain confidential and shared with anyone outside UAF A&P.
Your proposal must clearly describe how the proposed initiative will address the safety and care needs identified in the needs assessment.
Your proposal must contain a clear implementation strategy and the expected outcomes of the proposed initiative.
The proposed initiative must be led/implemented by organisations, collectives, and networks led by women, trans, and non-binary human rights defenders.
Processing of application will include a verification process by UAF A&P’s Country Advisors and trusted partners. Their recommendations will be taken into consideration. For a strong application, you must be recognised and supported by human rights, women’s rights, and other related networks and organisations at the local, national, and/or regional levels.
How to apply for WSC Grant?
If you meet the above criteria and would like to apply for a WSC grant, please create a profile here using a ProtonMail account.
If you do not have a ProtonMail account, you can create a free account here.
Fill out all relevant details in the application form and click ‘submit.’
If you are unable to apply online, you can download the application form and email it to wscgrants@uafanp.org
While the application form is only available in English at the moment, you can submit your application in any language you are comfortable with.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can we conduct a holistic risk assessment? Do you have any recommended procedures? Can we get technical support from you to conduct risk assessment?
We only require the holistic assessment to explore all aspects of safety and care for women and non-binary activists and defenders. There is no set format or tool for this assessment. Defenders and their organisations/network can choose to do it in whichever form or manner that they collectively choose. If you are looking for a tool to help your organisation conduct this assessment, we can offer you one that we co-developed with communities in Asia. You do NOT have to use the same tool - you can adapt this in any way useful to your organisation or community, or develop a completely different one that speaks to your context. Please write to us to access the tool. In addition, UAF A&P can host workshops for approved grantees who request accompaniment in using the tool or developing their assessment.
Do we have to find a consultant to conduct the needs assessment. Do you know someone who can do the assessment?
We do not demand any set format for the assessment. You do not have to find a consultant to perform the assessment. If you need support in designing the assessment, please indicate this in your application.
Should the assessment be like a research that can be published?
There is no requirement for the assessment to be done in a certain format. The only requirement is that the assessment must cover all aspects of the safety, care, and protection needs of women, trans, and non-binary activists and defenders, including their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual well-being, and livelihood, social, and political context and needs.
Do we need to have an assessment criteria before/while applying? Can we curate that later?
You can curate the detailed criteria of the assessment after your application is approved. However, please explain how and with whom you will conduct the assessment and what aspects will be covered.
If I am applying for doing an assessment, do I need to complete the entire application form?
If you are applying for needs assessment, you do not have to respond to questions under section IV. While responding to the section III, please make sure to cover the following:
Explain who you are doing the assessment with and for. Is it with women, trans, and non-binary activists and defenders?
Share information about the activists and defenders you work with and for - what kind of human rights work do they do? How are they related to your organisation? What are the kind of risks and threats they face?
How do you define holistic safety and care assessment? What elements will be included in this assessment?
What process will you follow to conduct the assessment? If you have identified a tool that you will be using, please attach it.
What is your timeline for conducting this assessment?
How can we apply for the USD 10,000 WSC grant If we have not done the assessment? If we apply for a WSC grant to conduct an assessment now, will we still have time to apply for the USD 10,000 WSC grant?
If you have not done an assessment, you can only apply for a USD 5,000 WSC grant in this grant cycle to conduct an assessment. After completing the assessment, you may apply for a USD 10,000 WSC grant in the next grant cycle when it opens the following year.
Can we apply for a USD 10,000 WSC grant if our proposal seeks to conduct safety and care analysis and develop further program at the same time?
If you have not done the holistic safety and care needs assessment yet, you are eligible to apply only for a USD 5000 grant meant for conducting the assessment. If you have done an assessment of holistic safety and care in the past, you can explain the process of assessment, elements of safety and care that were assessed, and key findings in your application. Your proposal should be based on this analysis.
What do you consider as an assessment that's already been done (for the USD 10,000 WSC Grant)? How "formal" should it be - with a report, etc.? For example, we have done some risk assessments before. these have been documented, but not formally published. would this count as a needs assessment?
There is no requirement for the assessment to be done in a certain format. The only requirement is that the assessment must cover all aspects of the safety, care, and protection needs of women, trans, and non-binary activists and defenders, including their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual well-being, and livelihood, social, and political context and needs. Ideally, the results of your assessment will be reflected in your application proposal and the initiative you plan to carry out. It will also help you answer questions in the application form. We can share the assessment framework that we use as a reference for you to see if your assessment is holistic.
Can we apply to assess the risk of all our survivors of violence and other beneficiaries in need, including those who are men?
UAF A&P grants, including this WSC grants, are specifically for women, trans, and non-binary activists and defenders. Therefore, it is important that the beneficiaries of the risk assessment are women, trans, and non-binary human rights defenders.
Can we use a WSC grant to set up psychotherapy services via webinar sessions?
To address immediate security and well-being needs of women, trans, and non-binary activists and defenders, such as accessing psychotherapy services, please check our Security and Well-being grants. However, if this is a safety and care need identified by your assessment, you can apply for a WSC grant to create a mechanism to address this need in a sustainable way for the long run.
Can we use the grant to provide online education for girls?
UAF A&P grants specifically support women, trans, and non-binary human rights defenders facing risks due to their work. Our mandate does not cover grants for activities that represent core programmatic work of non-profit organisations or community-based organisations. This includes service delivery, capacity building, advocacy, and other core mandate work of organisations.
Can staff time going into running the activities be budgeted for?
Webs of Safety and Care grant are not meant for core funding of an organisatio. However, a portion of the grant can be used for staff to carry out specific activities proposed under this grant.
Is it possible to have an initiative which costs more than USD 10000?
The maximum grant you can receive under a WSC grant Is USD 10,000.
Can I apply as an individual not representing any organization?
The Webs of Safety and Care grant is specifically for organisations and networks led by women, trans, and non-binary human rights defenders and activists. Our other grants, the Security and Well Being grants and Resourcing Resilience grants, cater to individuals as well as organisations.
My organisation is not registered. Are we still eligible to apply for a grant?
Yes, organisations and networks that are not formally registered but are recognised in the communities they work for and with are eligible to apply for the grant.
We have received a WSC grant in the past, can we apply for another grant?
Yes, you can. If you have received the WSC grant in the past to conduct a safety and care needs assessment, you can re-apply for a grant to implement an initiative based on the assessment results. If you have received a WSC grant in the past to implement an initiative, you can re-apply to continue building or expanding the initiative. However, please make sure to include all relevant reports documentation of the past previous grant cycle.
We have applied to the Resourcing Resilience Grant/Security and Well-being grant in the past, can we still apply to this grant?
Yes, you can apply to this grant if your grant application to the other grant is already closed.
If our organization is applying for Security and Well-being grants for two of our staff members under threat, can we also apply for a WSC as an organization?
Yes, you can. Please indicate the Security and Well-being grant application details in your WSC grant application.
Are male defenders (who work with human rights organisations) eligible for this grant?
Cis-male human rights defenders and activists are not eligible for UAF A&P’s grants. UAF A&P’s mandate is to offer emergency grants and resilience support to women, trans, and non-binary human rights defenders and activists in Asia and the Pacific.
Do we need to submit any report at the end of the grant cycle?
We have developed a report back mechanism that includes a narrative report and a listing of financial expenditure. We do not usually require you to submit receipts for each expense, unless we notice discrepancies or mismatch.
When will I hear about the application result?
From the submission deadline, it takes about 8 to 10 weeks to review all applications. We will notify all applicants the status of their applications.
Is there any required timeline for the applied project under this grant?
The WSC grants are one-year grants. Initiatives are implemented within one year.
The Webs of Safety and Care | The Graphic Narrative
The documented story of one of our first grantees in the Webs of Safety and Care programme was converted into a graphic narrative to illustrate how women, trans and non-binary activists and defender communities weave webs of safety and care. These webs of interdependence are founded in relationships of trust and community bonds.
This graphic narrative is an attempt to help women, trans and non-binary human rights activists and defenders realise the interconnectedness of the situations, contexts and/or players that support their resistance and resilience
The contexts and specifics of this grantee story has been anonymised to ensure security and confidentiality of the group that worked on building webs of safety and care for this woman human rights defenders.
Read on:
UAF A&P WSC grants do not support:
Proposals that are not based on the holistic assessment of safety and care needs.
Short term safety and well-being measures. This support can be assessed through out security and well-being grant.
Cis-gender male* led groups/ organisations.
Regular programmatic areas of the organisations and networks including advocacy, capacity-building, service providing or other regular work.
Activities or projects for humanitarian crises or natural disasters.
Activities or projects focused on development aid or charity assistance.
Regular operating budgets and/or bridge funding (to fill a funding gap).
* Cisgender Males are individuals who identify as male and who were assigned male at birth.