Netherlands Helsinki Committee

15/10/2026

Applications are now open for a new training on Administration of Justice!

Judges, prosecutors, civil servants with responsibilities of court management and the organisation of the administration of justice in 🇦🇱 🇦🇲 🇧🇦 🇽🇰 🇲🇩 🇲🇪 🇲🇰 🇷🇸 🇹🇷 🇺🇦 are invited to deepen their knowledge, share experiences, and explore practical approaches to strengthening the rule of law.

🗓 The training will take place online from 15 to 26 February 2027, followed by an in-person training in the Netherlands from 15 to 26 March 2027.

⏰ The deadline to apply is 9 November 2026.

📌 Find out more about the training courses and apply here: www.nhc.nl/matrarolt

Apply today!

15/10/2026

Applications are now open for a new training on Public Procurement!

Civil servants working in public finance management and public procurement in 🇦🇱 🇦🇲 🇧🇦 🇽🇰 🇲🇩 🇲🇪 🇲🇰 🇷🇸 🇹🇷 🇺🇦 are invited to deepen their knowledge, share experiences, and explore practical approaches to strengthening the rule of law.

🗓 The training will take place online from 15 to 26 February 2027, followed by an in-person training in the Netherlands from 15 to 26 March 2027.

⏰ The deadline to apply is 9 November 2026.

📌 Find out more about the training courses and apply here: www.nhc.nl/matrarolt

Apply today!

31/08/2026

📣 One week left to apply!

Still thinking about applying for the Rule of Law trainings on Human Rights or Integrity of Civil Servants? Now is the time!

⏰ Applications close on 7 September 2026

If you are a civil servant from 🇦🇱 🇦🇲 🇧🇦 🇽🇰 🇲🇩 🇲🇪 🇲🇰 🇷🇸 🇹🇷 🇺🇦, this is a great opportunity to learn, exchange experiences, and strengthen your knowledge with colleagues from across the region.

💬 Curious about the experience of previous participants? Read our recent article about the programme: https://tinyurl.com/zn82husz

📌 Find out more and apply: www.nhc.nl/matrarolt

Find out more about our MATRA Rule of Law training programme offering diverse trainings for civil servants across Eastern Europe.

17/08/2026

📣 Call for Proposals I Support for Civil Society Organisations in Moldova I Small grants to strengthen democratic participation in the accession process of Moldova to the EU 🇪🇺🇲🇩

📢 Oportunitate de finanțare pentru organizațiile societății civile locale și comunitare!

Asociația Promo-LEX lansează prima rundă a Programului de Granturi Mici „SCOPE”, dedicat consolidării participării democratice a societății civile în procesul de aderare a Republicii Moldova la Uniunea Europeană.

💡 Ce susținem?
Granturile vor sprijini inițiative locale și regionale axate, inclusiv, pe:
🔹 educație civică și informarea publicului despre integrarea europeană;
🔹 campanii de sensibilizare și informare;
🔹 implicarea comunităților în procesele de reformă;
🔹 monitorizarea reformelor și a aplicării criteriilor de aderare la nivel local;
🔹 promovarea participării grupurilor subreprezentate – tineri, minorități, comunități rurale etc.;
🔹 dezbateri, publicații și propuneri de politici publice.

💶 Valoarea unui grant: între 12.500 și 16.700 EUR
📌 În prima rundă vor fi acordate 6 granturi, cu un buget total de 100.000 EUR.

👥 Cine poate aplica?
Organizații ale societății civile de nivel local și comunitar, legal constituite și înregistrate în Republica Moldova, cu experiență relevantă în domenii precum democrație, drepturile omului, statul de drept, educație civică, libertatea presei și exprimării, drepturi electorale, drepturi digitale sau alte domenii conexe aderării la UE. Organizațiile trebuie să fie neafiliate politic.

⏳ Termen-limită pentru depunerea dosarelor:
📅 30 septembrie 2026, ora 18:00

Proiectele pot avea o durată de 6–12 luni și vor fi implementate la nivel local și/sau regional pe teritoriul Republicii Moldova.

📩 Dosarele pot fi depuse în limba română sau rusă, în format electronic, la [email protected].

👉 Termenii de referință, criteriile de eligibilitate, cerințele pentru proiecte, formularele și toate detaliile privind procedura de aplicare sunt disponibile aici:
🌐 https://promolex.md/programul-de-granturi-mici-scope/

Programul „SCOPE” este implementat de Comitetul Helsinki din Țările de Jos (NHC), Asociația Promo-LEX, Centrul pentru Jurnalism Independent și ARTICLE 19 și este finanțat de Uniunea Europeană.

Netherlands Helsinki Committee
Centrul pentru Jurnalism Independent Moldova
ARTICLE 19
European Union in the Republic of Moldova.

19/03/2026

Join us for the next edition of The Hague – Solidarity with Belarus & Lessons in Resilience, on March 30th (17:00-19:00), at The Hague Humanity Hub!

We will be joined by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, for a discussion on how to sustain human rights work under repression.

If you are interested in joining the conversation, sharing your point of view and networking with the community, sign up below!

📍 The Hague Humanity Hub!
📅 Monday March 30th | 17:00-19:00
🔗 Sign up: https://www.eventbrite.nl/e/democracydrinks-solidarity-with-belarus-lessons-in-resilience-tickets-1984298194315?aff=oddtdtcreator

This edition is co-organised by Netherlands Helsinki Committee, NIMD, and The Hague Humanity Hub.

05/03/2026

📢 Call for National Experts | Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine

The Netherlands Helsinki Committee is looking for national experts to support the EU-funded project “Resilient & Connected: Joint Initiatives Against Disinformation.”
Working with partners People in Need and the Prague Civil Society Centre, the project strengthens the resilience of civil society, independent media, and local communities in the Eastern Partnership region to Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference (FIMI).

We are seeking one expert per country ( , , ) to support research, policy dialogue, and cooperation between civil society, media, and public institutions working on FIMI resilience.

🕒 Approx. 2 days per month
📅 Apply by 20 March 2026

🔗 Read more and apply: https://www.nhc.nl/resilient-connected-joint-initiatives-against-disinformation-call-for-national-experts-from-armenia-moldova-and-ukraine/

29/01/2026

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐮𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐋𝐚𝐰 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 ⚖️

In 2025, we have proudly welcomed more than 200 participants as new members of our growing alumni network. 🎓

The participants took part in 7 different trainings, ranging from topics such as Administration of Justice, to Human Rights, and Integrity of Civil Servants. It has been truly inspiring to engage with so many reform-minded civil servants committed to strengthening the rule of law.

During the training, each participant has developed a Back Home Action Plan, and we are impressed by the meaningful impact they are already making.

Please find here two impactful examples:
🔗 https://shorturl.at/qrWRP
🔗 https://shorturl.at/XfnUY

In November, the consortium partners also visited Albania and Montenegro to raise awareness of the programme and meet with various government institutions 🤝
Embassy of the Netherlands in Albania
Embassy of the Netherlands in Serbia and in Montenegro

We would like to sincerely thank all experts, participants, and partners for their valuable contributions, with special gratitude to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Netherlands Enterprise Agency for their ongoing support. 🌟

➡️ We look forward to continuing this important work together in the upcoming year.

💡 Learn more about the Matra Rule of Law Training Programme: https://www.nhc.nl/matrarolt/

The Matra Rule of Law Training Programme is designed and delivered by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Leiden Law School, and The Hague Academy for Local Governance. The programme is commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on behalf of the Ministry.

28/01/2026

15/01/2026

📣 Training opportunities for civil servants

Are you a civil servant from 🇦🇱 🇦🇲 🇧🇦 🇽🇰 🇲🇩 🇲🇪 🇲🇰 🇷🇸 🇹🇷 🇺🇦 and looking to strengthen your skills and expertise?

Applications are now open for our of Law trainings on:
🔹 Judicial Cooperation
🔹 Management of Public Services

⏰ Application deadline: 1 March
📅 Dates: Online (May 2026) & in-person in The Hague (June 2026)
💡 Learn more: https://www.nhc.nl/matrarolt/
✍️ Apply: https://lnkd.in/eV3BA8DZ

Know someone in your network who might be interested? Please share this opportunity 🗣️

The Matra Rule of Law Training Programme (RoLT) is designed and delivered by the Netherlands Helsinki Committee, Leiden Law School, and The Hague Academy for Local Governance. The programme is commissioned by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and implemented by the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) on behalf of the Ministry.

Please find below an overview of all trainings currently open for applications. 

10/12/2025

Today we publish our new report on how the EU has shifted from a values-based partnership with Azerbaijan to a relationship shaped by energy, trade and geopolitical calculations 🇪🇺⚖️🇦🇿

⚠️ This shift takes place at the very moment Azerbaijan is experiencing the deepest repression since independence. Independent civil society and media have been dismantled. NGOs cannot function. Dozens of journalists and human rights defenders are in prison. More than 400 political prisoners. Repression now extends beyond Azerbaijan’s borders, targeting critics in exile through intimidation, abusive legal tools and trials in absentia.

📈 Despite being Azerbaijan’s main export market and largest investor, the EU has not used its leverage. High-level visits avoided political prisoners, their relatives or independent civil society. The 2022 energy memorandum insulated hydrocarbons and connectivity from human rights concerns. In Baku, this silence has been read as permission to deepen repression.

➡️ Our report calls for a fundamental reset: clear human rights benchmarks in any future agreement, the use of targeted sanctions, and strong political and financial support for independent civil society inside and outside Azerbaijan. Now.

🔗 https://free-anar.site/report-eu-azerbaijan/