Women’s, LGBTIQ and minority rights in a context of autocracy, conflict and geopolitical shifts

Expected Outcome: Projects should contribute to all of the following expected outcomes: Policymakers, public administrations, human rights organisations, and civil society actors have strengthened mechanisms to protect groups in a vulnerable situation (such as women, LGBTIQ people, persons with disabilities and minorities) in contexts of autocracy, conflict, and geopolitical instability. Researchers and data collection bodies benefit from robust methodologies to systematically document and analyse the impact of democratic backsliding, conflict, and geopolitical shifts on the rights of these specific groups in a vulnerable situation. Civil society organisations and grassroots movements have enhanced their resilience and advocacy strategies, thanks to the identification of best practices and innovative approaches to counter repression, expand civic space, and promote inclusive governance, including in authoritarian or conflict settings. Scope: Autocratic regimes, armed conflicts, and global geopolitical shifts pose significant threats to fundamental rights. These challenges manifest in the rollback of legal protections, increased political violence, shrinking civic space, and targeted discrimination, both offline and online. In this context, a deeper understanding of the disproportionate impact of these crises on different groups is key to developing more targeted and effective policies. The proposed research should examine the intersection of age, gender, sex, sexual orientation, minority status, or migratory background, in contexts of democratic erosion, authoritarian governance, and geopolitical crises. It can focus on one or multiple groups in a vulnerable situation, such as women, LGBTIQ people, ethnic and/or religious minorities, people with disabilities, children or the elderly. Case studies could be selected to reflect a wide range of geopolitical contexts, including regions undergoing democratic erosion, post-conflict reconstruction, or consolidation of authoritarian rule. The proposed research should analyse how legal and institutional frameworks are weaponised and leveraged by authoritarian actors to restrict rights, the role of civil society in resisting repression, and the impact of digital surveillance, algorithmic discrimination and online disinformation in targeting specific groups in a vulnerable situation. Particular attention should be given to the restricted access to sexual and reproductive health rights during crises, armed conflicts, and geopolitical shifts, as well as the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV). In such contexts, …