Info_CERV

Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values ​​(CERV) programme

The Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values ​​(CERV) programme was launched in 2021 for a duration of seven years, until 2027. It was created at the same time as the 2021-2027 Justice programme under the Justice, Rights and Values ​​Fund.

The aim of the CERV programme is to sustain and develop open, rights-based, democratic, equal and inclusive societies, based on the rule of law. To this end, it promotes a dynamic and empowered civil society, fostering democratic, civic and social participation of people and cultivating the rich diversity of European society based on our common values, history and memory.

The programme is based on four pillars:

  • Equality, rights and gender equality: promoting rights, non-discrimination, equality (including gender equality) and advancing gender mainstreaming and non-discrimination.
  • Citizens' engagement and participation: promoting citizens' engagement and participation in the democratic life of the Union, exchanges between citizens from different Member States and raising awareness of the common European history.
  • Daphne: combating violence, including gender-based violence and violence against children.
  • Union values: protecting and promoting Union values.

Civil society organisations active at local, regional, national and transnational level, as well as other stakeholders, can apply for funding from the CESR programme for initiatives in favour of citizens' participation, equality for all and the protection and promotion of EU rights and values.

CERV Projects

RurALL - Rural active citizenship labs

Specific programme: Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values ​​(CERV) programme - CERV-2023-CITIZENS-CIV
UPV/EHU Partner Status: Partner
UPV/EHU PI: Nahia Idoiaga Mondragon
Project start: 01/07/2024
Project end:   30/06/2026

Brief description: Achieving the EU’s ambitious goal of becoming the first climate-neutral continent laid down in the European Green Deal and transforming the Long-term Rural Vision into reality will require decisive local action and the support and active engagement of rural communities and citizens. RurALL is a project founded on the belief that ‘citizen participation is citizen power’. Our goal is to boost rural citizen participation in climate and environment-related public discussions, actions, and policymaking by reaching and involving rural citizens who are currently inactive in or disappointed by existing local or EU-level policymaking.

We would like to guide rural citizens through different stages of participation from awareness raising and information through community action to engagement with policymakers. In the project activities, we will test, implement, and promote innovative citizen engagement and participatory methods among rural target audiences in five EU Member States (Hungary, Slovakia, France, Portugal, and Spain). Project activities and methods will include research and consultation with rural target groups, trainings on EU climate policies and participatory methods, decision-making modeling and simulation workshops, eco placemaking activities realized in local communities, an international hackathon for rural youth to design and collaborate on innovative solutions to environmental problems, a visual storytelling-focused workshop and campaign, and a virtual town hall meeting between citizens and policymakers. Our goal is to educate and mobilize new groups of rural citizens in local and EU-level environmental actions and policymaking, show pathways to rural eco activism, and empower and encourage local citizens to launch and participate in local co-designed activities related to their environment and take on an active role in the green transition.