CALL FOR PROPOSALS - AGENTS OF CHANGE: YOUTH AND MEDIA FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES - SMALL GRANT FOR MEDIA ORGANISATIONS

Aug 31, 2026

UNDP invites media-focused civil society organisations to submit proposals for a small grant that advances issue-based reporting through high-quality communications on corporate accountability to the environment and/or climate change. The EU-UNDP “Agents of Change” initiative partners with youth and media in Asia to strengthen accountability under the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, with programming focus on Malaysia, Indonesia, Mongolia and Thailand.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryLetters

FormatDOCX

Pages11

Reading Time4 min

AccessFree to download

Background

Thematic areas

Priority areas

Format

Out of scope

Eligibility criteria

CALL FOR PROPOSALS AGENTS OF CHANGE: YOUTH AND MEDIA FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS PRACTICES SMALL GRANT FOR MEDIA ORGANISATIONS UNDP is inviting media-focused civil society organisations to submit proposals for a small grant that aims to advance issue-based reporting by producing high-quality communications content on critical issues related to corporate accountability to the environment and/or climate change. BACKGROUND The EU-UNDP ‘Agents of Change: Youth and Media for Responsible Business Practices’ (AOC) initiative seeks to partner with, and empower, youth and media actors to drive accountability and influence policy action in Asia. By engaging youth and media as mobilisers, the initiative aims to urge policymakers and businesses to address business-related human rights abuses and adverse environmental impacts in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and related global standards on responsible business. The countries of focus for programming intervention include Malaysia, Indonesia, Mongolia and Thailand. The objective of the project is to 1) ensure greater engagement with youth on business, human rights and environment (BHR+E) issues, creating the necessary political dynamics that boost implementation of the UNGPs; 2) strengthen the role and deepen the interest of media professionals to cover B+HR and environmental rights issues in a gender responsive manner, thus galvanising momentum in support to access to effective remedy for abuses of rights in the context of business operations; and 3) raise the scale of dialogue on B+HR issues among media professionals and youth through regional and national dialogues, enriching the enabling environment for the uptake of policy measures that lead to a level playing field for those businesses committed to responsible business practice. In Malaysia, following the launch of its first National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights 2025-2030 (NAPBHR), the Business and Human Rights agenda continues to advance on key thematic areas – governance, labour and the environment – while underscoring intersectionality and the ways in which specific groups remain vulnerable through impacts on their substantive and procedural rights. Critically, climate change is emerging as a compounding risk, particularly for underrepresented groups such as low-income communities, and migrant workers. These populations often face disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards such as flooding, heat stress, and coastal erosion – underscoring the need for duty bearers such as businesses to assess and mitigate their environmental and human rights risks. Building on this background, AOC continues to advocate for the recognition of the Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment (R2HE) and advance a constitutional protection of environmental rights in Malaysia in line with the national agenda. With increased recognition of the role of duty bearers in climate-related harms, this line of advocacy maintains the necessary momentum and pressure on the State towards rights-based decision-making, aligning with AOC’s priority to keep the business sector accountable to human and environmental rights. THEMATIC AREAS AOC aims to bring awareness to crucial community-level issues. Specifically, this intervention aims to surface stories on responsible and sustainable business practices, and interventions that mitigate corporate-related human rights and environmental harm while safeguarding vulnerable communities. Application proposals for this grant must align with the following thematic areas: Priority areas: Produce a 3-part data storytelling series that highlights critical human rights and environmental issues covering corporate accountability to the environment and/or climate change in Malaysia, with a focus on successful BHR+E initiatives, policies, or community-led actions; Highlight the perspectives of underrepresented communities disproportionately affected by climate/environm

FAQs

Who can apply for the small grant?

Non-governmental, independent media-focused civil society organisations registered in Malaysia and active for at least the last 3 years can apply. Unregistered collectives or informal groups may apply if partnered with an eligible registered lead organisation.

What are the grant’s priority outputs and themes?

Applicants must propose content aligned to Business and Human Rights with a focus on corporate accountability to the environment and/or climate change, including a 3-part data storytelling series and perspectives of underrepresented communities, using innovative new media approaches.

What media formats are accepted and what is excluded?

Accepted formats include print media (print articles) and digital media (online articles, videos, short documentaries). Podcasts and social media posts as standalone outputs are out of scope.

Aug 31, 2026

Upload by Seraphina