UN 2022 Human Rights Fellowship for People of African Descent – Switzerland

The Human Rights Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent provides the participants with an intensive learning opportunity to deepen their understanding of the United Nations human rights system, instruments and mechanisms, with a focus on issues of particular relevance to people of African descent. The Fellowship Programme will allow the participants to better contribute to the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of people of African descent in their respective countries.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Human Rights Fellowship:

• The candidate must be an individual of African descent living in the Diaspora. · The candidate must have a minimum of 4 years of work experience related to the rights of People of African Descent.
• The candidate needs to have sufficient command of the English language to be able to participate fully in the programme.
• The candidate has to submit a letter from an organization working on issues related to People of African Descent or minority rights certifying their status.
• The candidates must be available to attend the full duration of the programme. The selected fellows will be expected to participate in different activities and to strictly follow the programme.

Selection Criteria: The selection of the fellows will reflect gender and regional balance. The human rights situation of People of African Descent in the respective countries will also be taken into consideration.

Benefits

The Fellowship programme provides the participants with the opportunity to:

• Learn about and deepen their understanding of the international human rights law and the UN human rights system, the international framework to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and intersecting issues with a focus on people of African descent;
• Strengthen skills in developing project proposals, delivering presentations and submitting information to human rights mechanisms;
• Gain first-hand exposure to human rights mechanisms;
• Meet with a wide-range of actors.

Each fellow is entitled to a return ticket (economy class) from the country of residence to Geneva; basic health insurance; and a stipend to cover modest accommodation and other living expenses for the duration of the Programme.

Documents Required for Application

• A Curriculum Vitae
• A completed, signed and scanned Application Form (English | Français | Español) in one single document.
• A Personal Statement (maximum 500 words) in which the candidate will explain his/her motivation for applying, and how he/she will use the knowledge gained from the fellowship to promote the interests and rights of people of African descent.
• An Official Letter from the nominating organization or community certifying the status
• A copy of the applicant’s passport.
• Please note that submissions with more than five attachments will not be accepted.

How to Apply