Apply! 2015 International Forum for Human Rights and Leadership Young Leaders

The next generation of human rights professionals will be required to respond to increasingly complex and systemic global challenges through innovation and ingenuity.

Our mission is to foster a network of young leaders who aim to develop accessible solutions to these challenges and advance human rights and access to justice through ethical engagement.

Deadline: October 31, 2014

The International Forum for Young Leaders brings together individuals under 30 years of age who have demonstrated their passion for implementing innovative, entrepreneurial solutions to the world’s most pressing problems, and offering them an opportunity to interact and benefit from each other’s experiences. It does this by:

• Selecting ambitious, persistent young leaders from across the world with the potential to act as change agents in their field, sector, or geographic region;
• Spreading their ideas about how to tackle major human rights and access to justice challenges and effect wide-scale change; and
• Supporting an extensive network of former Young Leaders, named McGill Echenberg Fellows, to realize the practical implementation of their vision.

Participants hail from a range of backgrounds, including NGOs, politics, government, academia, the private sector, and the media.

Young Leaders participate in a series of skill-developing sessions, workshops, roundtable discussions, and cultural events aimed at engaging with the spectrum of issues that affect human rights outcomes, in addition to keynotes, panels and debates featuring prominent international human rights voices.

The Forum is at the core of the Fourth Echenberg Family Conference on Human Rights, which will be held at McGill University in Montreal from October 11-17, 2015, and is organized by the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism. Held in conjunction with the Young Leaders Forum, the Conference will explore the theme of “Human Rights and Leadership” and will focus on individuals and groups who have set themselves apart in their promotion of human rights and access to justice through innovation, entrepreneurship, collaboration and creativity.

McGill Echenberg Fellows

At the conclusion of the Conference, participants of the Young Leaders Forum are named McGill Echenberg Fellows. The Fellows remain active in a vibrant community of human rights professionals, supported by a Secretariat at the Centre. The program offers the opportunity to interact and collaborate with members of an exceptional community of committed advocates, 20 to 25 of whom will be joining us for the 2015 Forum.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you must:

• Be under 30 years of age as of July 31, 2015;
• Hold a university degree in any field*;
• Possess high oral proficiency in English; and
• Have shown leadership, innovation, creativity, and/or entrepreneurship in your area of focus.

The Conference will select 25 Young Leaders for the Forum on the basis of their track record of leadership, commitment, and impact in their respective fields. Previous Fellows have shown leadership and entrepreneurship through pursuits such as serving as members of advisory boards, founding or supporting non-profits, development initiatives, or social enterprises.

For those selected, the Conference will cover all costs, including travel expenses to and from Montreal, accommodation, meals, and visa expenses.

*The Conference has made exceptions to this eligibility criterion under exceptional circumstances where applicants have demonstrated a particularly strong fit for the Young Leaders Forum.

How to apply

Please submit your completed application form [.docx], a photocopy of an official ID confirming your age, two letters of recommendation, and proof of university graduation to youngleaders.law@mcgill.ca byOctober 31, 2014. Please use “Application – International Young Leaders Forum 2015” as the subject of your email.

Your recommendation letters should be written by individuals who know you in an academic or professional capacity and can provide a detailed assessment of your potential to contribute to the Forum.

For more information,click here

Call for Applications: 2012 Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent

The Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent provides 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 Programme will allow the participants to better contribute to the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of Afro-descendants in their respective countries.

The first Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent was launched by the Anti-Discrimination Section of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2011 in the context of the International Year for People of African Descent. This year the Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent will be held from 12 to 30 March 2012 in Geneva, Switzerland. The programme will coincide with the 11th session of the UN Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent enabling the fellows to attend and observe the Working Group’s session and gain a better understanding of its mandate and work.

Who can apply?

The candidate must be an African descendant living in the Diaspora. The candidate must have a minimum of 4 years of experience related to the human rights of People of African Descent. The candidate must be fluent in the English language to be able to participate fully in the programme. The candidate is nominated by an organization working on issues related to People of African Descent or minority rights.

How to Apply?

Applicants are requested to submit the following documents in a single e-mail to africandescent[at]ohchr.org or by fax to +41 22 928 90 50: A Curriculum Vita. A completed Application Form baring original signature of both the candidate and nomination organization. A Personal Statement (maximum 500) in which the candidate will explain his/her motivation for applying, and how he/she will use what they learn to advocate for the protection and promotion of the human rights of people of African descent. An Official Letter of Support from the nominating organization or community A copy of the applicant’s passport. Important: For applications via email kindly place in the subject header of the e-mail: “Application for the 2012 Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent.” Name any attached document as follows: LAST NAME First name – Type of document Example: SMITH Jacqueline – Application form.doc SMITH Jacqueline – A Personal Statement.doc SMITH Jacqueline – Letter of Support.pdf SMITH Jacqueline – Passport.pdf Deadline for Applications: 15 January 2012 Participant’s entitlement 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.

Selection Process

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. Please note, that due to the volume, applications will not be acknowledged. Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. Any questions pertaining to the Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent can be directed to: africandescent[at]ohchr.org

Deadline for Applications:  15 January 2012

Source: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/IYPADFellowshipProgramme.aspx