The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) offers a Full-time Fellowship in Geneva, Switzerland, providing an exceptional opportunity to engage with the United Nations human rights system. ISHR postgraduate Fellow will assist with ISHR Geneva-based initiatives. Working closely with their team, the Fellow will gain first-hand insight into international human rights advocacy. They will collaborate with ISHR staff across various locations.

During their tenure, the Fellow will monitor UN deliberations, lobby for human rights causes, and apply international human rights law. They will contribute to capacity development and legislative protection efforts for human rights defenders at national or regional levels as opportunities arise.

The Fellow’s responsibilities include research, analysis, advocacy, and capacity building under the guidance of Programme Managers and Directors. They will support initiatives to bolster human rights systems, form coalitions, and address significant human rights challenges.

Key tasks of the fellowship include:

• Fellows will assist legal counsel in preparing submissions to national and international human rights mechanisms and courts.
• Researching human rights situations and challenges defenders face in various regions.
• They will support research on submissions for international human rights mechanisms, including UN treaty bodies and the Universal Periodic Review.
• Represent ISHR at meetings and collaborate with other NGOs and UN contacts.
• Assisting in work with regional human rights defenders’ networks and bodies.
• Monitoring and recording proceedings at UN human rights meetings
• Contributing to ISHR’s publications by drafting and editing online articles, briefing papers, and reports.
• They will support training design and organization, including facilitating sessions if interested. Opportunities exist to collaborate with different regional teams based on language proficiency, such as Latin America, Middle East, North Africa, or Asia Teams.

Key Details and Dates

• Application Deadline: Rolling basis
• Start Dates: 1 February or 1 September
• Duration: 1 Year
• Funding Type: Fully funded through a scholarship or grant
• Organizer: International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)
• Eligible Countries: Open to all countries
• Eligible Gender: Male/Female
• Target Group: Recent graduates with relevant academic backgrounds
• Focus Area: Human rights advocacy and international law
• Study Level: Postgraduate
• Host Country: Switzerland

Benefits of the Fellowship

As a postgraduate ISHR Fellow, you will benefit from this program as follows:

• Applicants receive full funding through university-funded or external fellowships.
• Competitive remuneration is available.
• Fellows receive comprehensive training, including practical sessions and guidance from ISHR staff. They also have opportunities to network with professionals in the field.

Eligibility Criteria

Requirements for the successful Fellow:

• A recent graduate from an ABA-accredited law school with coursework in a D. or LL.M. program or relevant graduate-level programs
• Working knowledge of international human rights law
• Familiarity with UN and regional human rights systems and human rights defenders.
• Strong drafting and research skills.
• Ability to thoroughly and accurately report on meetings
• Flexibility, self-motivation, and willingness to participate in diverse tasks
• Excellent oral and written English communication skills
• Proficiency in IT tools like Google Suite, Microsoft, and more
• Knowledge of official UN languages (especially Arabic, Chinese, French, and Spanish) is highly desirable.

Required Documents

Please prepare and submit these documents for your application:

• Cover letter
• CV (max two pages)
• Writing sample (max five pages)
• Description of funding source

Selection Process

The highlights of the selection process:

• The application review will be on a rolling basis.
• Incomplete applications will not be considerable.
• Short-listed candidates will receive a call for further steps.

How to Apply?

• Submit your application, including all required documents, using the link below.
• Ensure to include a description of your funding source.
• ISHR’s Privacy Policy will handle applications.

Apply Now

Please visit the official ISHR call for further details and information about the ISHR Postgraduate Fellowship.

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