Fully-Funded Fellowship for Minorities in the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Switzerland

Are you a minority seeking to be part of an international organization that deals with human rights?

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) launched the Minorities Fellowship Program, which aims to give people belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities an opportunity to gain knowledge on the UN system and mechanisms dealing with international human rights in general and minority rights in particular. The program is held annually and is divided into two programs, the English language program which has been running since 2005 and the Arabic language program which started in 2007. In 2014, the Minorities Fellowship Program acquired a Russian language component, to be fully synchronized with the other two language components. The language components of the program will take place from November 1 to 30, 2018 and fellows will be able to participate in the 11th session of the Forum on Minority Issues.

The fellows are based at the OHCHR Geneva, Switzerland to be part of the program which consists of briefings on several topics (e.g. the UN system, OHCHR work, human rights mechanisms and instruments). Fellows also undertake individual and group assignments. The program serves as an opportunity for human rights activists working towards the protection and promotion of minority rights to expand by building a strategic dialogue with fellow activists from across the globe, the United Nations, relevant Geneva-based NGOs amongst other partners.

Who can apply?

[1] Applicants must belong to a national, ethnic, linguistic or religious minority group (if your community identifies as indigenous, this scholarship is not for you as there is another Indigenous Fellowship Program that you can apply for)

[2] Formal education should not be a limitation to participation, if relevant experience can be demonstrated

[3] Applicants should have the ability, willingness and possibility to train other people belonging to minorities

[4] Applicants must have a good working knowledge of the language in which the program is imparted (English)

[5] Applicants must be proposed and his/her candidacy is supported by his/her organization and/or community

Benefits:

Fellows are entitled to the following: a return ticket (economy class) from the country of residence to Geneva, basic health insurance for the duration of the Program, a stipend to cover modest accommodation and other living expenses.

At the end of the program, the fellows will have a general knowledge of the United Nations system, international human rights instruments and mechanisms in general and those relevant to minorities in particular and be capable of further training their communities/organizations.

What is the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights?

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) represents the world's commitment to universal ideals of human dignity. HCHR leads global human rights efforts speaking out objectively in the face of human rights violations worldwide. It provides a forum for identifying, highlighting and developing responses to today's human rights challenges, and act as the principal focal point of human rights research, education, public information, and advocacy activities in the United Nations system.