Posts Tagged ‘call for applications’

Justice & Peace Netherlands is launching a new call for applications for human rights defenders at risk to participate in Shelter City Netherlands

July 29, 2025
Call for applications is now open!
Photos by Maria Diaz
Justice & Peace Netherlands is launching a new call for applications for human rights defenders at risk to participate in Shelter City Netherlands. The deadline for applications is 10 August 2025 at 23:59 CEST (Central European Summer Time). Help us reach more human rights defenders at risk and in need of temporary relocation to a safer space by sharing this call with your network.­Shelter City is a global movement of cities, organizations and people who stand side by side with human rights defenders at risk. Shelter City provides temporary safe and inspiring spaces for human rights defenders at risk where they re-energize, receive tailormade support and engage with allies. The term ‘human rights defender’ is intended to refer to the broad range of activists, journalists and independent media professionals, scholars, writers, artists, lawyers, civil and political rights defenders, civil society members, and others working to advance human rights and democracy around the world in a peaceful manner.  From March 2026 onwards, 14 cities in the Netherlands will receive human rights defenders for a period of three months. At the end of their stay in the Netherlands, participants are expected to return with new tools and energy to carry out their work at home.
Asser Institute Fellowship 
(only available for English accompaniment beginning in September 2026)Justice & Peace and the Asser Institute have established a collaborative relationship to strengthen and support the capacity of local human rights defenders worldwide. In the context of the Institute’s Visiting Researchers Programme, the Asser Institute hosts one Fellow per year within the framework of the Shelter City initiative by Justice & Peace. The fellowship will take place in September 2026.The selected Fellow will carry out a research project during the three-month period and take part in other relevant human rights (research) activities of the Asser Institute. In line with these activities, closer to the end of the three-month period, the Fellow will have to present the relevant research findings in a public or closed event. The Fellow may also participate in other (public) events like lectures or (panel) discussions.
To be eligible for Shelter City Netherlands, human rights defenders should meet the following conditions:They implement a non-violent approach in their work;They are threatened or otherwise under pressure due to their work or activism;They are willing and able to return to their country of origin after 3 months;They are willing to speak publicly about their experience or about human rights in their country to the extent that their security situation allows; They have a conversational level* of English;They have a valid passport (with no less than 18 months of validity at the time of applying) or are willing to carry out the procedures necessary for its issuance. Justice & Peace covers the costs of issuing a passport and/or visa (if applicable);They are not subject to any measure or judicial prohibition to leave the country;They are willing to begin their stay in the Netherlands around March 2026.
 *By conversational English, we mean that participants’ level of English allows them to actively participate in training, speak about their work, communicate with the host city, etc.  Note that additional factors will be taken into consideration in the final round of selection, such as the added value of a stay in the Netherlands as well as gender, geographic, and thematic balance. Please note that only under exceptional circumstances are we able to accept human rights defenders currently residing in a third country.Apply nowApplication forms must be submitted by 10 August 2025 at 23:59 CEST (Central European Summer Time). An independent commission will select the participants.­Apply now!­Note that selected human rights defenders will not automatically participate in Shelter City as Justice & Peace is not in control of issuing the required visas to enter the Netherlands. For more information, please contact us at info@sheltercity.org

The 2026 Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders open for applications

June 26, 2025
marianne-initiative-2023
Opportunities For Africans

Applications are now open for the 2026 Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders. The Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders aims to better help Human Rights Defenders in their fight


As part of the organization of the 9th World Congress against the Death Penalty in Paris in the summer of 2026, particular attention will be paid to applications relating to this theme. However, the other areas of human rights covered by this call for applications remain fully eligible.

You are committed to the promotion and defence of human rights in your country:

  • You are a human rights defender in the sense recognised by the United Nations, adult and of non-French nationality, regardless of your placeof residence;
  • You can provide document(s)/evidence, produced by others (recommendations, press articles, etc.), attesting to your commitment/action in favour of human rights;
  • You can justify that participation in the Marianne Initiative’s French aid programme will strengthen your capacity for human rights action in your country and internationally, and that it will enable you to create or develop existing or planned links or projects with French organisations;
  • You possess a valid passport (with a validity of at least six months) or you are willing to follow the procedures to obtain one;
  • You are not subject to any legal ban on leaving your territory;
  • You are willing to travel to France from February to June 2026.

Benefits

  • The program in France provides individual accommodation near Paris, a monthly grant to meet daily needs, a training program, individualized support and networking with human rights players for a period of 4 months (from February to June 2026). The program does not provide support beyond the 4-month period.

Application Deadline:  6th July 2025. You can apply online to be part of the 2026 class of the Marianne initiative through the link below:

Application form – Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders – Class of 2026 (February-June)

Applications do not need to be sent to the Embassy, but should be submitted directly using the procedure indicated above. However, if you have any questions, you may send an email to: amelle.abdallahi@diplomatie.gouv.fr.

see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/06/04/the-marianne-initiative-for-human-rights-defenders/

Your application will include the documents listed in the application form. It will be in either French or English.

Visit the Official Webpage of the Marianne Initiative for Human Rights Defenders

Venice School for Human Rights Defenders 2025

April 25, 2025

The Global Campus of Human Rights is accepting applications for the Venice School for Human Rights Defenders 2025. The School, organised in cooperation with the European Parliament, will take place in Venice, at the Global Campus Headquarters, from 15 to 21 June 2025.

The Venice School is devoted to developing human rights defenders’ advocacy skills and expertise and exploring today’s challenges in the field of human rights or other topical issues, allowing participants to examine their causes and possible solutions.

The programme hosts the 2025 selected Sakharov Fellows and will include lectures by Sakharov laureates and Right Livelihood laureates, internationally renowned academics, experts and activists coming from academia, international organisations, civil society and NGOs.

During the training programme, participants will be able to:

  • Share knowledge and expertise which human rights defenders can use to ensure their voice is central in international human rights decision-making processes
  • Develop strategies and techniques to increase the potential of human rights defenders’ national and regional advocacy work
  • Discuss best practices and ways forward through the mutual exchange of experiences
  • Develop networks among Sakharov fellows and other human rights defenders.

Fee information

€ 1,400 (VAT included) that includes:
Tuition fee
Welcome aperitif
Lunches and coffee breaks on class days
Reading material and access to the School’s online learning platform
Certificate of attendance upon completion of the programme
All expenses related to transportation, accommodation and subsistence and any additional cost not listed above must be arranged and covered by the participant.

How to register

Application deadline: 4 May 2025

To apply, fill in the form at this link: https://www.gchumanrights.org/training-and-courses/venice-school-for-human-rights-defenders/venice-school-for-human-rights-defenders-application-form/

Target audience: The training programme is addressed to human rights practitioners from all over the world as well as to graduate students from all academic backgrounds willing to deepen and improve their knowledge in human rights topics.

For more information, contact us at veniceschool@gchumanrights.org or visit https://www.gchumanrights.org/school.

https://reliefweb.int/training/4147334/venice-school-human-rights-defenders-2025

York Centre for Applied Human Rights offers Sam Pegram Scholarship 2025/26

March 19, 2025

CAHR announces details of the Sam Pegram Scholarship for the 2025/26 academic year

The Sam Pegram Scholarship provides one international student with full funding to pursue an LLM in International Human Rights Law and Practice offered by the York Law School and the Centre for Applied Human Rights.

  • Funding: Full tuition fee waiver, travel and visa costs, accommodation and living costs, and overseas placement. 
  • Academic year: 2025/26
  • Open to: International (including EU) students
  • Qualification level: Postgraduate taught
  • Number available: 1

This is a full scholarship that covers tuition fees, accommodation, travel and visa costs, including an overseas placement to South Africa, and a monthly living stipend for one individual student.

The scholarship is generously provided by The Sam Pegram Humanitarian Foundation in memory of Sam Pegram, a caring, kind and talented young man who tragically died in the Ethiopian Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max crash, in 2019, en route to Nairobi.

After spending two years volunteering and working for humanitarian NGOs in Jordan, Sam came to the University of York to study the LLM in International Human Rights Law and Practice. After graduating, he secured a role as a research policy assistant for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Geneva, where he was working when he died.

Sam was a wonderful presence in the classroom. He was committed, thoughtful and reflexive in his fieldwork. He was deeply committed to humanitarianism, the rights of people on the move, and social justice in a broad sense. He remains deeply missed by his friends and family here at York, in Lancashire where he was from, and around the world.

Through this scholarship, others will have the opportunity to study on this course and make a positive difference for the rights of people on the move and human rights more generally.

Eligibility 

Open to International (including EU) students only.

In order to be eligible, you must also have an offer for a place on this course: LLM International Human Rights Law and Practice

To apply, you must also:

  • have applied to study on the LLM in International Human Rights Law and Practice at the University of York on a full-time basis
  • demonstrate that you have limited financial resources and that you need the scholarship to pursue your postgraduate studies
  • demonstrate a passion for human rights, either through your previous academic studies, professional work, or volunteer activities
  • have a demonstrable specific interest in migration issues, and that you wish to pursue or consolidate a career working on issues affecting people on the move, including generally and in relation to their social exclusion
  • have some lived experience of human rights challenges or migration issues.

How to apply 

Apply online before the deadline on Saturday, 31st May 2025, 11.59pm BST

https://www.york.ac.uk/cahr/news/2025/sam-pegram-scholarship-2025/

Global Civic Space Fellowships by Amnesty

February 26, 2025

Amnesty International invites applications for an 18-month part-time fellowship to explore the global phenomenon of shrinking civic space and document grassroots resistance strategies from marginalized and overlooked voices. Fellows will analyze current trends in civic space restrictions, investigate emerging resistance and human rights movements, and convene activists to co-create a practical toolkit for defending civic space worldwide. The fellowship aims to ensure that Amnesty’s work remains innovative, grounded in lived experience, and contributes to new knowledge on resistance strategies.

Deadline for all applications: 06/03/2024

Rate: Fixed Rate of USD 25,000 for the duration of the fellowship

Location: This fellowship does not include relocation. The consultant must work from their preferred location and possess the necessary work authorization.

OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES

The Fellowship project aims to:

  • Support human rights defenders, academics, and practitioners with lived experience to document and analyze grassroots resistance strategies against authoritarianism and civic space restrictions in their regions.
  • Use this research to develop concrete recommendations and practical tools that can inform Amnesty’s global civic space advocacy.
  • Produce regular short written outputs, including blog posts and opinion pieces, to be independently published.
  • Convene activists and thought leaders in the region through virtual, in-person, or hybrid meetings to share ideas, incubate new strategies, and foster collective learning.
  • Deliver a final in-depth think-piece for Amnesty International’s internal strategy and advocacy, with external publication at Amnesty’s discretion.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

  • Fluency in written and spoken English; fluency in a relevant regional language is desirable.
  • Demonstrated experience working on civic space resistance—either formally (academia, NGOs, journalism, law, policy) or through grassroots activism.
  • Strong writing and research skills, with experience producing publications related to civic space and human rights activism.
  • No formal academic qualifications or certifications are required to apply.

To apply, please submit:

  1. A short bio (maximum one page) outlining your recent experience.
  2. Relevant case studies or descriptions of past work on civic space issues.
  3. Your proposed approach to this fellowship opportunity, including how you would structure your research and engagement.
  4. Applications must be in PDF, Word, PowerPoint or Excel format.

https://careers.amnesty.org/jobs/vacancy/global-civic-space-fellow–4033/4061/description/

Sakharov Fellowship programme for human rights defenders from non-EU countries

January 19, 2025

The European Parliament’s Sakharov Fellowship is offering up to 14 human rights defenders selected from non-EU countries the opportunity to follow an intensive two-week training in Brussels and at the Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice. 

The empowering programme for human rights defenders has been organised annually since 2016, further to an initiative taken by the Sakharov Prize Community at the 25th Anniversary Conference of the Sakharov Prize.

The Brussels programme focuses on EU policies and tools in support of human rights defenders, accessing funding, developing communications skills, and raising awareness of specific security challenges facing human rights defenders. It further includes meetings with Members of Parliament, officials of the EU institutions and Brussels-based NGOs. The Fellows will also have space for individual advocacy and networking activities.

Training at the Global Campus of Human Rights in Venice combines academic teaching on international human rights law, instruments and mechanisms, with case studies, and provides practical tools for improving the work of human rights defenders to effect change on the ground. Lecturers include prominent academics, representatives of leading human rights NGOs, Sakharov Prize laureates and other outstanding human rights practitioners.

The programme will be organised in person in Brussels and Venice.

Candidates should have a proven record in campaigning for human rights in an NGO or other organisation or in an individual capacity. They must have a high level of English, sufficient to follow and contribute to discussion groups and workshops in Brussels and Venice.

The Fellowship covers return travel from the country of origin, accommodation in Brussels and Venice and a daily living allowance.

The deadline for applications is 26 January.

Fellowship or post-graduate

Amnesty Tech call for nominations for 3rd Digital Forensics Fellowship

January 6, 2025

On 2 January 2025 Amnesty Tech – a global collective of advocates, hackers, researchers, and technologists – announced the launch of the third Digital Forensics Fellowship (DFF).

This innovative Fellowship is an opportunity for 5 – 7 human rights defenders (HRDs), journalists, and/or technologists working in civil society organisations around the world to train with Amnesty Tech’s Security Lab to build skills and knowledge on advanced digital threats and forensic investigation techniques. This is a part-time Fellowship that will last 3-4 months and will come with a stipend.

Fellowship start and end date: The Fellowship is expected to run from April – July 2025.

Application Deadline, 23 January 2025 
Location: dependent upon the suitable applicant’s location.

Remuneration: Successful applicants will be given a stipend of £500/month for their time.

Background

Across the world, hard-won rights are being weakened and denied every day. Increasingly, much of the repression faced by HRDs and journalists begins online. Since 2017, Amnesty Tech’s investigations have exposed vast and well-orchestrated digital attacks against activists and journalists in countries such as Morocco, Egypt, Azerbaijan, Qatar, Serbia, Mexico and Pakistan.

Advanced technical capacity is needed in all world regions to tackle the mercenary spyware crisis. By fostering a more decentralised, global, and diverse network of well-trained incident responders and investigators, we can jointly contribute to more timely and effective protection of HRDs and journalists against unlawful surveillance.

The spyware landscape changes rapidly, and creativity and persistence are needed to research and identify new trends, tools, and tactics used to target civil society. The curriculum for the third edition of the DFF will be tailored to the cohort and will be future facing to prepare Fellows to work on current and future spyware threats. [see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2024/05/16/two-young-human-rights-defenders-raphael-mimoun-and-nikole-yanez-on-tech-for-human-rights/]

Objectives and deliverables

Participants in the Digital Forensics Fellowship will be expected to:

  • Attend an in-person, week-long convening where the majority of trainings will be conducted. This training will take place in June 2025, the exact location is set to be confirmed shortly.
  • Dedicate approximately 10 – 12 hours per month to the Fellowship, outside of the convening, by participating in remote training sessions and through independent work outside of scheduled sessions to deepen understanding of training topics.
  • Engage with the programme cohort and the Security Lab during the in-person and remote trainings, and in discussion groups on an ad-hoc basis.

Essential Requirements

  • An understanding of the technical threats, digital attacks and challenges faced by journalists, HRDs, and civil society organisations in their local contexts.
  • Demonstrated interest in conducting investigations to identify digital attacks against civil society, with the goal of building resilience among civil society actors in the face of surveillance after the Fellowship.
  • Familiarity using command line tools and basic knowledge of scripting languages like Bash and Python to analyse data.
  • An understanding of how internet infrastructure works, for example the role of IP addresses, TLS certificates, and DNS queries.
  • Technical familiarity with GNU/Linux operating systems, as well as Android and iPhone systems.
  • Engaging with the English language as the primary language throughout the Fellowship.
  • Application instructions:

To apply, applicants will be required to submit the following via our recruitment system eArcu – please upload all relevant documents to the CV section of the application portal.

  1. A copy of your most recent CV.
  2. A cover letter explaining your motivation and interest in the Fellowship and outlining how you meet the essential requirements outlined in the job description.

Applications must be in PDF, Word, PowerPoint or Excel format.

Application Process:

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to complete a record video interview week commencing 10th February, answering a series of pre-set questions via video, which allows us to learn more about you and your suitability for the Fellowship. Successful applicants from this process will be invited to a Microsoft Teams interview with the panel week commencing 3rd March.

How to apply;

Careers | Amnesty International

Amnesty International

Dejusticia 2025 fellowships for defenders from the Global South

December 20, 2024

Members of the 2024 cohort of our Global South Defenders program.

This opportunity allows human rights defenders from countries in the Global South who are in emergency or high-risk situations to develop their projects and participate in an academic and cultural exchange in a safe space.

There are 14 thematic areas within Dejusticia to whichyou can apply.

The fellowship will begin in the second semester of 2025.

Who is eligible to be part of the program?

We seek human rights defenders from the Global South who meet the following criteria:

  • They come from an emergency or high-risk context. This includes regions affected by armed conflict, civil unrest, or authoritarian regimes, where there is an imminent threat to the security of the grantee. This may involve situations where the grantee and/or their organization have been subjected to threats, intimidation, or populist propaganda, or where they have been excluded from funding due to government or private sector influence.
  • The grantee may be at risk of burnout and is seeking a quiet place to continue working on human rights issues, but in a different context.
  • They belong to human rights organizations in the Global South that are interested in engaging in exchanges and joint research or advocacy work with Dejusticia.
  • They aim to build lasting relationships with other fellows and with Dejusticia. This ensures that our fellowships function as acceleration hubs for connections that will make the human rights movement more cohesive and impactful.

What will fellows receive from Dejusticia?

Dejusticia will cover travel expenses (visa, tickets) and provide a monthly stipend based on the fellow’s profile and experience. Although Dejusticia will offer support at the beginning of the process, including a two-week training period on applied research and on the fellow’s specific work, it is important to note that fellows will be responsible for managing their stipend to cover housing, transportation, and food expenses.

What are the commitments of the Global South Fellow?

The fellow will allocate their time at Dejusticia as follows:

How to apply for the fellowship program?

Before January 31, 2025, please fill out the form

CF: 2024:

EUROPEAN MASTER’S DEGREE IN HUMAN RIGHTS & DEMOCRATISATION (EMA)

December 20, 2024

The European Master’s Programme in Human Rights and Democratisation (EMA)EMA is a one-year, full-time interdisciplinary programme that reflects the indivisible links between human rights, democracy, peace and development. The programme offers an action- and policy-oriented approach to studying human rights and democratization as well as offering an interdisciplinary approach to the intellectual frameworks that underpin human rights and democratization such as law, international relations, philosophy, history and anthropology.

While studying in a multicultural environment, students have the opportunity to be taught by leading academics representing the 43 EMA participating universities, representatives of international organizations (including the European Union, the United Nations and the Council of Europe), NGO experts and activists and human rights defenders.

EMA is both a residential and an exchange programme, structured in two semesters. Students spend their first semester (September to January) at the Global Campus of Human Rights headquarters in Venice. During the second semester they are hosted by one of the participating universities where they follow courses and prepare a research thesis.

The call for applications for the academic year 2025/2026 is now open

Deadline for both scholarship and self-funded applicants: 2 February 2025

Additional information can be found at: https://emahumanrights.org/

ISHR’s training for human rights defenders 2025:

November 27, 2024

Are you a human rights defender keen to use the UN to push for change at home? If so, apply for the 2025 edition of ISHR’s flagship training, the Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme (HRDAP)!

After a successful edition in 2024, [https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2023/11/07/human-rights-defender-advocacy-programme-2024-applications-now-open/] ISHR launches the call for applications for the 2025 Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme (HRDAP25), which will take place both remotely and in Geneva! Below are some important dates to consider before applying:

  • Mandatory distance learning course: 14 April – 8 June 2025 (part time)
  • In-person course in Geneva: 10- 20 June 2025 (full time) 
  • Deadline to apply: 10 January 2025, midnight CET (Geneva Time)
  • Programme description with all the information can be downloaded here.
  • Application form can be found here. 

Learn more about why you should apply for HRDAP by watching this video!

What is the Human Rights Defender Advocacy Programme 2025 (HRDAP25)?

The course equips human rights defenders with the knowledge and skills to integrate the UN human rights system into their existing work at the national level in a strategic manner and provides an opportunity for participants to prepare for and engage in advocacy activities at the UN with the aim to effect change back home.  

Online course topics – ISHR

Defenders will complete a 10-week hybrid learning programme, online and offline, which will include: 

  • Accessing the HRDAP Platform, where they can complete e-learning courses on each key UN human rights mechanism and on advocacy strategies, and access interactive learning materials and case studies on the ISHR Academy 
  • Taking part in live Q&A sessions with human rights experts 
  • Receiving a continuous personalised advocacy support and coaching in order to develop concrete advocacy objectives to make strategic use of the international human rights system taking into account the local context
  • Building networks around the world, and learning from peers from a range of regions working on a range of human rights issues 
  • Applying their knowledge to case-studies scenarios and enhancing their advocacy toolbox according to their specific needs (elevator pitch, SMART recommendations…)
  • Receiving support and advocacy accompaniment to conduct activities during the 59th and 60th Human Rights Council sessions and other relevant opportunities. 

Participants will have the unique opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills while being in Geneva as well as to meet and share with their peers and experts (UN staff, diplomats, supporting NGOs…). The blended format of the course allows defenders to continue their vital work on the ground, while diving into the inner workings of each key UN human rights mechanism and gaining first-hand experience from advocates and UN staff on how civil society can strategically engage in the international human rights space.  The methodology we use is interactive and learner-centred and encourage participation of everyone.

By participating in HRDAP, defenders:

  1. Gain knowledge and tools, which they can use to ensure their voice is central in international human rights decision-making 
  2. Explore and compare the benefits of engagement with the Human Rights Council, the Special Procedures, the OHCHR, the Universal Periodic Review and the Treaty Bodies, and examine how they can use them to bolster their work at the national level 
  3. Develop strategies and advocacy techniques to increase the potential of their national and regional advocacy work 

This programme is directed at experienced human rights defenders working in non-governmental organisations, with existing advocacy experience at the national level and some prior knowledge of the international human rights system. 

ISHR supports, and promotes solidarity with and between, defenders working in the following areas or contexts, which we recognise as intersectional and interdependent: 

  1. Equality, dignity and non-discrimination
  2. Environmental justice and sustainability 
  3. International accountability for the repression of human rights defenders 
  4. Transparency and rule of law 

The hybrid programme will bring together around 16 committed human rights defenders from different backgrounds, who work on a wide range of areas that are linked with our programmes to ensure a sustainable collaboration. This can include, but is not limited to, defenders working on the following thematics: women rights; Indigenous people’s rights; the human rights of LGBTIQ+ persons; anti-racism; reclaiming civil society space and increasing protection of human rights defenders.  

What do former HRDAPers say? 

16 human rights defenders from 15 countries took part in the last edition, HRDAP24. At the end of the training, 98% of the participants were either extremely satisfied or very satisfied with the programme and felt that they would be able to apply what they learnt to their own day-to-day work. Find out more about the outcomes of HRDAP24 here. 

More testimonials from HRDAP Alumni here.  

How to apply?

First, download and read carefully the HRDAP 2025 Programme Description to find out more about modalities, requirements and funding. If you meet the criteria, take some time to apply using this online form before midnight Geneva time on Friday 10 January 2025! 

As only a limited number of human rights defenders are able to participate in HRDAP each year, in addition to our range of guides and handbooks, ISHR has developed an e-learning space in English, French and Spanish to help human rights defenders strengthen their advocacy skills with the UN for greater impact on the ground: the ISHR Academy. The learning modules demystify the UN human rights system and build capacity to push for change. Discover new tools, insider tips, defender stories, and more! 

For more information, please contact us: training@ishr.ch

https://ishr.ch/latest-updates/hrdap-2025-apply-now-for-ishrs-hybrid-training-for-human-rights-defenders