Posts Tagged ‘rest’

Human Rights Defenders Protective Fellowship Programme in South Africa

April 29, 2025

The inaugural Fellowship at the University of the Western Cape is designed as a rest and respite for Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) working in stressful environments.

Our three-month, non-academic Fellowship Program provides Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) working in stressful environments a safe space to rest, recharge, reflect on their work, and take advantage of opportunities to acquire new skills and knowledge at the University of the Western Cape. HRDs often face difficulties, including fatigue, burnout, and persecution in the form of arrests, threats, and other traumatic experiences. This unique initiative is a response to the need to provide support and strengthen the capacity of HRDs to continue their work. 

While at our University, Fellows have opportunities to audit academic courses, present as guest speakers in lectures and other platforms, and attend writing and other workshops. By engaging in these various activities, Fellows share their knowledge, thereby enriching the teaching and learning experiences. The Fellows also have the space and resources to remain involved in activism in their home country or region. The Africa Hub collaborates with various actors within the UWC campus and in civil society to provide psychosocial support to its Fellows. Outside the university, they also tour and engage with South African democratic institutions and places of historical significance that symbolise human rights struggles. Other key aspects of the Fellowship are networking with civil society organisations in Cape Town and community visits for cultural exchange. 

The first cohort in 2024 had three HRDs from Mozambique, Uganda and Kenya. The Fellows’ programme is oriented towards rest and respite. The future Fellowships may have different emphases, depending on the participants’ needs and other factors. 

Selection process: The selection of fellows is based on a closed nominations system. 

Reach out at pugresearch@uwc.ac.za to add your organisation to our list of contacts for the fellowship programme call for nominations. 

https://pugresearch.org.za/africa-hub-fellowship-programme/

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Call for applications by human rights defenders at risk to participate in Shelter City, Netherlands

May 16, 2019

Please distribute this Call for temporary relocation in 2019 to human rights defenders who need it.

Justice and Peace Netherlands is launching a new call for human rights defenders at risk to participate in the Shelter City initiative around September 2019. The deadline to apply is 31 May 2019.  Shelter City offers human rights defenders (HRDs) at risk a possibility for rest and respite by letting them escape temporarily from a threatening situation. The initiative can benefit human rights defenders that are threatened or under intense pressure due to their work. Shelter City is an initiative coordinated by Justice and Peace Netherlands together with  municipalities in the Netherlands, local partners, and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
How does Shelter City work?
Through temporary relocation, human rights defenders will be offered a shelter for 3 months in one of the Shelter Cities in the Netherlands, during which they can rest, continue their work in safety, build up capacity (including a one-week compulsory training on security), extend their network and raise awareness about the situation in their country. Activities can include meetings with NGOs and public authorities, public lectures, rest or leisure, treatment for work-related problems, continuing working on human rights in their country, raising awareness of human rights among the Dutch public or participating in local initiatives organised by the municipality and/or the host organisation. At the end of the programme, participants are expected to return with new tools and energy to carry out their work at home. A monthly stipend sufficient to cover costs of living, accommodation, health insurance, visa and return flight tickets to The Netherlands are provided. In addition, personal accompaniment is provided to the participant.
Who can apply for Shelter City?
For the purposes of Shelter City, the term HRD is intended to refer to the broad range of activists, journalists, scholars, writers, artists, political figures, lawyers, civil rights defenders, independent media professionals, civil society members, and others working to advance human rights and democracy peacefully around the world.
Applicants must fulfil the following conditions:
In order to be eligible to the Shelter City programme, HRDs must meet the following conditions:

  1. They implement a non-violent approach in their work;
  2. They are threatened or otherwise under pressure due to their work;
  3. They should be able to be relocated for a period of maximum 3 months. Limited spots are available for people who are not able to stay for the full 3 months;
  4. They are willing and able to return to their country of origin after 3 months;
  5. They are willing to speak publicly about their experience or about human rights in their country to the extent that their security situation allows;
  6. They have a conversational level* of English (limited spots are available for French or Spanish speaking HRDs);
  7. They are willing and able to come to The Netherlands without accompaniment of family members;
  8. They have a valid passport (with no less than six months of validity) or be willing to carry out the procedures for its issuance. Justice and Peace covers the costs of issuing a passport and / or visa (if applicable);
  9. They are not subjected to any measure or judicial prohibition of leaving the country;
  10. They are willing to begin their stay in The Netherlands around September 2019.

To apply or submit the application of a human rights defender, please fill in the form by clicking ‘Apply Now’ below.Application forms must be completed by 31 May 2019, at 23:59 CET (Central European Time). An independent commission will select the participants.
Apply Now for Shelter City 2019 <https://form.jotformeu.com/91282390458361>
Note that the selected human rights defenders will not be automatically allowed into the Shelter City programme as Justice and Peace is not in control of issuing the required visas to enter the Netherlands. For more information, please contact us at sheltercity@justiceandpeace.nl

For last year’s call, see: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2018/11/13/shelter-city-netherlands-new-call-for-temporary-relocation-in-2019/

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Two Dutch calls for human rights defenders in need

May 23, 2018

Justice and Peace NL is launching a new call for Human Rights Defenders to participate in the Shelter City Initiative which offers human rights defenders a possibility for rest and respite by letting them escape temporarily from a threatening situation. Shelter City offer a safe space to human rights defenders at a moment where they are particularly vulnerable and their security can no longer be guaranteed at home. The programme’s objective is to offer the human rights defender a shelter for three months, during which she/he will rest, build up capacity, extend her/his network and raise awareness about the situation in their country. At the end of the programme, participants are expected to return with new tools and energy to carry out their work at home. An important principle of the Shelter City Initiative is that human rights defenders can continue their work while they are temporarily relocated. From September 2018, eleven cities in the Netherlands will receive human rights defenders for a period of three months. Please circulate this message to all interested candidates who you may know.
In order to be eligible to the Shelter City program, you must meet the following conditions:

  1. The HRD should implement a non-violent approach in his/her work
  2. They are threatened or otherwise under pressure due to their work.
  3. They should be able to be relocated for a period of maximum 3 months. Limited spots are available for people who are not able to stay for the full 3 months;
  4. They are willing and able to return to their country of origin after 3 months;
  5. They are willing to speak publicly about their experience or about human rights in their country to the extent that their security situation allows.
  6. They can speak basic English (limited spots are available for French or Spanish speaking HRDs);
  7. They are willing and able to come to the Netherlands without accompaniment;
  8. They are willing to begin their stay in the Netherlands around September 2018. 

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.
To apply or submit the application of a human rights defender, please e-mail sheltercity@justiceandpeace.nl . You will then receive an application form. Application forms must be returned before 11 June 2018. An independent commission will select the participants.

See also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2017/06/08/justice-and-peace-nl-increasingly-active-for-human-rights-defenders/
and https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2017/09/15/internship-for-the-human-rights-defenders-programme-at-justice-and-peace-nl/


Justice and Peace Netherlands – together with T.M.C. Asser Institute – are also launching a new call for applications for the 2018 Fellowship Programme for Human Rights Defenders. See:
https://en.justiceandpeace.nl/news/fellowship-programme-for-human-rights-defenders-2018-call-for-applications<https://en.justiceandpeace.nl/news/fellowship-programme-for-human-rights-defenders-2018-call-for-applications>

 

https://en.justiceandpeace.nl/news/shelter-city-netherlands-call-for-applications-september-2018<https://en.justiceandpeace.nl/news/shelter-city-netherlands-call-for-applications-september-2018

 

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