UN Fellowship for People of African Descent, 2024

Applicants are invited to apply to the 2024 UN fellowship for people of African descent. This UN Fellowship program aims to strengthen participants’ skills to contribute to the protection and promotion of civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of people of African descent in their respective countries.

The UN fellowship for people of African descent is a three-week intensive learning opportunity for people of African descent from the diaspora, who are engaged in promoting the rights of people of African descent. The fellowship Program was initiated by the Anti-Racial Discrimination Section in 2011 and was further supported by GA resolution on the Program of activities for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent.

At the end of training, participants will be equipped with the necessary tools to enhance the development of legislation, policies, and programs; to strengthen the collaboration of civil society with governments, and to undertake local awareness-raising activities.

Program Details

• Host Institutions: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Area: Human Rights.
• Number of Awards: Not specified.
• Duration : The Fellowship will be held from 11 November to 29 November 2024 in Geneva, Switzerland. In addition, fellows are expected to dedicate a few hours to pre-online courses and preparatory assignments in the preceding two weeks.
• Target Group: The fellowship is available for people of African descent from the diaspora.

UN Fellowship for People of African Descent Benefits

Each fellow is entitled to :

1. a return ticket (economy class) from the country of residence to Geneva;
2. basic health insurance;
3. and a stipend to cover modest accommodation and other living expenses for the duration of the Programme.

Furthermore, the fellowship program will provide participants with the opportunity to:

• Learn about and deepen their understanding of international human rights law and the UN human rights system, the international framework to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, and intersecting issues with a focus on people of African descent;
• Strengthen skills in developing project proposals, delivering presentations, and submitting information to human rights mechanisms;
• Gain first-hand exposure to human rights mechanisms;
• Meet with a wide range of actors.

UN Fellowship for People of African Descent Eligibility

To apply for the UN Fellowship, candidates must have the following profile:

1. be an individual of African descent living in the Diaspora.
2. have a minimum of 4 years of work experience related to the rights of the people of African Descent.
3. candidate has to submit a letter from an organization working on issues related to People of African Descent or minority rights certifying their status.
4. Candidates must be available to attend the full duration of the program. The selected fellows will be expected to participate in different activities and strictly follow the program.

Similar Opportunities

1. A*STAR Computing and Information Science Scholarship;
2. Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University;
3. Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship to the USA.

How to Apply for the UN Fellowship for People of African Descent

Eligible applicants willing to apply for this opportunity are required to submit Application documents in one single e-mail to [email protected]. Applications can be submitted in English, Français and Español.

Application Documents

1. A Curriculum Vitae
2. A completed, signed and scanned Application Form (English | Français | Español) in one single document.
3. A Personal Statement (maximum 500 words) in which the candidate will explain his/her motivation for applying, and how he/she will use the knowledge gained from the fellowship to promote the interests and rights of people of African descent.
4. An Official Letter from the nominating organization or community certifying the status.
5. A copy of the applicant’s passport.

Name the attached document as follows:

• LAST NAME First name – Type of document
• Example : WILLIAMS Jerry – Application form.doc
• WILLIAMS Jerry – A Personal Statement.doc
• WILLIAMS Jerry – Letter certifying Status.pdf
• WILLIAMS Jerry – Passport.pdf

The deadline to submit applications has been extended to May 31, 2024. For more details on the UN Fellowship for People of African Descent, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.