Fully Funded United Nations OHCHR Fellowship Programme 2025 for People of African Descent

What is the Fellowship programme?

The Fellowship programme for individuals of African descent is an intensive human rights coaching for individuals of African descent, from the diaspora, who’re engaged in selling the rights of individuals of African descent.

It takes place annually on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva.

The Fellowship programme gives the individuals with the chance to:

• Learn about and deepen their understanding of the worldwide human rights legislation and the UN human rights system, the worldwide framework to fight racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and associated intolerance, and intersecting points with a give attention to individuals of African descent;
• Gain first-hand publicity to worldwide human rights mechanisms and OHCHR.
• Engage with the worldwide human rights mechanisms and OHCHR and strengthen expertise in creating venture proposals and delivering shows.

The Fellowship Programme was initiated by the OHCHR Anti-Racial Discrimination Section in 2011 and was additional supported by the United Nations General Assembly decision A/RES/69/16 on the Programme of actions for the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent. The High Commissioner is the coordinator of the Decade. The 2025 Fellowship Programme would be the first to happen in the course of the Second International Decade for People of African Descent (2025-2034), which was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2024 by decision A/RES/79/193

Purpose of the programme

The goal is to strengthen individuals’ expertise to contribute to the promotion and safety of civil, political, financial, social and cultural rights of individuals of African descent of their respective nations. The individuals are outfitted with the instruments essential to: guarantee the event of laws, insurance policies and programmes aligns with worldwide human rights requirements; strengthen collaboration of civil society with governments; and undertake native awareness-raising and advocacy actions.

Stories from former fellows

Voices of the Decade options 11 tales of fellows of African descent, offering a snapshot of their necessary and galvanizing work achieved to advertise the human rights of individuals of African descent all through the world. Voices of the Decade is a name, and a supply of inspiration, for everybody to work collectively in direction of recognition, justice and improvement for individuals of African descent. Read their testimonies here.

Former individuals speak concerning the Fellowship programme for individuals of African descent

Who might apply

The candidate should be a person of African descent residing within the Diaspora.

• The candidate should have a minimal of 4 years of work expertise associated to the rights of People of African Descent.
• The candidate ought to submit an official letter from a corporation engaged on points associated to individuals of African descent or minority rights – on official letterhead – certifying the candidate’s function inside the group.
• The candidates should be accessible to attend the total length of the programme. The chosen fellows will likely be anticipated to take part in numerous actions and to strictly observe the programme.

Since 2011, 160 fellows from 50 nations have participated within the Fellowship programme together with from Argentina, Australia, Austria,Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Brazil, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cyprus, Denmark, Ecuador, France, Guatemala, Germany, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Lebanon, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Trinidad and Tobago, Türkiye, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Dates of the Fellowship

The Fellowship will likely be held from 10 to twenty-eight November 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland.

In addition, fellows are anticipated to dedicate just a few hours to pre-online programs and preparatory assignments within the previous two weeks. 

How to apply

Applications will be submitted in English.

IMPORTANT! OHCHR regrets to tell that because of the monetary scenario presently going through the United Nations, the 2025 Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent will likely be delivered in English solely, on account of  inadequate funds to cowl the supply of interpretation companies in different languages.

Applicants are requested to submit the next paperwork in a single single e-mail to ohchr-africandescentfellowship@un.org:

• A Curriculum Vitae
• A accomplished, signed and scanned Application Form in a single single doc.
• A private assertion (most 500 phrases) through which the candidate will clarify their motivation for making use of, and the way they’ll use the information gained from the fellowship to advertise the pursuits and rights of individuals of African descent.
• An official letter from an organisation engaged on points associated to individuals of African descent or minority rights – on official letterhead – certifying the candidate’s function inside the group
• A duplicate of the applicant’s passport.
• Please observe that submissions with greater than 5 attachments is not going to be accepted.

Important: Please point out within the topic header of your e-mail: “Application for the 2025 Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent.”
Name the hooked up doc as follows:

LAST NAME First identify – Type of doc
Example: SMITH Jacqueline – Application kind.doc
SMITH Jacqueline – A Personal Statement.doc
SMITH Jacqueline – Official letter from nominating organisation .pdf
SMITH Jacqueline – Passport.pdf

Deadline for functions: 30 June 2025.

Selection Process

The choice of the fellows will mirror gender and regional stability. The human rights scenario of individuals of African descent within the respective nations can even be considered.

Please observe that as a result of of the quantity of messages, functions is not going to be acknowledged and solely short-listed candidates will likely be notified by e-mail. A notification will likely be printed on the OHCHR webpage of the Fellowship programme when the choice course of is accomplished.

Participant’s entitlement

Each fellow is entitled to a return ticket (financial system class) from the nation of residence to Geneva; primary medical insurance; and a stipend to cowl modest lodging and different residing bills for the length of the Programme.

Information for former fellows

• OHCHR-Former PAD Fellows partnership

Alumni of the Fellowship programme for individuals of African descent are invited to apply to the OHCHR – Former PAD Fellows partnership, by which the OHCHR gives assist to occasions and initiatives that goal at selling and defending human rights of individuals of African descent and combating racism and racial discrimination. Additional info on the right way to apply is offered right here: OHCHR – Former PAD Fellows partnership: Call for application.

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