Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) Minorities Fellowship Programme 2026 (Fully Funded to Geneva, Switzerland)

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Application Deadline:  31 January 2026, at 23:59 (Geneva time)

Applications are actually open for the 2026 Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UN OHCHR) Minorities Fellowship. Launched in 2005, the Minorities Fellowship Programme (MFP) is OHCHR’s most complete coaching programme for human rights defenders from nationwide, ethnic, non secular, and linguistic minority teams.

By the finish of the programme, fellows will achieve a basic understanding of the United Nations system, worldwide human rights devices, and mechanisms, with a specific deal with minority rights.

The MFP additionally serves as a chance for human rights activists to broaden their community by constructing strategic partnerships with activists from round the world, the United Nations, and related Geneva-based NGOs.

The programme is obtainable in three languages: English, Russian, and Arabic, and takes place in Geneva, Switzerland. 

Requirements

Applicants should belong to a nationwide, ethnic, linguistic, or non secular minority group. Applicants not belonging to minority teams is not going to be thought of, even when they’ve shut ties with minority communities or organizations.

Note: Indigenous candidates ought to apply to the Indigenous Fellowship Programme, which has a separate application course of.

Formal training will not be a prerequisite, offered related expertise is demonstrated. Applicants should have the means, willingness, and alternative to prepare others of their group or group upon returning. They should even have a superb working data of the language wherein the programme is carried out.

Candidates must be proposed and supported by their group or group.

Ideally, the sponsoring group:

• Has a agency constituency or membership inside the minority group.
• Represents minority points.
• Undertakes work associated to minority points.
• Is composed of individuals belonging to minorities.

Benefits

• A return economic system class ticket from their nation of residence to Geneva.
• Basic medical health insurance for the length of the programme.
• A stipend to cowl modest lodging and dwelling bills.

Selection Process:

• Pre-selection of 15 to 20 candidates per language group is carried out by earlier fellows, adopted by interviews for pre-selected candidates. The remaining choice is made by an advisory group of OHCHR employees.
• In view of the giant quantity of functions, we remorse to inform that solely profitable candidates shall be contacted.
• Please notice that the programme normally takes place in November for a month annually, together with a preparatory coaching part in Strasbourg, France for one week.

How to Apply

• Application varieties can be found in English,Russian, and Arabic. Both components I and II of the type have to be accomplished and accompanied by an official suggestion letter from the nominating group or group. Only absolutely accomplished functions shall be thought of.
• The deadline for functions is 31 January 2026, at 23:59 (Geneva time). We encourage you to submit your application properly earlier than the deadline. Applications should embrace a suggestion letter, uploaded immediately onto the on-line type.

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the UN OHCHR Minorities Fellowship