Media Defence/The Kennedy Human Rights Center/Vuka Sub-Saharan Africa Litigation Surgery 2026 (Funded) – YOA

Deadline: July 31, 2026

Applications are open for the Media Defence/The Kennedy Human Rights Center/Vuka Sub-Saharan Africa Litigation Surgery 2026. Lawyers who work and stay in Sub-Saharan Africa are invited to take part in an upcoming litigation surgical procedure, a workshop centered on advancing the safety of human rights by strategic litigation. The program will discover key points regarding freedom of expression, freedom of meeting and affiliation, and the safety of human rights defenders.

Participants will be taught from specialists, strengthen their understanding of related authorized frameworks and strategic litigation approaches, and take part in sensible classes the place they current and focus on instances they’re engaged on with friends and specialists. The litigation surgical procedure will give attention to creating efficient litigation methods, strengthening case preparation, and exploring using nationwide, regional, and worldwide mechanisms to handle violations of those rights.

The litigation surgical procedure will: 

• Equip members with the abilities and information to pursue strategic litigation utilizing nationwide and worldwide authorized frameworks and related human rights mechanisms. 
• Strengthen members’ capability to answer threats affecting freedom of expression, freedom of meeting and affiliation, and human rights defenders. 
• Foster a community of legal professionals engaged on associated human rights instances and facilitate engagement with regional and worldwide authorized mechanisms and civil society initiatives. 
• Support collaboration and the alternate of experiences amongst legal professionals endeavor strategic litigation throughout the area. 
• Provide a platform for sharing sensible litigation methods, receiving peer suggestions, and creating approaches to complicated authorized challenges. 

The litigation surgical procedure will happen in-individual, from October 2nd – 4th, 2026, in Nairobi, Kenya. This will characteristic skilled-led classes, case-based mostly discussions, and peer studying actions. A most of 15 members shall be chosen.

Benefits

For profitable candidates, Media Defence will present: 

• Return journey out of your home nation to Nairobi, Kenya. 
• Accommodation for the day earlier than and the period of the litigation surgical procedure. 
• Expenses for journey to and from the airport in your home nation and Nairobi, Kenya. 
• Reimbursement for visa prices (please notice that members will be chargeable for arranging and masking any visa necessities obligatory for his or her participation). 
• A per diem, the speed is to be decided, for journey days in addition to the period of the litigation surgical procedure and convention. 

Eligibility

Applicants ought to:

• Be certified legal professionals who at the moment work and reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. 
• Demonstrate working proficiency in the English language. 
• Be in non-public observe or affiliated with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that promotes human rights by litigation within the area, together with however not restricted to freedom of expression, freedom of affiliation and meeting, and different human rights. 
• Demonstrate expertise, curiosity in, or information of freedom of expression, freedom of affiliation and meeting, digital rights, web freedom, or associated areas. 
• Demonstrate information of, or expertise partaking with, worldwide and regional human rights legislation. 
• Submit a case study as part of the application involving a violation of freedom of expression, freedom of meeting and affiliation, the rights of human rights defenders, or associated human rights points. The case could also be one that you’re at the moment litigating or intend to litigate. Applicants and not using a pending case might as an alternative determine a related legislation, observe, or coverage they want to problem by litigation, however should show each the flexibility and willingness to pursue the matter following the litigation surgical procedure. 
• Strong functions from legal professionals with out prior expertise in different human rights points and a demonstrated dedication to working on this space, may even be thought of. 
• The following is a non-exhaustive checklist of potential case matters that could be submitted as part of the application: 
  • Defamation (legal or civil) 
  • Violence towards journalists, together with bodily assaults and on-line violence 
  • Restrictions on on-line or print media 
  • Online privateness and digital rights 
  • Spyware and illegal surveillance 
  • National safety measures affecting freedom of expression 
  • Restrictions on freedom of meeting and affiliation 
  • Legal and regulatory measures affecting human rights defenders 

Application

The deadline for functions is July thirty first, 2026. Applications shall be reviewed on a rolling foundation and so they might shut the decision early in the event that they obtain a excessive quantity of submissions.

Complete the online application or ship the finished application form to [email protected]. 

For extra data, go to Sub-Saharan Africa Litigation Surgery.