MINELRES: UN/OHCHR Fellowship programme for persons belonging to ethnic, national, religious and linguistic minorities

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http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/minorities/fellowprog.htm
 
Fellowship programme for persons belonging to national or ethnic
religious and linguistic minorities

Five Fellows to be chosen for 2006.

Deadline for applications: 15 NOVEMBER 2005 

APPLICATION FORM here: 
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/minorities/docs/applicationform2006.doc 

(The implementation of the Fellowship programme is dependent on funding
being made available)

Through this Programme, the Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) aims to give persons belonging to
national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, particularly
young minority women and men, an opportunity to gain knowledge in the
field of international human rights in general, and on minority rights
in particular. The Fellowship Programme is intended to assist
organizations and communities in protecting and promoting human rights.
Five Fellows will be chosen to participate in this Programme to be held
from the early February to end of April 2006. There may also be an
opportunity to return to Geneva for the Working Group on Minorities of
the Sub-Commission, depending on the outcome of the UN reform process. 

The Minorities Fellowship Programme for 2006 will run from early
February to end of April 2006. The five Fellows will be based at the
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
in Geneva, Switzerland for a period of three or three and a half
months., from early February to the end of April and possibly returning
to Geneva in late July early August for two weeks to follow the
Sub-Commission�s Working Group on Minorities. During this period the
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, the Committee on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Commission on Human Rights
will be in session. There will be an opportunity to learn about the work
of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and establish contact with
the representatives who will be participating in their International
Coordinating Committee and with representatives attending the annual
session of the Commission on Human Rights. Additionally, opportunities
will be provided to establish contacts and to network and lobby with the
non-governmental community and other inter-governmental organizations,
such as UNDP. 

After an introduction to the work of treaty bodies, particularly CERD,
and to charter-based bodies work particularly, the Commission on Human
Rights, the five Minorities Fellows will be given the opportunity to
learn about the country-focused work of OHCHR and about the practical
ways of strengthening national human rights protection systems. Training
will also be provided on UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons
Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and
the work of the UN Working Group on Minorities. 

It is expected that the five Minorities Fellows at the end of the
Programme will gain general knowledge about the treaty and charter-based
bodies work on human rights, greater knowledge about the work of CERD
and the Commission on Human Rights as it relates to issues of relevance
to minorities. Furthermore, by the end of the Programme, each of the
Minorities Fellows should be capable of giving trainings within their
communities and organizations on the work of CERD and the Commission on
Human Rights in general, and on minority rights in particular, and be
able to disseminate the information and knowledge gained during the
Fellowship Programme.

Five Fellowships will be awarded for 2006. Each Fellowship award will
include the following :

1. An economy class air ticket from the country of residence to Geneva
(return); 

2. A monthly grant to cover modest accommodation in Geneva for the
duration of the Programme and other living expenses in Geneva ; and 

3. Health insurance for the duration of the Programme

4. The same coverage would apply should there be a need to return to
Geneva for the Working Group on Minorities. 

Selection process and criteria:

The final selection of successful candidates will be made by an advisory
group for the Minorities Fellowship Programme, which will include the
members of the Working Group on Minorities, the Independent Expert on
Minorities Issues and OHCHR secretariat. If a large number of
applications were to be received, regrettably, only successful
candidates would be contacted. 

The following guidelines and general criteria pertain to the selection
of candidates for the Minorities Fellowship Programme: 

The individual candidate :

1. Age should not be a limitation to participation in the Minorities
Fellowship Programme, although preference initially will be given to
candidates between 25 - 35 years.

2. Formal education should not be a limitation to participation in the
Minorities Fellowship Programme, if relevant experience can be
demonstrated. 

3. Candidates should have ability and willingness to train other persons
belonging to minorities upon return to their respective
communities/organizations.

4. The candidate should have the written support of their community or
organization. 

5. The candidates must have a good understanding of the English
language, as all trainings and debriefings will be conducted in English. 

The sponsoring organization/association/community:

6. The overall goal of the Minorities Fellowship Programme is to offer
persons belonging to minorities the opportunity to gain knowledge and
skills in the field of international human rights in order to assist
their organizations and communities in protecting and promoting human
and minority rights. Therefore, it is important that the candidate
proposed and nominated by a minority organization or community be
someone who will return to his or her NGO to work in this field.

7. It is desirable that the sponsoring organization or association
undertakes work on minority issues and is composed of persons belonging
to minorities. 

Other guidelines and criteria :

8. The selection of the Minorities Fellows should reflect a regional and
gender balance.

9. Ten alternates should be selected in the event that any of the first
five preferences will not be available for the period of the programme. 

Fellowship applications will only be taken into consideration if they
are fully completed.

Fellowship applications must be faxed or sent by regular post. E-mailed
applications will not be taken into consideration. 

Fellowship applications or any questions pertaining to the Programme
should be addressed to : 

Minorities Fellowship Programme
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights
UNOG-OHCHR
CH-1211 Geneva 10
Switzerland
Telephone number: (+ 41 22) 917 9204 or 917 9272
Telefax number: (+41 22) 917 9010 
E-mail: Applications@ohchr.org  

Deadline for applications: 15 NOVEMBER 2005

APPLICATION FORM
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/minorities/docs/applicationform2006.doc


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