Open Society Justice Initiative Offers Fellows Program at Central European University

The Open Society Justice Initiative joins Central European University in announcing the Justice Initiative Fellows Program for 2006–2008. The aim of the program is to support and further develop a network of lawyers and activists working on human rights-related issues internationally.

The Human Rights Fellows Program is a two-year program of study and practical work experience. Up to 10 applicants will be selected in 2006 to participate in the program. Applicants from the following regions are eligible: Central and Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Central/South America. Applicants must be nominated by a nongovernmental organization concerned with human rights that will sponsor the applicant as a Justice Initiative fellow with a defined role within the organization. Applicants selected for the fellowship will be required to sign an agreement with the Justice Initiative committing themselves to the program for two years. The first year is spent at Central European University, the second in the applicant's home country, working with the nominating nongovernmental organization.

Fellowship applicants must demonstrate a strong commitment to human rights, and have a university degree and a high degree of proficiency in English. Criteria for selection will include the applicant's experience, his/her potential to contribute to the protection and promotion of human rights, and the suitability of the applicant's proposed role in the nominating nongovernmental organization.

Human rights fellows will reside for one year in Hungary at Central European University's Legal Studies Department. They will undertake a degree program (MA or LLM. in Human Rights, depending on their undergraduate degree), in which they will be required to fulfill the requirements of the Human Rights Program at Central European University. During their stay at Central European University, the fellows will also participate in a three-month internship placement with leading nongovernmental organization in Europe from January until March.

During the first year of the program the Justice Initiative Fellowship will be administered by Central European University's Legal Studies Department in partnership with the Justice Initiative. Financial conditions will be identical to Central European University's policies for full scholarship students. Human rights fellows will return to their nominating nongovernmental organizations after the first year, where they will spend at least one year working in human rights advocacy on a nonprofit basis: providing legal services, undertaking human rights litigation, and providing training and education. The Justice Initiative will pay a local salary during the second year equal to an amount determined to be similar to equivalent work by the nominating nongovernmental organization. This amount will be provided to the nominating nongovernmental organization in the form of a grant.

Application Procedure

Please note that applicants must submit their applications to the Central European University Admissions Office (1051 Budapest, Nador Street 9, Hungary). They must meet the general Central European University Admissions requirements, which can be viewed online (http://www.ceu.hu/admissions.html), as well as the Central European University Legal Studies Department Requirements (http://www.ceu.hu/legal/admissions.html). In addition, applicants must include the following with their application:

• A nominating letter from an nongovernmental organization describing the reasons for nominating the applicant, the expectations the nongovernmental organization has of the project, and contractually committing (to the Justice Initiative) to hire the applicant for at least one year after s/he returns from the twelve-month training program in Hungary. The nomination letter should also indicate a monthly salary gross rate in US dollars (including all taxes and fees) that will be offered to the applicant by the nongovernmental organization in the event that s/he is selected for the program (provided to the nongovernmental organization by the Justice Initiative in the form of a grant).
• A copy of the applicant's Bar Association membership (if applicable), or the date scheduled for examination.
• Proof of English Proficiency (if available). If no language test has been taken, a test will be carried out during the application procedure (exact dates to be determined). For applicants from the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe, language tests will be carried out by local Soros Foundation/Open Society Institute coordinators. For all other applicants, the relevant sections of the general admissions guidelines apply.
• A statement of purpose for applying to the Justice Initiative Fellows program.
• A proposal of project activities that the candidate plans to work on with the nominating nongovernmental organization during the second year of the fellowship.

The DEADLINE for receiving applications at Central European University is January 6, 2006.