Inter-american commission on human rights, organization of american states, Scholarship – Rapporteurship on the Rights of Women
The IACHR is seeking candidates for a one year fellowship in Washington, DC to run from May 1, 2009 – April 30, 2010. The objectives of this fellowship is to provide an opportunity for young lawyers from OAS Member States to understand and apply the mechanisms of protection of the Inter-American System of Human Rights in the sphere of women’s rights. The ideal candidate would support the work of the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Women of the Inter-American Commission, under the supervision of its specialists during the period of the fellowship and, at the end of the fellowship, present to the Executive Secretariat of the IACHR a detailed report on activities carried out by the fellow.
The ideal candidate will:
Be a citizen of an
Be bilingual in Spanish and English (attach certificates testifying thereto), knowledge of French or Portuguese desirable;
Have graduated in law from an officially recognized university (attach copy of the degree and grades obtained);
Have a demonstrable professional interest in the legal field of human rights, especially in the area of women’s rights;
Have received a university degree in law after January 1, 2002;
Present a paper of up to 5 pages, not edited by another person, on one or more women’s rights issues of interest to the candidate;
OAS Scholarship Selection Criteria: In accordance with article 4.2. of the Manual of Procedures of the Scholarship and Training Programs of the OAS, OAS scholarships shall be granted based on the following criteria:
The objectives and priorities established in the Strategic Plan for Partnership for Development;
The training priorities of the member states;
The merits and overall credentials of the candidate, including his/her academic and professional background;
The financial need of the candidate; and
An extensive and equitable geographic distribution for the benefit of all member states and that takes into account the greater needs of the smaller and relatively less developed economies.
Benefits:
The OAS provides a total stipend of US$33,600.00 for the period covered by the fellowship, that is, US$2,800.00 per month for 12 months, and round-trip economy class air transportation from the participant’s country of residence to Washington, D.C., USA With said stipend, the fellow is responsible for securing health insurance coverage of his/her choice, for the entire period of the fellowship, providing proof of such coverage to the Executive Secretariat of the IACHR.
The Commission will award a participation certificate for the Fellowship program only after the successful completion of the fellowship’s total duration period.
Responsibilities of the Selected Candidates:
Once an applicant has been selected, he/she should confirm with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights his/her availability to complete the fellowship during the specified time period, and confirm his/her participation with the Department of Human Development so that the OAS may proceed with the necessary arrangements for purchase of round-trip economy class air transportation between the candidate’s home country and Washington, D.C.
In the event a candidate accepts a Fellowship but cannot complete it, for whatever reason, he/she must immediately inform the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the OAS Department of Human Development so they may decide which course of action to take.
The selected candidates must confirm their acceptance of the scholarship by signing and returning to DHD their completed “form of acceptance of the scholarship award”; only after this has been done will the OAS proceed with the necessary travel arrangements to purchase the air travel tickets, economy class, round-trip, between the scholarship recipient’s country of origin and the study location.
Selected scholarship recipients are responsible for obtaining the necessary visa(s) to enter the country of the fellowship and the corresponding transit(s). The OAS will not be responsible for any costs related to obtaining visas or transfer documentation. The OAS will provide the candidate a document certifying his/her selection as an official Fellow of the IACHR-OAS so that he/she may request the corresponding visa, which is the sole responsibility of the selected candidate.
Each scholarship recipient is responsible for arriving in time for the commencement of activities on the date established.
If the scholarship recipient fails to travel on the scheduled dates, or change routes, after the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (GS/OAS) has purchased his/her travel ticket, he/she will be responsible for paying the difference in ticket costs in order to arrive at the fellowship site in time. The scholarship recipient will furthermore have to reimburse the GS/OAS the total cost of the airfare for his/her travel from his/her country of residence to the site where the Professional Development fellowship will take place and back if, after the ticket has been purchased, he/she declines the fellowship without written authorization from the Department of Human Development.
The latter includes any additional costs, if any, incurred by the GS/OAS, such as extra costs for accommodation during the scholarship recipient’s travel to and from the country where the course will be held.
If the fellow declines, cancel or terminates the Scholarship after the course or program has started without giving enough proof to the OAS/GS, he or she must reimburse OAS/GS the total amount of incurred costs/expenses.
Presentation of Candidates:
Please Notice: If you were awarded an OAS Professional Development Scholarship in the past twelve (12) months or if you currently hold an OAS Scholarship for Academic Studies, you are not eligible to apply for another Professional Development Scholarship.
The online application form must be completed on-line and can be accessed at: http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/onsite.aspx?culture=en&navid=282 here you’ll find the announcements of all the onsite courses, click in the one you are interested in, go though the end of the page, and then you’ll find the Continue button which will direct you to the online application form.
All the additional forms must be completed electronically or in typewritten format.
Once the applicant has completed the online application form and submitted it, a copy will be sent automatically to his/her e-mail account. This completed form must be printed, signed and submitted with all the required documentation and additional forms found in the following link: http://www.educoas.org/portal/en/oasbecas/formspd.aspx?culture=en&navid=282
To the Department of Human Development at
Deadline to apply: March 6, 2009
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