Saturday, September 22, 2007

Fellowship for Human Rights Advocates

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES PROGRAM 2008
(Colombia University)

The application for the 2008 session of the annual Human RightsAdvocates Program (HRAP) at ColumbiaUniversity is now available. I would like to take this opportunity toask you to disseminate this information andapplication to human rights activists based in the Global South aswell as grassroots activists in the United States.HRAP is designed to prepare proven human rights leaders from theGlobal South and marginalized communities inthe U.S. to participate in national and international policy debateson globalization by building their skills,knowledge, and contacts. The Program features a four-month residencyat Columbia University in New York Citywith a structured curriculum of advocacy, networking, skills-building,and academic coursework.Since 2004, HRAP has concentrated its support on individuals andorganizations that address issues broadly relatedto globalization.The four-month intensive capacity building program based at ColumbiaUniversity in New York focuses on thefollowing key issue areas:- Environmental injustice- Labor rights violations- Abuses by multinational corporations- Ramifications of resource extraction- Public health crises- Unsustainable development- Intolerance, xenophobia, and social exclusion related to globalizationSpecial attention is given to the above issues and their intersectionwith gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity,and/or other sources of marginalization.HRAP's current focus has emerged in recent years as a response to thenegative effects of globalization on thosewith the least access to decision-making processes. Given theirphysical and symbolic distance from centers ofpower, grassroots leaders are typically unable to lobby for equitableoutcomes from global policymakers.The design of HRAP is intended to help level the playing field forthose lacking the access and relevant skills orknowledge to lobby effectively for their causes.

The Program providesadvanced training, support, and networkingopportunities to respected human rights leaders. The focus is both onstrengthening the skills of the individualAdvocates and providing tools to build sustainable organizations thatadvocate for disadvantaged peoples.Participants are selected on the basis of their previous workexperience on human rights and globalization,commitment to the human rights field, and demonstrated ability tocomplete graduate-level studies. Advocates mustoriginate from and reside in either the Global South or the UnitedStates.
Fluency in English is required. Advocatesmust secure institutional endorsement from their organizations fortheir participation in the Program and mustcommit to returning to that organization upon completion of theProgram.This extremely competitive Program will admit approximately tenparticipants. We make every effort to providefull fellowships to cover program costs as well as travel and livingexpenses for selected Advocates each year.

Ourstaff will work with interested candidates who have been waitlisted for the Program to identify potential funding sources in cases wherewe do not yet have the resources to provide a full fellowship.

Attached please find an overview of the Program and the 2008application form. The 2008 HRAP will take placefrom the middle of August to the middle of December 2008.

The completed application is due by October 9, 2007. Those who make itto the second round of the applicationprocess will be asked to submit additional materials including essaysand letters of reference.

Please note that lateor incomplete applications will not be accepted.For further information or to download additional copies of theapplication, please refer to our website athttp://humanrights.columbia.edu/hrap/ .Additional information can be requested by email fromhradvocates@columbia.edu, by phone at +1 (212) 8547372, or by fax at +1 (212) 316 4578.