2025 UN Human Rights Commission Fellowship Programme

The 2025 UN Human Rights Commission Fellowship Programme is an intensive human rights training initiative for people of African descent from the diaspora. This program is designed to empower participants who are actively engaged in promoting the rights of people of African descent.

📖 About the Fellowship Programme

• Date Published: May 5, 2025
• Application Deadline: June 30, 2025
• Category: Fellowship, Fully Funded
• Location: Geneva, Switzerland

The Fellowship takes place annually at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva. The 2025 Fellowship will be the first to occur during the Second International Decade for People of African Descent (2025–2034), proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2024.

Objectives of the Programme

The programme aims to strengthen participants' skills to promote and protect the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of people of African descent. Participants will be equipped to:

• Develop legislation, policies, and programs aligned with international human rights standards.
• Strengthen collaboration between civil society and governments.
• Undertake local awareness-raising and advocacy activities.

📅 Fellowship Dates

• Programme Duration: November 10–28, 2025
• Location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Fellows are also expected to complete pre-online courses and preparatory assignments in the two weeks preceding the program.

🎁 Benefits of the Fellowship

Each fellow will receive:

• A return ticket (economy class) from their country of residence to Geneva.
• Basic health insurance.
• A stipend to cover modest accommodation and other living expenses during the programme.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for the Fellowship, applicants must:

• Be individuals of African descent living in the diaspora.
• Have a minimum of 4 years of work experience related to the rights of people of African descent.
• Submit an official letter from an organization working on issues related to people of African descent or minority rights, certifying their role within the organization.
• Be available to attend the full duration of the programme and participate in all activities.

📜 Application Process

Applications must be submitted in English. Due to financial constraints, interpretation services in other languages will not be available.

Required Documents:

1. Curriculum Vitae (CV).
2. A completed, signed, and scanned Application Form.
3. A personal statement (maximum 500 words) explaining:
   • Motivation for applying.
   • How the knowledge gained will be used to promote the rights of people of African descent.
4. An official letter from an organization working on issues related to people of African descent or minority rights (on official letterhead).
5. A copy of the applicant's passport.

Submission Instructions:

• Email all documents in one single email to: ohchr-africandescentfellowship@un.org.
• Use the subject line: "Application for the 2025 Fellowship Programme for People of African Descent".
• Name your documents as follows:
  • LAST NAME First name – Type of document
    Example:
    • SMITH Jacqueline – Application form.doc
    • SMITH Jacqueline – Personal Statement.doc
    • SMITH Jacqueline – Official letter from nominating organization.pdf
    • SMITH Jacqueline – Passport.pdf

Important: Submissions with more than five attachments will not be accepted.

📌 Application Deadline

The deadline for applications is June 30, 2025.

🌐 Additional Information

For more details, visit the UN Human Rights Commission Fellowship Programme page.
To apply, download the Application Form.

✉️ Contact Information

For inquiries, email: ohchr-africandescentfellowship@un.org.

This Fellowship Programme has supported 160 fellows from 50 countries since its inception in 2011, empowering individuals from diverse nations including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Jamaica, the United States, and many more. Join this transformative initiative to make a lasting impact in your community!

• Each fellow is entitled to a return ticket (economy class) from the country of residence to Geneva.
• Basic health insurance.
• A stipend to cover modest accommodation and other living expenses for the duration of the Programme.