2026 United Nations OHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Programme

📖 About the Programme

The Indigenous Fellowship Programme was launched in 1997 by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) during the first International Decade of the World's Indigenous People.

Objectives:

• Provide indigenous persons with knowledge about the UN system and mechanisms dealing with human rights issues, particularly indigenous issues.
• Equip participants to assist their organizations and communities in protecting and promoting their rights.

Languages Offered:

The training programme is available in English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Portuguese.

📅 Key Dates

• Date Published: August 01, 2025
• Application Deadline: September 15, 2025

🌟 Benefits

Selected candidates will receive:

• Return flight ticket
• Living expenses
• Basic health insurance for the duration of the training

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the programme, candidates must meet the following requirements:

1. Indigenous Status: Candidates must be indigenous. Non-indigenous persons will not be considered, even if they have close links with indigenous communities or organizations.
2. Age: No age limitations for participation.
3. Education: Formal education is not a limitation due to socio-economic barriers faced by many indigenous peoples.
4. Commitment: Candidates must agree to train other indigenous persons upon returning to their communities/organizations.
5. Nomination: Candidates must be proposed and supported by their indigenous organization/community. The sponsoring organization should have a firm constituency or membership and be representative.
6. Language Proficiency: Candidates must have a good working knowledge of the language in which the programme is conducted.

📋 Application Process

Submission Guidelines:

1. Application Form:

   • Download the application form here.
   • Ensure both Part I and Part II of the form are completed and signed.

2. Recommendation Letter:

   • Include an official recommendation letter from the nominating indigenous organization or community.

3. Submission Options:

   • By Post:
     Send completed applications to:

     Mr. Morse Caoagas Flores  
     Coordinator, Indigenous Fellowship Programme  
     Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section  
     Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights  
     48, Avenue Giuseppe-Motta, Office 2-05  
     CH-1211 Geneva 10  
     Switzerland  
     

   • By Email:
     Scanned applications can be sent to ohchr-fellowship@un.org.

🔍 Selection Process

The selection process involves:

1. Pre-selection:

   • 15 to 20 candidates per language group are pre-selected by previous indigenous fellows.

2. Interviews:

   • Interviews are conducted for candidates applying to the English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, or Russian language components.

3. Collaboration with Universities:

   • For Portuguese, Spanish, and Russian language components, partner universities (University of Brasilia, University of Deusto, and Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia) assist in the selection and preparatory training.

4. Final Review:

   • The final selection is reviewed by an advisory group composed of OHCHR staff.

Note: Due to the large number of applications, only pre-selected candidates are contacted.

📧 Contact Information

For any questions regarding the Indigenous Fellowship Programme, email: ohchr-fellowship@un.org

🌐 Additional Information

• View details of the programme here.
• Apply for the programme here.

📌 Application Deadline

September 15, 2025

• Return flight ticket
• Living expenses
• Basic health insurance for the duration of the training