Posted on October 19, 2018
The Disability Rights Scholarship Program offers awards to individuals from China, Czech Republic, Mexico, and select countries in Africa and Eurasia for a one-year Master of Laws (LLM) degree.
The program’s objective is to provide disability rights advocates and lawyers with the necessary expertise to develop new legislation, jurisprudence, policy, research, and scholarship to harness the innovations and opportunities offered by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD, which entered into force in May 2008, presents a paradigm shift in the field of disability rights and provides a framework for promoting the inclusion and full participation of persons with disabilities in their communities. With the knowledge and networks gained through the program, we expect that Fellows will deepen their understanding of international law with a focus on disability rights, and gain the tools necessary to engage in a range of CRPD implementation strategies, such as: challenging rights violations in their home countries by drafting enforceable legislation consistent with the CRPD; utilizing enforcement mechanisms set forth in the Convention; taking forward disability rights litigation requesting CRPD-compliant remedies; engaging in disability rights advocacy; and developing law, education, or other academic curricula informed by the CRPD.
The Program does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Candidates with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply. The competition is merit-based and open* to those meeting the following criteria:
The fellowship does NOT provide funding for dependent family members.
Competition is merit based, and selection is made on the basis of academic excellence, professional aptitude, leadership potential, and proven commitment to work in the field of disability rights in the home country. Selection proceeds as follows:
Fellows are matched with universities according to their chosen area of specialization, academic profile, and professional aspirations. Final decisions concerning host university placement are made by the program selection committee, which includes university admissions staff and faculty, although finalists may be asked their preference.
Visa application: Upon receiving the university placements, students are responsible for securing required visas for both the summer school and for the host university.
Pre-Academic Summer Program:
Grantees are required to participate in a four-week intensive pre-program (location to be determined) before starting study at host universities in August or September 2019. The program consists of classes in academic writing, social science, and humanities-based seminars. Immediately after the summer program, finalists attend a pre-departure orientation.
Fellowship: Fellows must uphold the academic standards of the host institution and undertake full-time study for the program’s duration. Failure to maintain academic and professional standards as defined by the host university may result in dismissal from the program. Failure to follow the laws governing foreign students in the host country will result in dismissal from the program.
Applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply online please go to: https://scholarshipprograms.submittable.com/submit/5e03670a-4376-4752-be21-
62e9edd63e82/2019-disability-rights-scholarship-program to register, and then follow instructions.
Applications in other formats may be requested by contacting one of the Regional Coordinators, whose contact details are provided below.
Please contact one of the Regional Coordinators with further questions about the program or the application process.
Completed application forms and all necessary accompanying documents, along with a copy of your passport, must be submitted to the appropriate Regional Coordinator by 3 December 2018.
Residents of Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania
Centre for Human Rights
(c/o Mr. Jehoshaphat Njau)
Faculty of Law, University of Pretoria
Pretoria, 002, SOUTH AFRICA
+27 (0) 12 420 35 87
[email protected]
www.chr.up.ac.za
Residents of Mexico, Czech Republic, Georgia, or Ukraine:
Disability Rights Scholarship Program
Open Society Foundations
Scholarship Programs
224 W. 57th St.
New York, NY 10019 USA
+1-212-548-0175
[email protected]
www.opensocietyfoundations.org/about/programs/scholarship-programs
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