Applications and Announcements

2009 Human Rights Advocates Program Applications Available

The application for the 2009 session of the annual Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) at Columbia University is now available.

HRAP is designed to prepare proven human rights leaders from the Global South and marginalized communities in the U.S. to participate in national and international policy debates on globalization by building their skills, knowledge, and contacts. The program features a four-month residency at Columbia University in New York City with a structured curriculum of advocacy, networking, skills-building and academic coursework.

Since 2004, HRAP has concentrated its support on individuals and organizations that address issues broadly related to globalization. The four-month intensive capacity building program based at Columbia University in New York focuses on the following key issue areas:

• Environmental injustice
• Labor rights violations
• Ramifications of resource extraction
• Public health crises
• Unsustainable development
• Intolerance, xenophobia, and social exclusion related to globalization

Special attention is given to the above issues and their intersection with gender, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, and/or other sources of marginalization.

Participants are selected on the basis of their previous work experience on human rights and globalization, commitment to the human rights field, and demonstrated ability to complete graduate-level studies. Advocates must originate from and reside in either the Global South or the United States. Fluency in English is required. Advocates must secure institutional endorsement from their organizations for their participation in the program and must commit to returning to that organization upon completion of the program. If accepted, they must also commit to participating in the program fully.

This extremely competitive program will admit approximately six participants. The program makes every effort to provide full fellowships to cover program costs as well as travel and living expenses for selected advocates each year.

The 2009 application form requires Adobe Reader 8 or newer, which is a free download from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html?promoid=BUIGO. It is available from http://hrap.hrcolumbia.org/application. Completed applications are due by December 19, 2008. Incomplete applications will not be considered. The 2009 HRAP will take place from the middle of August to the middle of December 2009.