Deadline: June 30, 2025

Are you passionate about human rights and want to make a difference in the world? Have you ever dreamed of working for the United Nations and fighting for the rights of people? If yes, then here’s an opportunity for you. The UN Human Rights Office is currently accepting applications for its UN OHCHR Fellowship 2025 in Switzerland. This is a unique and exciting UN fellowship opportunity for individuals of African descent to gain first-hand exposure to the UN human rights system and to develop their skills in project proposal development, public speaking, and information submission to human rights mechanisms.

The United Nations fellowship program was started in 2011 by the Anti-Racial Discrimination Section and is now supported by a General Assembly resolution. The program is part of the implementation of the International Decade for People of African Descent, which aims to recognize and promote the rights and well-being of people of African descent worldwide. The High Commissioner is responsible for coordinating the Decade. The primary goal of the international fellowship program is to enhance the skills of participants in promoting and protecting the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of people of African descent in their countries.

The Fellowship programme provides the participants with the opportunity to:

• Learn about and deepen their understanding of the international human rights law and the UN human rights system, the international framework to combat racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance, and intersecting issues with a focus on people of African descent;
• Gain first-hand exposure to international human rights mechanisms and OHCHR.
• Engage with the international human rights mechanisms and OHCHR and strengthen skills in developing project proposals and delivering presentations.

Benefits

• The fellowship will cover economy-class tickets, basic health insurance, and a stipend.
• The stipend will cover the accommodation and other living expenses.
• The program has a specific focus on combating racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
• Participants will have the opportunity to strengthen their skills in project proposal development, delivering presentations, and submitting information to human rights mechanisms.
• Participants will have the opportunity to engage with various human rights mechanisms, including treaty bodies, special procedures, and the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.
• The fellowship program provides participants with the skills and knowledge necessary to advance their careers in the human rights field.

Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for the United Nations fellowship opportunity are as follows:

• The candidate must be of African descent and currently living outside of Africa.
• The candidate must have a minimum of 4 years of work experience related to the rights of people of African descent.
• The candidate must have a good command of the English language.
• The candidate must be available to attend the entire duration of the program.
• The candidate must be able to obtain a visa to travel to the host country (Switzerland) and any other country that may be included in the program.
• The candidate must be involved in the promotion and protection of the human rights of people of African descent.

Required Documents

• Completed Application Form
• Copy of Applicant’s Passport
• Curriculum Vitae
• Personal Statement
• Official Letter from the Nominating Organization
• Submission

Application

• Candidates need to submit an online application.
• For that, download and complete the application form in English, Français, or Español.
• Prepare a personal statement of no more than 500 words in which you explain your motivation for applying and how you plan to use the knowledge gained from the fellowship to promote the interests and rights of people of African descent.
• Obtain an official letter from the organization that is nominating you, certifying your status.
• Make sure you have a copy of your passport available.
• Rename all the attached documents to follow the naming convention of “LAST NAME First name – Type of document”.
• Send an email to ohchr-africandescentfellowship@un.org with the following attachments:
  • Completed application form
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Personal statement
  • Official letter from the nominating organization
  • Copy of your passport

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