الفسيلة

HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATES PROGRAM 2008

 (Colombia University)

The application for the 2008 session of the annual Human Rights
Advocates Program (HRAP) at Columbia
University is now available. I would like to take this opportunity to
ask you to disseminate this information and
application to human rights activists based in the Global South as
well as grassroots activists in the United States.
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
- Abuses by multinational corporations
- 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.
HRAP's current focus has emerged in recent years as a response to the
negative effects of globalization on those
with the least access to decision-making processes. Given their
physical and symbolic distance from centers of
power, grassroots leaders are typically unable to lobby for equitable
outcomes from global policymakers.
The design of HRAP is intended to help level the playing field for
those lacking the access and relevant skills or
knowledge to lobby effectively for their causes. The Program provides
advanced training, support, and networking
opportunities to respected human rights leaders. The focus is both on
strengthening the skills of the individual
Advocates and providing tools to build sustainable organizations that
advocate for disadvantaged peoples.
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.
This extremely competitive Program will admit approximately ten
participants. We make every effort to provide
full fellowships to cover program costs as well as travel and living
expenses for selected Advocates each year. Our
staff will work with interested candidates who have been waitlisted
for the Program to identify potential funding sources in cases where
we do not yet have the resources to provide a full fellowship.
Attached please find an overview of the Program and the 2008
application form. The 2008 HRAP will take place
from the middle of August to the middle of December 2008.
The completed application is due by October 9, 2007. Those who make it
to the second round of the application
process will be asked to submit additional materials including essays
and letters of reference. Please note that late
or incomplete applications will not be accepted.
For further information or to download additional copies of the
application, please refer to our website at
http://humanrights.columbia.edu/hrap/ .
Additional information can be requested by email from
hradvocates@columbia.edu, by phone at +1 (212) 854
7372, or by fax at +1 (212) 316 4578.