Application Deadline: April 30th 2019
The Peace and Security Fellowships for African Women bring together African women at the early stages of their career to undertake a carefully designed training programme in Leadership, Development and Security at the African Leadership Centre (ALC), King’s College London.
The Fellowship programme is designed to expose young professional African women to the complexities of conflict, security and development and equip them for careers in this field. The programme is conceived against a number of background factors. First is the comparatively low level of women involved in peace and security issues especially as compared with those involved in human rights and development issues.
The Fellowships comprise of two six-month phases. During the first six-month phase at the ALC in Nairobi and King’s College London, the Fellows undertake full-time study of MA-level courses in leadership, security and development that are jointly developed by the ALC and King’s College London.
The Fellows also have mentoring sessions on leadership, development and peace and security, delivered by a global network of renowned experts on these issues. They will study and visit various global institutions working in the field of peace and security. This phase will end with a simulation seminar during which a mock conflict management situation will be practiced. The second phase will be an attachment of Fellows to an African regional organisation, research institution or centre of excellence to undertake practical work in the field of leadership, peace and security including peace and conflict management processes.
Eligibility
▪Candidates must be female citizens of African countries.
▪Successful candidates must hold valid travel documents prior to acceptance.
▪Candidates must have knowledge of, or experience of women’s rights, gender and development issues.
▪Candidates must be able to demonstrate a commitment to contribute to work on peace and security in Africa.
▪Candidates must be able to demonstrate capacity to undertake research on issues relating to peace and security in Africa.
▪Candidates must demonstrate commitment to the core values of the programme: Independent thinking; Integrity; Pursuit of Excellence;and Respect for diversity in all its forms
Candidates must have a relevant institutional base and be endorsed by an organisation with which they have been involved for at least two years. Exceptional candidates without such organisational ties may be given special consideration.
▪Candidates must have a demonstrable plan for how to utilise knowledge gained in the Fellowship upon return to their countries and/ or organisations.
▪Candidates must hold a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree with an equivalent level of professional experience.
▪Candidates must be fluent in spoken and written English
Programme Delivery
This is a one-year Fellowship, divided into two six-month phases.
Phase 1: The first phase will be delivered at the ALC, Nairobi and King’s College London. During the training, the Fellows will be encouraged to engage critically with the discourse on conflict, security and development in Africa.
They will also visit and study institutions working in the field of peace and security in Africa and Europe. This phase will include a simulation seminar series during which mock conflict management situations will be practiced.
Phase 2: In the second phase, Fellows will be attached to an African Regional Organisation or Centre of Excellence to undertake practical work in the field of peace and security including peace and conflict management processes.
Mentoring: During both phases, Fellows will have access to the programme’s network of mentors, in the form of regular group mentoring and training on key thematic issues. One-on-one mentoring sessions will also be encouraged, to help guide students through the programme.
Research Project:In the 12 months of the training, Fellows will be expected to conduct a research project on a key aspect of peace, security and development, that is in line with select aspects of the ALC Research Agenda on “Peace, Society and theState in Africa”.
They will produce a research report (8000 to 10000 words) and a policy brief from their research. These policy briefs will be published and disseminated amongst different organisations in peace and security, in the region
Terms of the Fellowship
Successful Fellows will have the status of full-time students on the post-graduate non-degree programme at ALC/King’s College London and hold affiliate status at the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
1.Standard Visitor visa: The offer of the Fellowship is subject to successful candidates obtaining visas to cover the six-month period that is the duration of the first phase of the Fellowship in the UK and Kenya. Failure to obtain a visa to enter the UK and Kenya automatically invalidates the offer of Fellowship with no consequences to the Fellowship Programme.
The immigration rules for the UK can be accessed on the Gov.UK web page: https://www.gov.uk/standard-visitor-visa/overview.Please contact the Kenyan Embassy/High Commission in your home
Expectant/Nursing mothers: Given the intense nature of the programme including its short phases in different locations as well as necessary extensive travel, successful applicants that are expectant or nursing mothers while encouraged to apply, will be advised todefer their admission to the programme
3.Medical Exam: Successful applicants will be required to undergo medical examinations at recommended venues prior to taking up their positions, toaid visa applications and to confirm your fitness for undertaking the programme.
4.Programme completion/Return to base: The programme will last a total of 12 months, and Fellows will be expected to make full-time commitment to the programme for its duration. It is a condition of the programme that successful candidates should return to their base or home countries at the end of the programme.
Funding
This is a fully funded* opportunity, not including any visa application and processing costs. Fundswill be made available to the Fellows to cover tuition, subsistence in the UK and Africa, andtravel expenses related to the programme in both phases.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the ALC 2019/2020 Peace and Security Fellowship