Application Deadline: November 25th 2021
The East Africa Emerging Public Interest Advocates Programme for young legal professionals is a flagship fellowship programme by the Center for Strategic Litigation (CSL), currently in partnership with 19 other East African organisations including The East African Court of Justice which is a regional organisation; Katiba Institute, Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC), and Kituo cha Sheria from Kenya; Center for Food and Adequate Living Rights (CEFROHT), Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER), and The Network of Public Interest Lawyers (NETPIL) from Uganda; and the Legal and Human Rights Centre (LHRC) from Tanzania. the programme empowers young advocates through rigorous skills-based training and practical experience in public interest litigation.
The fellowship programme for Cohort 3 is expected to start on 07 February 2022 and continue through and conclude on 24 August 2022, followed by a graduation ceremony in January 2023. A breakdown of the dates to cover the phases of the programme is as seen below:
*Please note that these dates are subject to change depending on different factors. Any change will be communicated in good time
The goal of the programme is to build the next generation of public interest advocates in East Africa who share a commitment to and passion for promoting social justice and democratic values. This comes
from the realisation that there is a limited number sof active public interest litigants as most lawyers
prefer careers in private and other fields of law.
The fellowship provides up to 30 outstanding young advocates from Kenya, Tanzania (mainland), Tanzania (Zanzibar) and Uganda. A 10% special quota is provided for young lawyers from
Rwanda, Burundi and South Sudan who meet the requirements for attending the program. Through
a tailored approach, the training provides fellows with an opportunity to learn from public interest
litigation and advocacy academics and practitioners, both in class and in court for six (6)
months under the following carefully designed curriculum:
Residential training
Intensive 1-month residential training programme. The residency combines lectures, court visits, community engagement, and practical learning through moot courts and mock trials. Fellows interact
with some of the leading practitioners and scholars in human rights, constitutionalism and public interest litigation in East Africa.
Practicum
4.5 months of practical work in partner organizations under the tutelage of a dedicated mentor.
Fellows work on selected problems under the mentorship of an experienced public interest litigant. Practical training in Public Interest litigation and advocacy takes place during this phase.
Closing Seminars
Fellows, trainers, and mentors convene in residence for reflection, evaluation of progress, and to determine the way forward. The programme for the respective cohort concludes at this stage as fellows join the programme’s alumni network.
To apply for the fellowship, you must:
Applications must include the following supporting documentation to be eligible for consideration:
Be a citizen of the East African Community Member states and expected
to reside in the region during the term of the fellowship.
Be able to start the programme by 07 February 2022 and commit
throughout all phases of the programme.
By February 2022, be a recent graduate lawyer admitted to the bar with up to five years of relevant work experience.
Demonstrate passion for human rights, rule of law and a commitment to social justice.
Be passionate about working with the community in pursuit of justice.
Be well versed with the human rights and constitutional context in respective countries and the region as a whole.
Be prepared to work with teams and under a mentor to guide your professional growth.
Benefits
The programme provides:
Economy travel to and from your country of residence by an approved route for you only. CSL will not purchase any travel tickets for a fellow unless they can show proof of all valid travel documents (e.g valid passports).
CSL will not be liable for any loss or expenses (including airfares) for travel delays incurred by the fellow as a result of inaccurate information provided by the fellow, delays in submitting the appropriate forms to the relevant authorities or refusals of host or transit country authorities to grant a visa to the fellow.
During the travel period covered under the training programme, it is the fellow’s responsibility to comply with all local laws and legislation of the country to which he or she will travel .
A stipend during the practicum phase (contingent upon completion of deliverables/ set milestones)
– Proof of citizenship (passport) – uploaded to the online application system.
Full transcripts and certificates – uploaded to the online application system.
Supporting documentation uploaded to the online application system must be uploaded as files which are no more than 5 MB in size and must be in one of the following formats: PDF, .doc, .docx, .odt, .jpg, .jpeg. Files submitted in any other format (including Zip files and PDF Portfolios) will NOT be accepted.
Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.
Application and selection process and timeline:
The only way to apply for the fellowship is through the online application system
that can be found HERE. The online application form must be written in English.
CSL will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system. Once you start the online application, you will have until the application round closes to submit the completed form. Active but incomplete applications will NOT be considered once the application window is closed.
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the East Africa Emerging Public Interest Advocates Program 2022