The Human Rights Advocates Training Program at Columbia University is designed for experienced human rights workers, seeking to: (a) study international human rights; (b) develop their advocacy skills; (c) meet colleagues from other parts of the world; and, (d) become better acquainted with international human rights organizations. The Program is designed for rights workers who cannot participate in more extended academic programs, such as a Master degree in Law or International Affairs. 14-15 Applicants are accepted to come to Columbia for the spring semester (January-May). Advocates will live in New York’s International House and are required to follow a program that combines:

1. Auditing human rights courses chosen from the Columbia Law and Human Rights & Humanitarian Affairs curricula;
2. Participating in group seminars on human rights issues;
3. Participating in practical skills training workshops;
4. Visiting human rights institutions in New York and Washington D.C.
5. Conducting independent research; and
6. Working as an intern with a New York-based human rights agency (optional).

Professor Louis Henkin, Dr. J. Paul Martin and other Columbia faculty members act as academic advisors to the Advocates. All instruction will be in English.

The Program offers opportunities which can be adapted to the varied needs of professionals wishing to learn more about human rights advocacy, including the opportunity to meet some of the principal actors who work in the United States. Participants also act as teachers, sharing information on the problems in their various countries with human rights groups, students and the general public.

The Program is designed for lawyers, journalists, teachers and other human rights activists from developing countries where human rights advocacy is limited. Participants are selected on the basis of their previous work experience and commitment to the human rights field, as well as the appropriateness of a semester-long training at Columbia. Preference is given to candidates from countries where human rights work is most difficult, where the existing human rights network is least developed, and where human rights specialists rarely have the opportunity to study abroad. Advocates must commit to returning home for at least two years upon completion of the Program. Fluency in English is required.

The 2001 estimate for each participant’s travel and accommodation in the United States and participation in the four-month program is approximately $21,500. 13-14 full fellowships are offered each year, and two positions are reserved for those who obtain external funding.

Applications are due on August 1, 2000. All items must be received by the application deadline. (Please take into consideration the time it takes for international mail to arrive.) Applications received after this deadline will not be considered. It is recommended that applications are sent by fax and/or email in addition to surface mail.

Applicants will be notified by mail at the end of October, when final decisions are made.

Please complete all sections. All requested information should be typed or clearly printed in English. For questions that require you to provide answers on a separate sheet of paper, please be sure to indicate at the top of the page which question you are answering. Please limit each essay to one page per question. Please also attach two passport-size photos with the application. Applicants should mail all required materials together, although letters of recommendation may be sent separately by the person writing the recommendation letter.

Upon receipt of a completed application, the Center will send confirmation to the applicant. While we will try to notify you of materials still missing from your packet, due to the high volume of applications, it is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all required materials be received by the deadline.

Before you mail your application to the Center, please check the following required materials to be sure your application is complete:

• Application Form (Sections I through VI)
• Curriculum Vitae or Resumé
• Institutional Statement of Support
• Information on Your Human Rights Organization
• 2 Letters of Recommendation | ¡ Sent Separately
• 2 Passport-size Photos

Two letters of recommendation are required. All letters should be received no later than August 1, 2000. The applicant is responsible for making sure that letters of recommendation are sent in on time.

Ms. Holly Bartling

Director of Training Programs

Human Rights Advocates Training Program

Center for the Study of Human Rights

Columbia University, MC 3365

New York, NY 10027 USA

Tel: (212) 854-3014 | Fax: (212) 316-4578 or (212) 854-6785

Email: hmb61@columbia.edu or cshr@columbia.edu

Please Type or Print Legibly in Ink.

Family/Last Name Given/First Name Middle Name

____________

Date of Birth (month / day / year) City & Country of Birth

Country of Citizenship Country of Residence Country You Currently Work In

Highest Academic Degree You Hold Name of Institution and Country

Full Name Title/Position and Department Organization

Telephone Fax E-mail

¡ Included with application ¡ Sent separately

Full Name Title/Position and Department Organization

Telephone Fax E-mail

¡ Included with application ¡ Sent separately

Section II: Affiliation

Name of Organization Contact Person

Telephone Fax E-mail

Name of Organization Contact Person

Telephone Fax E-mail

Name of Organization Contact Person

Telephone Fax E-mail

Please answer the following questions (type written preferred). Each answer should be on a separate sheet of paper and should be no longer than one page each. Be sure to indicate which question you are answering at the top of each sheet.

On institutional letterhead, the director of your organization or your immediate supervisor is requested to indicate how your organization will benefit from your participation in the Columbia program and how your duties will change (if relevant) after participation in the training program. The program is designed for individuals who are committed to return to their organizations immediately after the four-month training period in order to implement their newly acquired skills. (Please note that this letter of institutional support is in addition to the two letters of recommendation.)

Two letters of recommendation are required. All letters should be received no later than August 1, 2000. The applicant is responsible for making sure that letters of recommendation are sent in on time.

Each recommendation should address the following points:

1. How long and in what context you have known the applicant
2. Applicant’s level of commitment to human rights work
3. Applicant’s experience related to human rights
4. How this program will benefit the individual and her/his organization
5. Applicant’s ability/capacity to undertake intensive university-level training
6. Applicant’s English fluency (if the applicant is not from an English speaking country)

Letters of recommendation should be sent to:

Ms. Holly Bartling

Director of Training Programs

Human Rights Advocates Training Program

Center for the Study of Human Rights

Columbia University, MC 3365

New York, NY 10027 USA

Tel: (212) 854-3014 | Fax: (212) 316-4578 or (212) 854-6785

Email: hmb61@columbia.edu or cshr@columbia.edu

The following questionnaire will help us to match your desired skills and interests with the program and to shape the academic focus, training sessions, and professional exchange of the program.

Business and human rights

Capital punishment

Children

Corruption

Development

Disabled

Economic, social, cultural rights

Environment

Gay/lesbian rights

Indigenous peoples’ rights

Labor

Land rights

Military brutality

Minority rights

Police brutality

Prisons

Refugees

Women’s rights

Other: ____________

Other: ____________