The Open Society Justice Initiative, a program of the Open Society Foundations, is pleased to invite applications for its 2021-2022 Aryeh Neier Fellowship Program. The deadline for applications is March 24, 2020.
The Open Society Foundations works to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. The Justice Initiative, an operational program of the Open Society Foundations, uses litigation and other forms of legal advocacy to empower people, defend the rule of law, and advance human rights. Through litigation, advocacy, research, and technical assistance, we engage in the following thematic areas of work:
To our activities, we bring a deep and varied practice of litigation and other forms of legal advocacy, familiarity with legal and related political and diplomatic fora, substantive knowledge of human rights issues, and issue- and place-specific expertise and experience. We collaborate with a community of dedicated and skillful human rights advocates across the globe, and form part of a dynamic and progressive justice movement that reflects the diversity of the world it inhabits. More information on the Justice Initiative and its activities can be found at www.justiceinitiative.org.
The Aryeh Neier Fellowship Program
The Aryeh Neier Fellowship is a full-time, two-year program that offers lawyers and other advocates an opportunity to gain practical experience in international human rights advocacy and litigation across a broad range of thematic areas and geographies, embedding them as an integral part of the global Justice Initiative team.
Fellows work across the Justice Initiative’s themes described above. In addition, they work with our methodological teams, which both conduct advocacy in support of our work and promote engagement with and legal empowerment of the communities whose rights we seek to vindicate.
In order to ensure rich and varied experience, selected Fellows will rotate through two different placements during their fellowship terms. Placements will be decided according to the anticipated needs and priorities of the Justice Initiative, taking into account the interests and preferences of the selected Fellows.
Fellows can expect to conduct research on a broad range of justice-related issues; draft reports, legal briefs, advocacy memos, blogs, and other written products; monitor developments at trials and other legal proceedings; engage legal, jurisprudential, legislative, and governance developments worldwide; liaise with civil society and other justice advocates to promote Justice Initiative objectives; and help develop and execute evidence-based advocacy strategies.
Selected Fellows will demonstrate a strong commitment to human rights and the rule of law in general, and show particular interest in our thematic areas of work. Additional requirements include:
We seek Fellows who manifest a desire to gain exposure to different human rights topics, advocacy tools, and geographies which may be currently unfamiliar to them. Selected Fellows will demonstrate a willingness to take initiative and have an ability to work successfully both as members of a global team—sometimes under geographically remote supervision—and as individual advocates. Some international travel will be required for internal meetings; additional project-related travel will be at the discretion of supervising teams.
The Justice Initiative provides a competitive financial award and benefits package for the duration of the fellowship.
Application Instructions
For the January 2021 – December 2022 fellowship class, we will select up to one Fellow based in each of the Justice Initiative’s three principal offices: Berlin (Germany), London (United Kingdom), and New York (United States). Applicants must apply to the location in which they wish to be based. Applications to multiple locations are acceptable, but an individual application must be submitted for each location. Fellowship offers will be specific to each location.
This call for applications is specific to the London office. Click here to apply
The successful candidate must, by start of their employment, have permission to work in the UK.
Applications must be received by March 24, 2020.
In addition to filling out the online application, candidates must also submit the following documents:
A statement of purpose of no more than two pages detailing (a) the applicant’s interest and experience in human rights, generally, and the Aryeh Neier Fellowship, specifically; (b) the thematic area(s) of work in which the applicant is interested (as listed above); and (c) the reasons for their interest in the particular area(s), how this fellowship would benefit the applicant’s professional development; and how the applicant intends to contribute to the selected area(s) in the future. Curriculum Vitae.
Please note, you must submit all application materials as one single PDF document.
We are unable to receive additional documents via email.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews and writing exercises, which will take place by June 2020. The final selection decisions will be announced by the end of July 2020, with successful applicants beginning their fellowship in January 2021.
Contact Information
For any additional information about the application process and the program itself, please contact: recruting@opensocietyfoundations.org.
Competitive rates of pay apply.
The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people.
We seek to strengthen the rule of law; respect for human rights, minorities, and a diversity of opinions; democratically elected governments; and a civil society that helps keep government power in check.
We help to shape public policies that assure greater fairness in political, legal, and economic systems and safeguard fundamental rights.
We implement initiatives to advance justice, education, public health, and independent media.
We build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as corruption and freedom of information.
Working in every part of the world, the Open Society Foundations place a high priority on protecting and improving the lives of people in marginalized communities.
Our ValuesWe believe in fundamental human rights, dignity, and the rule of law.
We believe in a society where all people are free to participate fully in civic, economic, and cultural life.
We believe in addressing inequalities that cut across multiple lines, including race, class, gender, sexual orientation, and citizenship.
We believe in holding those in power accountable for their actions and in increasing the power of historically excluded groups.
We believe in helping people and communities press for change on their own behalf.
We believe in responding quickly and flexibly to the most critical threats to open society.
We believe in taking on controversial issues and supporting bold, innovative solutions that address root causes and advance systemic change.
We believe in encouraging critical debate and respecting diverse opinions.
