The Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) has announced the 2013 Disability Rights Scholarship Program which aims to advance the rights of persons with disabilities, and through legal channels, help overcome the effect of exclusionary practices, so that persons with disabilities achieve a state of full and effective participation and inclusion in society.
The Disability Rights Scholarship Program will offer up to 20 awards to individuals from Nepal and select countries in Africa and Latin America for LLM study beginning in fall 2013.
The program intends to provide disability rights advocates and lawyers with the necessary expertise to develop new legislation, jurisprudence, impact litigation, and scholarship, thereby taking advantage of the innovations and opportunities offered by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). The CRPD, which entered into force in May 2008, presents a paradigm shift in the field of disability rights and provides a framework for developing innovative legal arguments.
The Program does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, or disability. Candidates with disabilities are particularly encouraged to apply. The competition is merit-based and open* to those meeting the following criteria:
- Citizen and legal resident of an eligible country at the time of application (Nepal; Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe; Argentina, Mexico, Peru, Colombia);
- work experience in legal profession or advocacy focusing on human/disability rights;
- excellent academic record with a Bachelor’s degree in Law (in exceptional circumstances, those without a law degree but with substantial experience may be considered);
- demonstrated leadership in field of disability rights;
- proficient in spoken and written English or French and able to meet university-designated minimum scores on standardized language tests;
- able to participate in an intensive academic writing program in Summer 2013;
- able to begin the graduate program in August or September 2013;
- able to receive and maintain visa or study permit required by host country;
- clear commitment to return to home country to aid ongoing disability rights work.
The deadline to apply is 10 December 2012. For more information, visit this link.
