IACHR

Fellowship on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) Persons

Fellowship on the Rights of LGBTI Persons

This fellowship is offered thanks to the support of Arcus Foundation.

1) Venue of Fellowship: Executive Secretariat of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) of the Organization of American States (OAS). Address: 1889 F Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20006, United States of America

2) Modality: On-site

3) Period to present applications: April 14, 2018 at 09:00am until May 14, 2018 at 11:59pm (E.S.T.)

4) Start and End Dates: July 16, 2018 to June 30, 2019

5) Length of the Fellowship: 11.5 months

6) Objective: To provide an opportunity for young lawyers from OAS Member States to understand and apply the mechanisms of protection of the inter-American system of human rights in the area of the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual, trans and intersex persons.

7) Program: The fellow will assist with tasks of the Rapporteurship on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) persons of the ES/IACHR under the supervision of its human rights specialists during the period of the fellowship and, at the end of the fellowship, present to the ES/IACHR a detailed report on the activities carried out by the fellow.
This fellowship is subject to the availability of funds.

8) Expected results:

  • Collaboration with the team of the Rapporteurship on the Rights of LGBTI Persons of the IACHR in the elaboration of thematic and country reports.
  • Collaboration with the ES/IACHR in the processing of petitions, cases and requests for precautionary measures relating to the rights of LGBTI persons.
  • Preparation of draft reports on petitions and cases concerning the rights of LGBTI persons.
  • Research on the situation of the rights of LGBTI persons in specific countries and prepare specific reports based on the information collected.
  • Preparation of memos and other documents for hearings, working meetings and visits of the Commission related to the situation of the rights of LGBTI persons.
  • Collaboration in initiatives related to the promotion and dissemination of the inter-American human rights system and of the Rapporteurship on the Rights of LGBTI persons.
  • Updating of the website of the ES/IACHR in relation to the work of the Rapporteurship on the Rights of LGBTI Persons.
  • Monitor closely the situation of the rights of LGBTI persons in the Americas.
  • Drafting press releases on matters related to the rights of LGBTI persons in the Americas.
  • Drafting requests for information on specific topics related to the rights of LGBTI persons to the OAS Member States. 

9) Requirements: 

  • Be a national or born in an OAS Member State;
  • Make a commitment to return to the country of origin upon completion of the fellowship;
  • Be bilingual in Spanish and English (attach certificates proving intermediate-advanced level); knowledge of Portuguese or French desirable;
  • Have graduated in law from an officially recognized university (attach copy of the law degree obtained);
  • Have received law degree within the past 7 years;
  • Be admitted to practice as an attorney in a jurisdiction of an OAS Member State (in the absence thereof, provide the reason);
  • Have demonstrable professional or academic experience in the legal field of human rights, specifically in the areas of the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex persons; and
  • Present an essay of up to five pages, not edited by another person, on a human rights issue of interest to the candidate on the rights of LGBTI persons. Essays on the following issues are desirable: economic, social and cultural rights of trans persons; best practices in the Americas on matters of protection and recognition of the rights of LGBTI persons; access to justice for LGBTI persons; poverty and LGBTI persons; rights of intersex persons; LGBTI persons deprived of liberty; LGBTI persons of African descent; migration and LGBTI rights; disability and the rights of LGBTI persons; rights of trans men and bisexual persons. The essay must be presented half in English and half in Spanish using any format; if this is not possible, please explain.

10) Required documents: The following documents are required in order to be considered for the fellowship:

  • Letter of interest (cover letter from the interested person)
  • Two letters of recommendation (academic or professional)
  • Curriculum vitae
  • Certification of second language from any institution (in the absence thereof, include an explanatory note)
  • Copy of law degree obtained
  • Proof you are admitted to practice as an attorney in a jurisdiction of an OAS Member State (in the absence thereof, include an explanatory note)
  • Written essay of up to five pages, not edited by another person, on a human rights issue of interest to the candidate on the rights of LGBTI persons. Essays on the following issues are desirable: economic, social and cultural rights of trans persons; best practices in the Americas on matters of protection and recognition of the rights of LGBTI persons; access to justice for LGBTI persons; poverty and LGBTI persons; rights of intersex persons; LGBTI persons deprived of liberty; LGBTI persons of African descent; migration and LGBTI rights; disability and the rights of LGBTI persons; rights of trans men and bisexual persons. The essay must be presented half in English and half in Spanish using any format; if this is not possible, please explain.

Please note: All the required documents may be submitted in either English or Spanish, , with the exception of the written essay. Only simple copies of the original documents are required. The letters should be addressed to the INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS.

Subject to the discretion of the ES/IACHR, the shortlisted candidates may be requested to respond to additional questions.

11) Benefits:

The ES/IACHR provides a monthly stipend of US$3,200.00 during the period of the fellowship. With the stipend provided, the fellow is responsible for obtaining health insurance coverage of his/her choosing for the duration of the fellowship, and shall provide proof of coverage to the ES/IACHR prior to initiating the fellowship.

Round-trip economy class air transportation from the participant’s country of residence to Washington, D.C. Terminal and transfer expenses are not covered.

The ES/IACHR will award a certificate of participation in the Fellowship Program to the fellows who satisfactorily complete the entire period of the fellowship.

12) Responsibilities of the selected candidates:

  • Once an applicant has been selected, he/she should formally accept the fellowship in writing, confirming with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights his/her full availability to complete the fellowship during the specified time period. Once accepted, the ES/IACHR will proceed with the necessary arrangements for the purchase of round-trip economy air transportation between the candidate’s country of origin/residence and Washington, D.C.
  • In the event a candidate accepts a fellowship but cannot complete it, for whatever reason, he/she must immediately inform the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights so that the appropriate course of action may be decided.
  • It is the responsibility of each selected candidate to request and obtain the necessary visa to enter the United States, and/or transit visa (if applicable) in a timely manner. The ES/IACHR will not incur in any expense related to the processing of immigration or visa documents. The ES/IACHR will provide the candidate a document certifying his/her/their selection as an official fellow of the ES/IACHR so that he/she/they may request the corresponding visa, which is the sole responsibility of the selected candidate. In addition, the OAS will send a diplomatic note to the Embassy or Consulate where the selected candidate will be requesting his/her/their visa, certifying the fellow’s selection.
  • It is the responsibility of the selected candidate to arrive in a timely manner so that he/she/they will be present for the commencement of the fellowship on the date established by the ES/IACHR.
  • If the selected candidate declines the fellowship after the flight ticket has been purchased, or does not travel on the established dates or changes routes, the candidate shall reimburse the ES/IACHR the cost of the flight ticket or any additional costs incurred. The latter includes any additional costs, if any, incurred by the ES/IACHR, such as extra costs for accommodation during the candidate’s travel to and from Washington, D.C.
  • If the candidate resigns, cancels or terminates the fellowship after the program has begun without providing sufficient reason and evidence to the IACHR for doing so, he/she/they will fully reimburse the ES/IACHR for all costs incurred on his/her behalf.

13) Presentation of candidates:

  • The application system requires that the candidate create a user name and password to log in; the user name should not contain symbols, accents, apostrophes or blank spaces, as they are not accepted by the system.
  • The electronic application can be accessed through the link below. Prior to accessing the electronic application, applicants should have all the documents indicated in sections 9 and 10 above ready for upload.
  • Documents can be uploaded in the following formats: .pdf, .doc, .docx and .zip. The files to be uploaded should first be saved in the following manner prior to uploading, and should not include any special characters in the name: First name, last name, name of required document. (Example: JohnSmithResume.doc).

To complete the electronic application form, click here.

The fellowship application must be completed via this automated digital system created by the ES/IACHR for this purpose. The system is open from April 14, 2018 at 9:00 am until May 14, 2018 at 11:59 pm (E.S.T.). We will only accept applications received via this automated digital system using the above link.

If the system asks for a "Survey ID", please enter the code FASLGBTI2018.

The results from the selection will be informed via email to each applicant approximately one month before the start date of the fellowship. Any questions can be directed to: [email protected].

The Organization of American States does not discriminate against any individual, intern, fellow, employee, or application for employment on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a parent.