IJR Transitional Justice Fellowship Programme in Africa

The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation
(IJR) is pleased to announce the convening of a three week intensive
Transitional Justice in Africa Fellowship Programme.Applicants from Burundi,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, South Sudan, Uganda, Somalia and
Zimbabwe will be given preference. We are now inviting qualified individuals to
apply to this esteemed programme.
Background
to IJR   

The
Institute for Justice and Reconciliation was established in 2000 in the wake of
the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to promote
reconciliation, transitional justice and democratic nation-building in Africa
by means of research, analysis and selective intervention. Located at the
interface between civil society and academia, it contributes to the building of
fair, democratic and inclusive societies in countries undergoing political
transition including Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda,
South Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.  
The
Fellowship Programme will be organised by and hosted within the Justice and
Reconciliation in Africa Programme (JRA) which is one of three IJR programmes.
The other two programmes are the Building an Inclusive Society Programme (BIS)
and the Policy and Analysis Programme (PA). The JRA works at three
complimentary and mutually supportive levels with African societies in
transition, namely: engaged research and analysis, capacity building, and
collaborative political intervention. The Institute seeks to achieve a creative
balance between justice and reconciliation, development and human security, as
well as contributing to the reconstruction of countries ravaged by war and
oppression.  
For
more information on the IJR and its’ work, please visit www.ijr.org.za.
  
The
Fellowship Programme  
The
IJR has been hosting Fellows from countries in political transition in Africa
since 2000. The programme was designed to attract and bring together scholars
and practitioners in the field of transitional justice to compare, reflect,
research and write about their experiences and lessons learned from activities,
projects and programmes in their respective countries.   
The
Institute for Justice and Reconciliation was established in 2000 in the wake of
the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to promote
reconciliation, transitional justice and democratic nation-building in Africa
by means of research, analysis and selective intervention. Located at the
interface between civil society and academia, it contributes to the building of
fair, democratic and inclusive societies in countries undergoing political
transition including: Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda,
South Sudan, Uganda and Zimbabwe.  
The
Fellowship Programme will be organised by and hosted within the Justice and
Reconciliation in Africa Programme (JRA) which is one of three IJR programmes.
The other two programmes are the Building an Inclusive Society Programme (BIS)
and the Policy and Analysis Programme (PA). The JRA works at three
complimentary and mutually supportive levels with African societies in
transition, namely: engaged research and analysis, capacity building, and
collaborative political intervention. The Institute seeks to achieve a creative
balance between justice and reconciliation, development and human security, as
well as contributing to the reconstruction of countries ravaged by war and
oppression.  
For
more information on the IJR and its’ work, please visit www.ijr.org.za.
  

The Fellowship Programme
 
The IJR has been hosting Fellows from
countries in political transition in Africa since 2000. The programme was
designed to attract and bring together scholars and practitioners in the field
of transitional justice to compare, reflect, research and write about their
experiences and lessons learned from activities, projects and programmes in
their respective countries.    
A rigorous selection process will
ensure the targeting of mid-career professionals working with affected
communities in the field of transitional justice in sub-Saharan Africa and who
are in positions to influence policy processes and disseminate their Fellowship
Programme experience through practical activities when they return home.
 Fellows will be appointed based on their positions as opinion leaders
and/or policy makers in their respective home countries and are required to
convincingly show their ability to develop initiatives and interventions in
their home countries to advance the transitional justice and reconciliation
agenda. In addition, they must submit an institutional endorsement of their
participation and commitment to implement at least one follow-up activity
in-country. 
The programmes’ purpose is to enhance
participants’ skills and knowledge, with a particular focus on issues related
to the development of tools and processes aimed at furthering reconciliation
and social cohesion within the context of transitional justice.
 Accordingly, the Fellowship Programme will engage with some of the key
literature, themes, and mechanisms and will supplement teachings with practical
experiences, interaction with local organisations working in related fields and
guided visits to historically significant sites and institutions dealing with
reconciliation and justice. 
Elements of the Fellowship Programme
 
The Fellowship Programme aims to
effectively equip participants to address challenges specific to democratic
transitions by exposing them to various transitional justice tools. It
encompasses the following elements:  
  • Interactive
    presentations and dialogue sessions on transitional justice by leading
    practitioners and academics in the field 
  • Visits
    to relevant museums and memorials in Cape Town and Johannesburg
  •  Joint
    project development for in-country follow-up transitional justice
    programming
  • A
    public debate on justice and reconciliation in Africa at IJR, featuring
     presentations by the fellows
  •  Diaspora
    dialogues (optional)
  • Ample
    time to engage IJR staff, its work and its in-house library. 
  • Networking
    with relevant organisations, institutions and individuals. 
It is hoped that participants will
deepen their familiarity with the growing field of transitional justice theory
and then apply this theoretical framework to the practical challenges currently
facing their respective country context.   
Fellows’ are strongly encouraged to
document their reflections in the form of newspaper articles, policy briefs
and/or working papers during and after the fellowship. 
The IJR will cover all travel and
accommodation costs for the duration of the fellowship and will provide a
modest stipend for daily expenses. 
To read the quarterly Fellows Alumni
Network Newsletter as well as see a list of all IJR Fellows, visit
http://www.ijr.org.za/justice-and-reconciliation-in-africa-fellowship.php.
Elements of the Fellowship Programme  
 Application requirements
 
To be considered eligible for this
fellowship, you should meet the following criteria:
  • A
    post-graduate degree in a discipline broadly related to Transitional
    Justice 
  • 4
    to 5 years of relevant work experience in the realm of justice,
    reconciliation and/or social cohesion, social justice 
  • Good
    written and spoken English. This will be necessary to participate in group
    discussions.  
If you are interested in applying for
admission to this programme, please submit to us the following documents in
English:  
  • A
    detailed resume or Curriculum Vitae of no more than 3 pages
  •  The
    full contact details of 2 contactable references 
  • A
    1-2 page letter of motivation indicating why you wish to participate in
    this programme 
  • A
    1-2 page writing sample (you may include news or academic articles you
    have submitted or published) 
  •  A
    letter of institutional endorsement of your suitability to participate in
    the Fellowship Programme from your employer/affiliated institution.  
     
The closing date for applications is
the 31st of July 2016. Telephonic interviews will be conducted in the
week commencing 8 August 2016 and successful candidates will be notified no
later than by the 15th of August 2016.  
NB Please email your complete
application to Ms Anthea Flink on aflink@ijr.org.za with ‘Application to
2016 Fellowship Programme: your name’ in the email subject line.  
 Only complete applications will
be considered and only shortlisted candidates will be notified of the status of
their application. 
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