PURPOSE

Amnesty International invites applications for an 18-month part-time fellowship to explore the global phenomenon of shrinking civic space and document grassroots resistance strategies from marginalized and overlooked voices.

Fellows will analyze current trends in civic space restrictions, investigate emerging resistance and human rights movements, and convene activists to co-create a practical toolkit for defending civic space worldwide. The fellowship aims to ensure that Amnesty's work remains innovative, grounded in lived experience, and contributes to new knowledge on resistance strategies.

Deadline for all applications: 06/03/2024

Rate: Fixed Rate of USD 25,000 for the duration of the fellowship

Location: This fellowship does not include relocation. The consultant must work from their preferred location and possess the necessary work authorization.

OBJECTIVES AND DELIVERABLES

The Fellowship project aims to:

• Support human rights defenders, academics, and practitioners with lived experience to document and analyze grassroots resistance strategies against authoritarianism and civic space restrictions in their regions.
• Use this research to develop concrete recommendations and practical tools that can inform Amnesty's global civic space advocacy.
• Produce regular short written outputs, including blog posts and opinion pieces, to be independently published.
• Convene activists and thought leaders in the region through virtual, in-person, or hybrid meetings to share ideas, incubate new strategies, and foster collective learning.
• Deliver a final in-depth think-piece for Amnesty International's internal strategy and advocacy, with external publication at Amnesty's discretion.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

• Fluency in written and spoken English; fluency in a relevant regional language is desirable.
• Demonstrated experience working on civic space resistance—either formally (academia, NGOs, journalism, law, policy) or through grassroots activism.
• Strong writing and research skills, with experience producing publications related to civic space and human rights activism.
• No formal academic qualifications or certifications are required to apply.

Please refer to the Terms of Reference attached for more information on this fellowship opportunity.

BIDDING INSTRUCTIONS

To apply, please submit:

1. A short bio (maximum one page) outlining your recent experience.
2. Relevant case studies or descriptions of past work on civic space issues.
3. Your proposed approach to this fellowship opportunity, including how you would structure your research and engagement.

As standard, payments are made by Amnesty International 30 days after receipt of a valid invoice for the agreed work milestone completed.  

Applications must be in PDF, Word, PowerPoint or Excel format.

WHAT WE HOPE YOU WILL DO NEXT

If you are talented, passionate about human rights and want to use your skills, knowledge and experience to change the world then we would encourage you to click ‘Apply for this Role' below.

Freedom, Justice, Equality. Let's get to work.

N.B. We reserve the right to close a vacancy BEFORE the closing date in the event of an overwhelming response or a change in business priorities, therefore we encourage you to apply now if you are interested.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: 

Amnesty International believes in a world that is fair, inclusive and equitable. Together, we're committed to being an anti-racist organisation with a diverse workforce that can better tackle the global human rights challenges that face our world today. We know that different voices, ideas, perspectives, experiences and knowledge, working together will enable us to better the lives of people around the world.

We are committed to building and sustaining an anti-racist, culturally diverse and inclusive organisation, where all employees feel valued, have a sense of belonging and an equal opportunity to fulfil their potential. We therefore strongly welcome applications from suitably qualified people regardless of their background; including underrepresented groups, LGBTQI+ individuals and those who may have or are living with a disability.

To see our full statement please visit this link: Racial equality, equal opportunities, diversity and inclusion policy - Amnesty International

Amnesty International is committed to being an inclusive employer and providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for all. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or would like us to do anything differently to help you apply for our roles, please get in touch with the team by emailing recruitment@amnesty.org