Weinstein International Fellowship to study dispute resolution in USA

by FUNDSFORNGOS on NOVEMBER 14, 2012

JAMS Foundation is accepting applications for the Weinstein International Fellowship program from qualified individuals from outside the United States to study dispute resolution processes and practices in the U.S. in order to advance the resolution of disputes in their home countries.

The JAMS Foundation will approve Fellowships of up to $20,000 in support of projects outlined by Fellowship applicants. This Program is intended for individuals who have demonstrated experience with and commitment to the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and who seek to increase the availability of dispute resolution education, training and services in their own countries and beyond.

The Fellowship Program is designed to be flexible and open to innovation, and applicants are encouraged to be creative in pursuing activities in the U.S. that will serve to expand the use of ADR in their home countries.

Fellowships may be from one month to four months in duration. While applicants may propose activities lasting longer than four months, Fellowship funding is limited to the Fellowship period.

It is anticipated that Fellows will come from countries that do not have an established culture of using alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for cases in litigation. Part of Fellows’ time in the U.S. will be spent observing how JAMS administers and resolves such cases.

Criteria

1. Applicants may not be citizens of the United States.
2. Applicants must be fluent in English.
3. Proposed Fellowship must be one month to four months in duration.
4. Preference for proposals that would help establish viable dispute resolution systems or change how disputes are resolved.
5. Preference for applicants with experience as judges, lawyers, law professors, court administrators, government officers, or ADR practitioners.
6. Preference for applicants able to commence their Fellowship with the annual gathering of Fellows in the San Francisco Bay area in early September 2013.

Applications must be received by November 16, 2012 in order to be eligible for consideration, and may be submitted electronically or in hard copy.

For more information, visit this link.

Atlas Corps Fellowship for Nonprofit Leaders: Opportunity to build leadership skills

by FUNDSFORNGOS on NOVEMBER 14, 2012

The Atlas Corps Fellowship provides a a 12-18 month professional fellowship for nonprofit leaders around the world. Selected candidates are invited to the United States or Latin America to serve full-time at Host Organizations on issues that complement their expertise. Fellows develop their leadership skills while sharing best practices and supplement daily knowledge with theoretical topics presented in the Atlas Corps Nonprofit Management Series.

The minimum requirements to apply to become a Fellow are:
1. 2 or more years of relevant experience in the nonprofit/NGO/social sector
2. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
3. English proficiency (oral, writing, reading)
4. Spanish proficiency (for the Latin American Fellowship only)
5. Age 35 or younger when the Fellowship begins
6. Applying to volunteer in a country other than where you are from
7. Commitment to return to your home country after the 12-18 month fellowship.

The U.S. Fellowship begins in January, May, and September, while the Latin American Fellowship begins in March and September. Each Fellowship begins with a one-week orientation program, followed by 50 weeks at your Host Organization. Fellowships may be extended by their Host Organization for up to six months.

Deadlines:

Apply to U.S.: Atlas Corps considers applications on a rolling basis for our classes that begin in January, May, and December. You need to apply by August 15 to be considered for the January class, apply by December 1 to be considered for the May class, and apply by April 15 to be considered for the September class. Applications are accepted year-round, but earlier applications tend to be more successful. When you apply, you should indicate for which class(es) you are applying.

Apply to Latin America: Atlas Corps considers applications on a rolling basis for our classes that begin in March and September. You need to apply by October 15 for the March class and apply by April 15 for the September class. Applications are accepted year-round, but earlier applications tend to be more successful.

For more information, visit this link.

Open Society Foundations’ Drugs, Security, and Democracy Fellowship

by FUNDSFORNGOS on NOVEMBER 13, 2012

The Open Society Foundations’ Drugs, Security, and Democracy Fellowship program supports research on drug policy, citizen security and democratic governance, as well as associated topics across the social sciences and related disciplines. Thefellowship seeks to develop a concentration of researchers who are interested in policy-relevant outcomes and membership in a global interdisciplinary network.

The fellowship is partly funded by the Open Society Latin America Program and the Open Society Global Drug Policy Program and administered by the Social Science Research Council (SSRC).

Applications are welcome from graduate students and postdoctoral researchers conducting research that addresses the theme of drugs and at least one of the other two themes of security and democracy in Latin America or the Caribbean. Eligible applicants will fall into one of the following two categories:

Dissertation Fellowship: This competition is open to PhD candidates worldwide who have an approved dissertation prospectus by July 1, 2013, but have not completed writing for final submission.

Postdoctoral Fellowship: The competition is also open to PhD recipients worldwide who have completed their PhD within 7 years of the application deadline.

The deadline to submit applications is 20 January 2013. For more information, visit this link.

Call for Proposals: Designing the 2015 Global Climate Change Agreement

by FUNDSFORNGOS on NOVEMBER 13, 2012

The European Commission (EC) has issued a call for proposals for ‘Designing the 2015 Global Climate Change Agreement’ under the Thematic Programme for Environment and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources including Energy (ENRTP). The programme helps developing countries and partner organisations to address environmental and natural resource management issues.

The global objective of this call for proposals is to support the negotiations under the ADP (Durban Platform for Enhanced Action). This will include arranging for dialogue,research and in-depth analysis. In addition, on the basis of this work and progress in the negotiations, the programme will develop a draft new international agreement, with explanatory memorandum and supporting papers on its key elements. This work must be carried out by organisations such as NGOs, think tanks or centres of academic excellence from a broad and representative range of countries, including major emerging economies, Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States. The outputs of this call for proposals will be used within an international negotiations forum.

The specific objective is the development of options on how the new agreement should address all elements of the ADP workstream on the 2015 Agreement, including mitigation, adaptation, finance, technology development and transfer, transparency of action and support and capacity building.

This is a restricted Call for Proposals. In the first instance, only Concept Notes must be submitted for evaluation. Thereafter, applicants whose Concept Notes have been pre-selected will be invited to submit a Full Application Form.

The deadline to submit applications is 22 December 2012. For more information, visit this link.

The Allard Prize for International Integrity: For those combating corruption

by FUNDSFORNGOS on NOVEMBER 13, 2012

The Allard Prize for International Integrity is awarded to an individual, movement ororganization that has demonstrated exceptional courage and leadership in combating corruption, especially through promoting transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

The award carries an amount of CA$100,000.

Nominations of all deserving individuals, recognizing that we will not publish nomination information without the permission of the nominee in order to respect their privacy and security are encouraged. The organizers recognize that attempting to counter corruption may result in criminal charges or a jail sentence in some jurisdictions, and they will not disqualify nominees on the basis of a criminal record, charge or sentence. Nominators can make the organizers aware that if a nominee is under threat in his/her home country so that they can exercise particular caution in our attempts to contact the nominee. They recognize that due to the public nature of the prize, safety concerns may prevent recognition of some deserving individuals.

The Allard Prize is administered by the University of British Columbia Faculty of Law at Allard Hall. The UBC Faculty of Law has a deep and longstanding history of advancing human rights. Faculty members have been pioneers in articulating and supporting women’s human rights, the rights of First Nations and indigenous communities, and the rights of victims of crime.

The deadline to submit nominations is 11 January 2013. For more information, visit this link.

SAFMA, SAWM call for declaration of education emergency

The South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) in collaboration with the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) organise seminars titled “Malala for Education Day” in various cities in Pakistan.

The South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) organised a seminar titled “Malala for Education Day”. It was held in collaboration with the South Asian Free Media Association (SAFMA) at a local hotel. A large number of schoolchildren from various schools, educationists, rights activists and parliamentarians participated in the event.

Speakers at the seminar said that those who had attacked Malala must be brought to book and those who were trying to cover up or justify the accused terrorists were should be censured through public opinion. Educationist Saleema Hashmi deplored the fact that Pakistan was among the 10 educationally backward countries. “On this day, we demand the government to increase the education budget and provide equal opportunities to those girls, who are deprived of the right to education,” she said.

Political activist Abid Hassan Minto said that Malala had initiated a movement against ignorance, extremism and terrorism, which should be supported. Justics ® Nasira Iqbal said that those who attacked Malala were not Pakistanis and had no religion.

Schoolchildren at the event expressed their sentiments to the brave girl through their poems and speeches and prayed for her early recovery. Former minister SM Masood, PPP leader Ms Yasmeen, PML-Q leader Amina Ulfat and columnist Munno Bhai, SAWM President Shahpara Saleem and Sadiq Azhar also spoke on the occasion. Secretary General SAFMA Imtiaz Alam said no political party has taken any initiatives for Malala even though her struggle is being recognized all over the world. He said that our national political parties are busy protecting their own interests. He also criticized religious parties for their negative comments about the attack on Malala and demanded that all parties to play a positive role. Alam said the international community is coming forward to help us and now the Pakistani government should take practical measures to increase literacy also and better policies for quality education. Also Ddfferent civil society organisations presented great compliments to Malala Yousafzai for her braveness and commitment to promote girls education in Pakistan, and prayed for long life while celebrating Malala Day. Both SAFMA and SAWM and other organisations organised an event at the Sindh Assembly building in which children belonging to different schools also participated. The children presented show portraying Malala’s services for girls’ education, armed attack on Malala’s life, etc. They also organised a walk outside the Sindh Assembly building for lauding Malala’s efforts. Speaking on the occasion Speaker Sindh Assembly Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said whole nation had expressed solidarity with Malala. He vowed to continue battle started by Malala with extremists for spreading of education in deprived areas. He hoped that Malala would win her struggle with support of her country’s people. Khuhro said that the present government was also striving to promote girls education in Sindh as well as the country. Also, in his message on the Malalah Day, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said that Malalah Yousufzai was the daughter of the nation and pride of the country. “She has won laurels for Pakistan all over the world by playing a leading role in such an early age,” he added.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Central Secretary Information Shafqat Mahmood, in a statement, said that the outpouring of sympathy for Malala and abhorrence over the cowardly act demonstrated the determination of the Pakistani society not to allow a handful of radicalized elements to dictate their agenda. The PTI strongly reaffirms UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon’s description of the brave girl as being a “global symbol” of every girl’s right to an education, he added.

Meanwhile, PPP’s Human Rights Wing held a ceremony and called Malala a symbol of courage and bravery, who rejected terrorism and raised the flag of peace. The Malala Peace and Education Committee held a rally in front of the Lahore Press Club to express solidarity with the young peace activist and support her cause. Various schools and colleges also organized special programmes, during which students paid homage to their young fellow and vowed to stand with her to accomplish her mission. Higher Education Commission (HEC) Project Director Wasim Hashmi Syed said there has been an increase in the female enrolment rate but a lot is needed to be done.

“Currently 90 million people aged 18 to 30 need to be registered for tertiary education, but we only have capacity for 900,000. We have asked the government for help several times, but there has been no progress to date,” he said.

Children from different Rawalpindi schools gave speeches paying tribute to Malala. They highlighted the importance of education and committed to take Malala’s message to every household in the country.