Deadline: 29 October 2013
Open to: Romani women university graduates from Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, or Turkey who are committed to engaging in Romani women’s rights work
Fellowship: monthly stipend and reimbursement of travel and communication expenses according to the agreed project
Description
The Open Society Roma Initiatives Office invites applications for its Romani Women’s Fellowship. Fellowships will be awarded to a maximum of three Romani women university graduates who are committed to engaging in Romani women’s rights work. They are seeking applications from Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, and Turkey.
Romani women are a particularly vulnerable segment within Roma communities, and they represent a huge potential for advocating for change. While the number of highly educated Romani women is increasing, many Roma activists have said that Romani women’s rights activism is still in need of new human capacity. We are offering the Romani Women’s Fellowship in response to this demand.
Junior fellowships will be offered to a maximum of two Romani women having 3-5 years of experience in Romani women’s rights activism. These fellowships will give them the opportunity to further their engagement in Romani women’s rights issues, to develop new skills, and to gain the confidence to advocate for changes in policies and practices of concern to Romani women.
A senior fellowship will be awarded to a maximum of one Romani woman activist having more than five years of experience and recognition in women’s rights campaigning and advocacy, provided that the proposed fellowship project aims at a particular policy change or marks a new contribution to the field of Romani women’s rights.
Fellowship
Throughout the fellowship period, the fellows will work mostly from their home countries and receive feedback and support from RIO through regular consultations. The fellows will be offered a monthly stipend and reimbursement of travel and communication expenses according to the agreed project. Other reasonable costs related to the fellowship project will also be included in the fellowship grant. Fellows may also plan for coaching and training based on individual needs.
The fellowship is expected to start in December 2013 and last for one year, with the possibility of extension depending on the scope of the project.
Fellowship proposals should involve an issue related to advancing Romani women’s rights:
- Developing and pursuing joint advocacy agendas among Romani women’s NGOs and activists on the national and international levels
- Building new ways of cooperation between the mainstream and Roma feminist movements, or between Romani women’s rights activists and other minority women’s rights groups
- Organizing Romani women’s groups and cultivating local leadership among Romani women in order to influence decision-making
- Enhancing the participation of Romani women in political processes and Romani women’s representation in political structures
- Improving public policy and public service responses to issues of concern to Romani women, such as domestic violence, trafficking in women, and early marriages
- Addressing gender-based discrimination within Roma communities
- Any other issues relevant to Romani women’s rights
They might support research and policy analysis as part of a fellowship project, provided that similar resources are not already available and a strong case is made that the research is necessary for the implementation of the fellowship project.
Eligibility
Romani women applying for the fellowship should have:
- a university degree
- residence in Albania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, or Turkey
- a demonstrated commitment to and experience in Romani women’s rights and activism
- knowledge of the history, current status, and challenges of Romani women’s activism in the region
- an understanding of contemporary issues of concern to Romani women in the region
- the ability to work in English
Application
Candidates should apply online HERE by midnight CET on October 29, 2013. To be considered for a Romani Women’s Fellowship, applicants should submit the following documents in English:
- Fellowship proposal, using the template HERE.
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- Motivation letter (maximum one page) that describes the applicant’s interest in the fellowship and her expectations in relation to future career aspirations
Pre-selected applicants will be invited for an interview. Should you have any questions or encounter any problems during the application process, please contact roma@opensocietyfoundations.org.
Please see the full application guidelines HERE for further details. The official website is AVAILABLE HERE.
