The Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation (BGRF), the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) and the Network of East-West Women (NEWW) are pleased to announce a call for applications for the second Women’s Human Rights Training Institute (WHRTI), 2007-2009. The first WHRTI was held in 2004-2006. The goal of the Institute is to strengthen the ability of lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic states and the Caucasus to litigate cases concerning women’s human rights, particularly, violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and rights and employment discrimination, at the national, regional and international levels through the development of feminist legal analysis and litigation skills, cross-border cooperation, and networking.
The WHRTI is a two-year, four-part series of workshops bringing together the same group of fifteen participants over the course of the training. Through both technical workshop sessions on the European Court of Human Rights, European Court of Justice, and United Nations treaty body mechanisms, as well as substantive training sessions on violence against women, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and employment discrimination, the Institute will build the needed analysis, skills and networks among lawyers required to successfully seek justice for women.
Successful applicants are required to commit to participate in the entire two-year, four-workshop Institute series. The organizers encourage lawyers from Central and Eastern Europe, the Baltic States and the Caucasus, who are willing to make this two-year commitment. Selected participants will be required to actively participate in all four sessions, including pre-session preparation and inter-session activities.
The working language of the WHRTI is English.
Certificates of Completion will be issued to participants upon their successful completion of all Institute sessions and responsibilities.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: June 30, 2007
DURATION: The Institute is a two-year series of four sessions beginning in the Fall 2007. Each session will last approximately 4-5 days every six months.
LOCATION: Institute sessions will be held in Bulgaria.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applications will be accepted from lawyers from any country in CEE, the Baltic States and the Caucasus. A total of 15 participants will be selected.
Successful applicants will have:
- Law degree.
- A commitment to feminist jurisprudence and to using the law creatively to secure redress for women’s rights violations.
- A professional relationship with an institution or NGO for at least one year prior to applying for participation in the Institute, preferably with an NGO or institution that focuses on women’s human rights and that has the capacity to litigate cases on women’s rights issues or that has experience with litigation.
- Interest and/or some theoretical knowledge of international and regional human rights law.
- Fluency in spoken and written English, and advanced English language comprehension of legal texts.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT:
Participant travel, accommodation and per diem costs for participation in each Institute workshop session will be covered.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
The applicants are required to complete the WHRTI application form and submit all requested supporting documents listed in the application form. The form and all supporting documents must be submitted in one email and must be in English.
Completed applications should be sent by email to: Teodora Tsanovska and Genoveva Tisheva - Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation: application_institute@bgrf.org. Please include “Application to WHRTI (2007-2009)” in the subject line.
If email is not possible, please send the complete application packet by regular mail to the address below. Applications sent by email or mail must be RECEIVED in BGRF’s office by the application deadline of June 30, 2007. Applications received after this date, or incomplete applications will not be considered.
The mailing address for the applications:
Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation
P.O. Box 938
1000 Sofia
Bulgaria
Following review by the International Selection Committee, finalists will be selected for in-person and/or telephone interviews. Selected finalists will be notified of their interview via email by mid-August 2007.
CONTACT PERSON: Genoveva Tisheva, Director, Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation, bgrf@fastbg.net and office@bgrf.org; tel./fax: +359 2 963 53 57
About the Organizers
The Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation is an independent nongovernmental organization that promotes social justice and women’s human rights through research, education and advocacy programs. The BGRF is actively involved in legislative and policy changes in the field of gender equality and women’s rights, namely in drafting and lobbying for legislation against violence against women and drafting legislation on equal opportunities of women and men. The organization coordinated the Women’s Human Rights Training Institute in the period 2004-2006. BGRF has three branches in Bulgaria and a Youth programme. http://www.bgrf.org
The Center for Reproductive Rights is a nonprofit legal advocacy organization dedicated to promoting and defending women's reproductive rights worldwide. The Center for Reproductive Rights uses international and regional human rights law and mechanisms to advance reproductive freedom as a fundamental right that all governments are legally obligated to protect, respect, and fulfill. www.reproductiverights.org
The Network of East-West Women (NEWW) is an international membership and advocacy organization linking women in more than 30 countries in Central and Southeastern Europe, the New Independent States and the Russian Federation. Through the Legal Fellowship Program and other programs, NEWW supports independent women’s movements that foster women’s participation in all aspects of public decision-making. NEWW’s primary objective is to increase the capacity of women and women’s NGOs to shape policies that affect women’s lives. http://www.neww.org.pl/