UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship 2023 for South African Graduate Students

University of California, Los Angeles School of Law (UCLA Law) and Sonke Gender Justice Network announce the launch of the UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship. Commencing in August 2022, the programme will provide specialised training to top graduates from South African law schools for careers as impact-oriented public interest lawyers in the areas of health, human rights, HIV prevention, and gender equality.

Application Deadline: 1st Feb 2023

Eligible Countries: South Africa

To be taken at (country): USA

About the Award: University of California, Los Angeles School of Law and Sonke Gender Justice Network present the UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship. Launched in 2011, the program provides specialized training to top graduates from Southern African law schools for careers as impact-oriented public interest lawyers in the areas of health, human rights, HIV prevention, and gender equality.

Fellows will enrol in UCLA Law’s David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy (PILP). Through its various workshops and seminars, Fellows will meet PILP students and faculty, and grapple with current challenges faced in public interest legal practice. Students will enrol in the course Human Rights and Sexual Politics, which address a range of issues such as sexual and reproductive health rights, sex work, LGBTIQ+ and access to health care. Each UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow will also elect other related courses and author a substantial writing assignment on a health, human rights, and/or gender equality-related legal issue facing South Africa. To prepare for American legal studies, Fellows will start off their curriculum by enrolling in a Summer introductory course, American Law in a Global Context.

Type: Fellowship

Eligibility:

• The UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship is open to legal professionals and law graduates holding LL.B. degrees classified second class (division one) or higher from South African law school programmes.
• Competitive applicants will also have a demonstrated commitment to health, human rights, or gender equality, and work or volunteer experience in this area. Note that non-South African applicants must have a valid work permit.
• As a condition of the award, Fellows will be asked to certify that they will return to Africa upon completion of their LL.M. degree, and commit to a public interest career that promotes health, human rights, and gender equality in the African region for at least one year.

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value and Duration of Award: The fellowship offers a full-tuition grant to enroll in UCLA Law’s LL.M. (Master of Laws) Program. Sonke will assist fellows with identifying additional funds for their studies (though there is no guarantee that these will be secured). Upon graduating, fellows have the opportunity to apply for a one-year fellowship placement with Sonke Gender Justice Network in Cape Town.

How to Apply: To apply for admission, prospective students must submit an online application to UCLA Law’s LL.M. program, a separate supplemental application form for the UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship, and supporting documentation.

1. UCLA Law LL.M. Program Application
   To create an account and complete the online LL.M. program application, click the link above and follow the instructions.
2. UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship Supplemental Application Form [PDF]
   After submitting the online LL.M. program application, click the link above to download the supplemental application for the Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship. After completing this form, please submit it by mail to UCLA Law along with the required documents listed at the “Supporting Documentation” link below.
3. Supporting Documentation
   Click the link above to view the list of required supporting documents for the UCLA Law LL.M. program application. Please mail these documents, along with your completed UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Supplemental Application Form, to UCLA Law at the listed address by the application deadline of March 1.

Please direct questions about the fellowship to kayan@genderjustice.org.za, and questions about UCLA Law’s online LL.M. application procedure to llm@law.ucla.edu.

• GOODLUCK!

Visit Programme Webpage for Details