April 30 2019
The Peace and Security Fellowships for African Women bring together African women at the early stages of their career to undertake a carefully designed training programme in Leadership, Development and Security at the African Leadership Centre (ALC), King’s College London. The Fellowship programme is designed to expose young professional African women to the complexities of conflict, security and development and equip them for careers in this field. The programme is conceived against a number of background factors. First is the comparatively low level of women involved in peace and security issues especially as compared with those involved in human rights and development issues. Second is the need to assist African women to meet the demands of the Beijing process and more recently the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 that calls for the inclusion of women at all decision making levels in “all national regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts”. This Fellowship programme is aimed at challenging the existing tendency that seems to reinforce the male dominant discourse on conflict and security related matters. It will also develop a network of African women scholars working in the field whilst linking them with the peace, security and development mechanisms of African regional institutions. They are funded by the Open Society Institute and the African Women’s Development Fund.
Eligibility
▪ Candidates must be female citizens of African countries.
▪ Successful candidates must hold valid travel documents prior to acceptance.
▪ Candidates must have knowledge of, or experience of women’s rights, gender and
development issues.
▪ Candidates must be able to demonstrate a commitment to contribute to work on peace and
security in Africa.
▪ Candidates must be able to demonstrate capacity to undertake research on issues relating to
peace and security in Africa.
▪ Candidates must demonstrate commitment to the core values of the programme:
Independent thinking; Integrity; Pursuit of Excellence; and Respect for diversity in all its forms.
Candidates must have a relevant institutional base and be endorsed by an organisation with
which they have been involved for at least two years. Exceptional candidates without such
organisational ties may be given special consideration.
▪ Candidates must have a demonstrable plan for how to utilise knowledge gained in the
Fellowship upon return to their countries and/ or organisations.
▪ Candidates must hold a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree with an equivalent level of professional
experience.
▪ Candidates must be fluent in spoken and written English.
Programme Delivery
This is a one-year Fellowship, divided into two six-month phases.
Phase 1: The first phase will be delivered at the ALC, Nairobi and King’s College London. During the training, the Fellows will be encouraged to engage critically with the discourse on conflict, security and development in Africa. They will also visit and study institutions working in the field of peace and
security in Africa and Europe. This phase will include a simulation seminar series during which mock conflict management situations will be practiced.
Phase 2: In the second phase, Fellows will be attached to an African Regional Organisation or Centre of Excellence to undertake practical work in the field of peace and security including peace and conflict management processes.
Mentoring: During both phases, Fellows will have access to the programme’s network of mentors, in the form of regular group mentoring and training on key thematic issues. One-on-one mentoring sessions will also be encouraged, to help guide students through the programme.
Research Project: In the 12 months of the training, Fellows will be expected to conduct a research project on a key aspect of peace, security and development, that is in line with select aspects of the ALC Research Agenda on “Peace, Society and the State in Africa”. They will produce a research report (8000 to 10000 words) and a policy brief from their research. These policy briefs will be published and disseminated amongst different organisations in peace and security, in the region.
Terms of the Fellowship
Successful Fellows will have the status of full-time students on the post-graduate non-degree
programme at ALC/King’s College London and hold affiliate status at the University of Nairobi, Kenya.
1. Standard Visitor visa: The offer of the Fellowship is subject to successful candidates obtaining visas to cover the six-month period that is the duration of the first phase of the Fellowship in the UK and Kenya. Failure to obtain a visa to enter the UK and Kenya automatically invalidates the offer of Fellowship with no consequences to the Fellowship Programme. The immigrationrules for the UK can be accessed on the Gov.UK web page: https://www.gov.uk/standardvisitor-visa/overview. Please contact the Kenyan Embassy/High Commission in your home country for the relevant procedures to obtain a Kenyan student visa for the entire Fellowship period of one year.
Please note that any deviation from the Fellowship, except as may be authorised by the African Leadership Centre, shall affect the Fellow’s immigration status in the UK/Kenya. Please consult the British Embassy/High Commission and Kenyan Embassy/High Commission in your home country for more information.
2. Expectant/Nursing mothers: Given the intense nature of the programme including its short phases in different locations as well as necessary extensive travel, successful applicants that are expectant or nursing mothers while encouraged to apply, will be advised to defer their admission to the programme
3. Medical Exam: Successful applicants will be required to undergo medical examinations at recommended venues prior to taking up their positions, to aid visa applications and to confirm your fitness for undertaking the programme.
4. Programme completion/Return to base: The programme will last a total of 12 months, and Fellows will be expected to make full-time commitment to the programme for its duration. It is a condition of the programme that successful candidates should return to their base or home countries at the end of the programme.
Funding
This is a fully funded* opportunity, not including any visa application and processing costs. Funds will be made available to the Fellows to cover tuition, subsistence in the UK and Africa, and travel expenses related to the programme in both phases.1 While funding will be made available to pay for accommodation, successful applicants are expected to find their own accommodation both in the UK and Africa. Fellows are strongly advised to make all necessary accommodation arrangements prior to taking up their positions on the Fellowship Programme.
Application Process
Click here to apply online
Visit webpage for more information here
