We are currently not accepting applications for this fellowship. Relevant deadlines for applications will be announced on our website and social media during our next intake. 

Opportunity Description:

The BLAST organisation is pleased to announce the call for applications for the 2023-2024 Fellowship Program in Right to Equality. This fellowship offers a unique opportunity for recent graduates and young professionals with backgrounds in law, journalism, or any discipline of social sciences to engage in meaningful research and advocacy work centred around equality and non-discrimination issues. The program seeks to promote justice, empower marginalised communities, and foster positive change across Bangladesh.

Qualifications:

To be eligible for the fellowship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Hold a graduate degree in law, journalism, or any social science discipline.
  • Demonstrate a significant experience of living and working with marginalised communities and a dedicated engagement with such communities for a substantial period (mandatory for Equality Fellowship).
  • Possess proficiency in the use of computers.
  • Exhibit strong motivation, organisational skills, and the ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
  • Showcase evidence of substantial and relevant work experience or engagement with their own community.

Fellowship Categories:

Equality Fellowship:

This fellowship is exclusively designed for recent graduates or young professionals from marginalized and socially excluded communities, including Persons with Disabilities, Dalit communities, and Gender Diverse communities, among others. Selected fellows will have the opportunity to work with BLAST, and a private Law Firm or Chambers, alongside spending one month with the selected community for knowledge sharing.

Community Fellowship:

Open to all recent graduates or young professionals with a background in law, journalism, or social sciences. Community fellows will be engaged in direct work with marginalised and socially excluded communities residing in hard-to-reach areas of Bangladesh. The fellowship period will involve five months of fieldwork and one month of collaboration with BLAST, and a private Law Firm or Chambers.

Job Description:

Both fellowships will run for a duration of six months, with community fellows engaging in five months of fieldwork and one month of institutional collaboration. Fellows will be working full-time, collecting evidence, drafting fact-finding reports, conducting Focused Group Discussions (FGDs), and adhering to the research methodology of their chosen areas. Upon completion, fellows will be required to submit a comprehensive study report detailing their work during the fellowship.

Salary and Benefits:

Selected fellows will receive a monthly stipend of BDT 20,000/- (twenty thousand) and financial support for research-related expenses throughout the fellowship period.

Application Process:

  • A cover letter expressing their interest in the fellowship and detailing their engagement with marginalised communities and specific research focus.
  • Complete CV showcasing educational background, relevant work experience, and community engagement.
  • Two letters of recommendation from referees familiar with the applicant’s education and work experience.
  • A Letter of Interest (maximum two pages) describing their passion for working with marginalised communities, the key rights issues of concern, and their research plan for community involvement and dissemination of findings.
  • Certified copies of academic transcripts.
  • Contact details of three referees.

Please compile all application materials into one PDF file or separate PDF files and submit them via email to fellowship@cakhuy.com with the name of the fellowship in the subject line.

Join us in creating a more inclusive and just society, where the rights of all individuals, especially those from marginalised communities, are upheld and protected. Together, we can drive positive change and make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need. Apply now for the Fellowship in Right to Equality and be a catalyst for transformation!

Previous fellowships

Click here to read about the experiences of our previous fellows and their work. 

Fellowships in Right to Equality is an initiative by the Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust (BLAST), the leading national non-governmental legal aid and services organisation, in partnership with Research Initiatives Bangladesh (RIB). Together, we strive to strengthen community legal services, reduce poverty, inequality, and discrimination, and champion the rights of the most vulnerable communities across Bangladesh.