Shelter City Netherlands: Call for applications for June and September 2024

View this call in French or Spanish on the Shelter City website.

Justice & Peace Netherlands is launching a new call for applications for human rights defenders at risk to participate in Shelter City Netherlands. The deadline for applications is 28 February 2024 at 23:59 CET (Central European Time).

From June and September 2024 onwards, several cities in the Netherlands will receive human rights defenders for a period of three months. At the end of their stay in the Netherlands, participants are expected to return with new tools and energy to carry out their work at home.

Journalists’ Safe Haven Initiative

Justice & Peace aims to promote the safety of journalists, and in particular women journalists, worldwide so that they can build new strategies and continue their important work for freedom of expression in their country of origin. With support from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Justice & Peace will be able to provide two additional temporary safe spaces per year in The Hague for journalists at risk and provide them with tailormade support.

Asser Institute Fellowship (only available for English accompaniment)

Justice & Peace and the Asser Institute have established a collaborative relationship to strengthen and support the capacity of local human rights defenders worldwide. In the context of the Institute’s Visiting Researchers Programme, the Asser Institute hosts one Fellow per year within the framework of the Shelter City initiative by Justice & Peace. The selected Fellow will carry out a research project during the three-month period and take part in other human rights relevant (research) activities of the Asser Institute. In line with these activities, closer to the end of the three-month period, the Fellow will have to present the relevant research findings in a public or closed event. The Fellow may also participate in other (public) events like lectures or (panel) discussions.

To be eligible for Shelter City, human rights defenders should meet the following conditions:

• They implement a non-violent approach in their work;
• They are threatened or otherwise under pressure due to their work or activism;
• They are willing and able to return to their country of origin after 3 months;
• They are willing to speak publicly about their experience or about human rights in their country to the extent that their security situation allows;
• They have a conversational level* of English;
• They have a valid passport (with no less than 18 months of validity at the time of applying) or be willing to carry out the procedures necessary for its issuance. Justice & Peace covers the costs of issuing a passport and / or visa (if applicable);
• They are not subjected to any measure or judicial prohibition to leave the country;
• They are willing to begin their stay in the Netherlands around June or September 2024.

*By conversational English we mean that participants’ level of English allows them to actively participate in a training, speak about their work, communicate with the host city, etc.

Note: Additional factors will be taken into consideration in the final round of selection, such as the added value of a stay in The Netherlands as well as gender, geographic, and thematic balance. Please note that only under exceptional circumstances are we able to accept human rights defenders currently residing in a third country.

To apply for Shelter City Netherlands, kindly find the online application form below. Application forms must be submitted by 28 February 2024 at 23:59 CET (Central European Time). An independent commission will select the participants.