Paid Fellowship for African Women Lawyers

Organization: Clooney Foundation for Justice

Type: Fellowship

Location: Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, The Gambia

Deadline: October 20, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

The Clooney Foundation for Justice places ten early-career African women lawyers in a paid, full-time year at human rights organisations, university legal aid clinics and prosecution services in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa and The Gambia. Fellows do real casework defending women and children against violence and child marriage, including at least one major strategic litigation case with CFJ. The programme, formerly the Waging Justice for Women Fellowship, runs in partnership with the Legal Empowerment Fund at the Fund for Global Human Rights. **What you get:** - A paid, full-time one-year placement from January to December 2027, with a competitive gross annual salary in local currency paid by the host organisation - Mentorship from CFJ's Justice for Women and Children Programme Director, host supervisors and human rights experts from the region - At least one in-person convening with other fellows and senior CFJ leadership, plus a monthly online training programme - Training in technology tools for access to justice, linked to CFJ's work with Microsoft's AI for Good Lab and the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice - Access to a network of human rights lawyers, judges, activists and academics, and membership of the CFJ Fellowship Alumni network afterwards **What you'll do:** - Work in person at one host organisation for the whole year on legal assistance, research, drafting, representation in court and advocacy for women and children - Identify and support at least one strategic litigation case with CFJ in a national, regional or international court or body - Run at least two outreach activities for students on the rights of women and children - Take part in the programme's mentoring, training and networking activities **Key dates:** - Applications opened September 8, 2026 - Applications close October 20, 2026 at 12:00 noon SAST - Fellowship runs full time from January to December 2027 **More information:** - Only shortlisted candidates are contacted - Relocation and work authorisation costs are not covered, so you must already have the right to work in the host country - 2027 hosts: CHREAA, Women Lawyers Association, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Legal Aid Bureau and University of Malawi (Malawi); Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (South Africa); FLAG and IHRDA (The Gambia); Katiba Institute (Kenya)

Clooney Foundation for JusticeFellowship

Paid Fellowship for African Women Lawyers

Oct 20, 2026 12:00:00 SAST

Opportunity type

Fellowship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Oct 20, 2026 12:00:00 SAST

About this opportunity

What you get:

A paid, full-time one-year placement from January to December 2027, with a competitive gross annual salary in local currency paid by the host organisation
Mentorship from CFJ's Justice for Women and Children Programme Director, host supervisors and human rights experts from the region
At least one in-person convening with other fellows and senior CFJ leadership, plus a monthly online training programme
Training in technology tools for access to justice, linked to CFJ's work with Microsoft's AI for Good Lab and the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice
Access to a network of human rights lawyers, judges, activists and academics, and membership of the CFJ Fellowship Alumni network afterwards

What you'll do:

Work in person at one host organisation for the whole year on legal assistance, research, drafting, representation in court and advocacy for women and children
Identify and support at least one strategic litigation case with CFJ in a national, regional or international court or body
Run at least two outreach activities for students on the rights of women and children
Take part in the programme's mentoring, training and networking activities

Key dates:

Applications opened September 8, 2026
Applications close October 20, 2026 at 12:00 noon SAST
Fellowship runs full time from January to December 2027

More information:

Only shortlisted candidates are contacted
Relocation and work authorisation costs are not covered, so you must already have the right to work in the host country
2027 hosts: CHREAA, Women Lawyers Association, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Legal Aid Bureau and University of Malawi (Malawi); Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria (South Africa); FLAG and IHRDA (The Gambia); Katiba Institute (Kenya)

Who can apply

Women lawyers early in their careers, up to 5 years of legal experience after graduating law school or qualifying as a lawyer
A law degree from a recognised academic institution
Admitted to practise as a lawyer in the country of your chosen host organisation: Kenya, Malawi, South Africa or The Gambia
The right to work in that host country; relocation and work authorisation costs cannot be supported
Available full time and in person from January to December 2027, based in the host country
Fluent in English; other working languages of the host countries preferred
Experience in women's rights, human rights organisations or with survivors of violence preferred
Application: online form with experience summary, statement of interest, a CV of no more than two pages in PDF, and two professional references

AI Verification

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Good to know

+A paid, full-time year from January to December 2027, with a salary in local currency paid by your host organisation
+Real casework defending women and children against violence and child marriage, including at least one strategic litigation case with the Clooney Foundation for Justice
+Mentoring from CFJ's programme director and your host supervisors, monthly online training and at least one in-person convening with the other fellows
+Ten places for early-career women lawyers with up to five years of experience after qualifying
+Free to apply: CFJ's FAQ says there is no fee, and the 2027 host organisations are named in advance

Worth checking yourself

!Closes Tuesday 20 October at 12:00 noon South Africa time, not at midnight
!You must already be admitted to practise law in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa or The Gambia, in the same country as your host organisation
!Relocation and work permit costs are not covered, so you need the right to work in the host country already
!The salary amount is not published, only that it is competitive
!Full time and in person at your host for the whole year, and only shortlisted candidates are contacted

Sources checked

CFcfj.orgApplyCFcfj.orgApplyCFcfj.orgApply

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