The Leadership and Advocacy for Women in Africa (LAWA)
Fellowship Program was founded in order to train women's human rights lawyers
from Africa who are committed to returning home to their countries in order to
advance the status of women and girls in their own countries throughout their
careers.
Over 80 women's human rights advocates from Botswana,
Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South
Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe have participated in the LAWA
Program, and we hope to include Fellows from additional countries in the
future.
Throughout their time in Washington, D.C., the LAWA Fellows also participate in bi-weekly seminars and professional development training with their American counterparts in the Women's Law and Public Policy Fellowship Program, where they discuss key women's rights issues with prominent government and public interest leaders. They attend related events, such as Supreme Court and Congressional Briefings on significant women's rights issues. The relationships that the LAWA attorneys build with their American contacts and government leaders, together with their legal training and enhanced computer research and technology skills, provide the ability to draw upon vastly expanded legal networks and resources upon their return to Africa.
The LAWA Program helps defray the costs for women's rights
attorneys from Africa who would not otherwise be able to afford a Master of
Laws degree focusing on international women's human rights and the additional
leadership training. The LAWA Fellowship provides the tuition for the
Foundations of American Law and Legal Education Course (a U.S. $2,200 benefit)
and for the LL.M. degree (a U.S. $46,865 benefit) at the Georgetown University
Law Center, as well as professional development training. Candidates who are
admitted to the LAWA Program must be prepared to cover the costs of all
additional expenses (such as their visas, travel, housing, utilities, food,
clothing, health insurance, books, etc.), and must be able to demonstrate to
the U.S. Embassy for visa purposes that they have the funds available to cover
those expenses (approximately $25,000).
Due to the intensity of the LAWA Program and academic studies, LAWA
Fellows are not permitted to work throughout the academic portion of the
program. They must also affirm that they
will return home after the LAWA Fellowship and continue to promote women's
human rights in their countries throughout their careers.
Further details on the program and application procedures
can be found at http://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/centers-institutes/wlppfp/lawa/index.cfm