Benjamin B. Ferencz Fellowships

in Human Rights and Law

This program for law students, graduate students in related fields, or recent law school graduates provides stipends for fellowships at World Without Genocide. Students work on core areas of human rights including research, policy development and assessment, and action to support local, state, national, and international initiatives.

Applications are available in the early fall of each academic year and are awarded for a minimum of two consecutive academic semesters.  Fellowships can be renewed for subsequent terms.

The fellowships are named for one of the world’s leading advocates for human rights, Benjamin B. Ferencz.  At trials in Nuremberg, Germany in 1947, Ferencz prosecuted members of the Nazi Einsatzgruppen, mobile killing squads responsible for the deaths of more than a million Jews during the Holocaust.  Ferencz received convictions for every one of the accused.

He went on to a lifetime of work to enhance safety and security for innocent people, bring restitution to those whose lives were affected by evil, and to end impunity for perpetrators.  He was a key figure in the development of the International Criminal Court, a permanent body to adjudicate individuals for perpetrating crimes against humanity, war crimes, the crime of aggression, and genocide.

At the close of the International Criminal Court’s first case in 2011, Mr. Ferencz gave the final remarks for the prosecution, harkening back to his words in 1947 that convicted the worst of the Nazis and realizing his dream of a permanent international tribunal.

This program received the Minnesota Ethical Leadership Award in 2019.

Areas of Thematic Concentration for Fellowships

Fellows will select one area of focus.

1. The International Criminal Court

The International Criminal Court, created by the Rome Statute in 1998 and ratified in 2002, is located in The Hague, Netherlands.  There is no other court like the ICC. The ICC was formed as a universal response to past and present atrocities and represents the culmination of fifty years of international efforts through the United Nations to create a permanent international judicial institution.

The ICC’s jurisdiction is as a ‘court of last resort’ to prosecute individual perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

Although 123 nations have ratified the ICC, the United States has not yet done so.

Areas of focus:

• Educate about the ICC through public discussions, programs, web blogs, news articles, and briefings to students, lawyers, human rights advocates, and others.
• Participate in meetings of the Washington Working Group for the International Criminal Court and other entities as appropriate.

2. Climate Crisis and Ecocide

The climate crisis is a ‘force multiplier’ of atrocity crimes and genocide.  As temperatures become warmer, droughts and extreme rainfalls occur more frequently, devastating farmlands and decimating agricultural production.  The struggle for access to sufficient food and clean water creates ‘climate refugees’ who flee from ruined farmlands into cities in search of food. Food scarcity becomes an even-greater problem in overcrowded urban areas, and vulnerable populations are targeted as scapegoats in times of famine and hunger.  The environmental devastation and resulting violence constitute the crime of ecocide. Women, children, and other vulnerable populations are at the greatest risk.

Areas of focus:

• Organize and administer public programs to raise awareness about the climate crisis, especially in Somalia, Darfur, South Sudan, Nigeria, Syria, and Yemen.
• Prepare ‘action agendas’ for individuals, organizations, and municipalities.
• Write articles for general and legal audiences to increase awareness of the urgency of the climate crisis and its connection to violence and global instability.

3. Persecuted Minority Groups

There are many countries where genocide or genocide-like violence is occurring today against targeted minority groups, including the persecution of the Rohingya in Myanmar and the Uyghurs and Tibetans in China. The war in Ukraine and crises in Ethiopia and Afghanistan have left millions of people facing displacement, starvation, sexual violence, and murder.

Areas of focus:

• Develop and deliver educational programs about these crises at colleges and universities and civic and professional organizations.
• Prepare print and web materials about the situations.
• Support legislation and policy to provide humanitarian aid, promote diplomacy for conflict resolution, and to find safe havens for the displaced.

4. Violence and Discrimination Against Women and Girls

In 1979 the United Nations adopted CEDAW, the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (SEE-daw). It is often described as an ‘international bill of rights for women,’ defining what constitutes discrimination against women and establishing an agenda for national action to end such discrimination.

Six nations have not yet ratified CEDAW: Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Palau, Tonga, and the US. However, more than 200 organizations and several dozen U.S. cities, representing millions of Americans, support CEDAW.

Countries that ratify CEDAW are legally bound to put its provisions into practice. They also must submit reports to the UN every four years on measures they have taken to comply with CEDAW’s obligations. Although CEDAW has been ratified by many countries where violence against women remains systemic, CEDAW’s passage advances customary law for women’s equality locally and globally.

We advocate for support for CEDAW at local levels and for other measures to end sexual violence and discrimination in our own neighborhoods and communities.

Areas of focus:

• Organize and deliver public programs and CLEs to raise awareness about CEDAW.
• Generate organizational support from faith, civic, educational, business, and human rights organizations to advocate for CEDAW.
• Write articles for general and legal audiences to increase awareness about CEDAW.
• Support local and state measures to reduce sexual and gender violence.

Duration of fellowships:  Two consecutive semesters (fall and spring); 5-10 hours per week.

Funding:  $1,500.  Half is to be paid after the demonstrated successful completion of each semester.

Number of positions:  flexible.

Qualifications:  Exceptional skills in written and oral communications; ability to interact well with a wide range of people, including elected officials; experience in legal and social science research; ability to work extremely well in an independent capacity; a demonstrated commitment to justice and human rights; and a preferred background in genocide studies, international law, political science, sociology, or related fields.

To apply:  Applications are found here. Submit a completed application, résumé, and a 200-250 letter of intent to admin@worldwithoutgenocide.org by September 1. For additional information, contact 952-693-5206.

Academic credit:  Credit may be arranged for law students. Contact info@worldwithoutgenocide.org for information.

Co-curricular credit: Students may arrange for recognition from MJF (Minnesota Justice Foundation).