Call for applications: Women's Leadership Scholarship Program (Deadline: March 14, 2008)

Dear Equator Net members,

The Women's Leadership Scholarship (WLS) program creates educational opportunities for women activists, grassroots leaders and organizers from the Global South and/or from indigenous groups. This scholarship supports study, research and leadership training to assist women in their pursuit of solutions to the critical social, environmental, health and economic problems facing their countries and communities.

The selection committee awards four to eight scholarships a year and recipients may enroll in programs of study at accredited institutions worldwide that cover a range of human rights and development issues at the non-doctoral graduate level including gender, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, child exploitation, human trafficking, infant and maternal mortality, conflict resolution, environmental justice, global fair trade, agro-ecology and sustainable development.

Scholarship recipients are awarded $25,000 per academic year for a maximum of two years, helping recipients meet the costs of tuition, fees, books, educational supplies, housing, maintenance and travel to and from the home country and the educational institution.

Eligible candidates include women leaders from the Global South and/or from indigenous groups who also meet the following criteria:

• Commitment to grassroots organizing and the needs of their communities
• Proof of a bachelor's degree or equivalent or a higher degree
• Three years work experience dealing with critical human rights concerns or other social, educational or health conditions negatively affecting their communities
• Acceptance into a non-doctoral graduate program at an accredited university for full-time study/research related to their work experience in human rights, sustainable development and/or public health
• Evidence of financial need for educational support
• Intention to return to their home countries to work, utilizing training and research acquired in the study program
  
  

Pre-applications for the 2008-2009 academic year will be accepted until March 14, 2008 on the WLS website or by request from info@nativeleaders.org. You are encouraged to submit your pre-application materials early. Those who submit their pre-application materials near the March 14th deadline risk leaving some of their materials ineligible for full review by the committee.

Visit the Women's Leadership Scholarship website to apply and learn more about the program:
http://www.nativeleaders.org/how.html

Warm regards,

Gaby