ODIHR Call for Applications: Turning Words into Action, Youth Activism Seminar, Deadline: 18 September 2016

The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) is currently inviting applications for its two-day Youth Activism Seminar on 3-4 November 2016 in Budapest. The Seminar will bring together youth activists from OSCE participating States to discuss and address contemporary challenges in the field of human rights activism and suggest ways to overcome these.

In 2016, ODIHR commenced the Words into Action to Address Anti-Semitism project to strengthen the capacity of OSCE participating States and civil society to prevent and respond to anti-Semitism.

The project aims to carry out activities over three years in three interconnected areas: addressing the security needs of Jewish communities, countering anti-Semitism through education, and fostering coalition building among different communities. In many OSCE participating States, human rights and tolerance are facing major challenges. One particular challenge is the lack of trust and engagement of youth in addressing these issues and to participate, equally, in the work of democratic institutions. While traditional forms of political participation are decreasing amongst youth, alternative forms of political participation, such as online activism, are becoming increasingly appealing to them.

The Seminar will explore ways of bringing different youth activist groups closer to each other in order to create networks and coalitions that can push the agenda of human rights, tolerance and non‐discrimination addressing, among others, the interrelated issues of anti‐Semitism, racism, xenophobia and gender equality, further into societies, by developing best practice approaches in working with the civil society, governmental institutions, as well as public. Participants will be offered an opportunity to discuss good practices and challenges in the OSCE region.

Categories

The Seminar will involve three categories of young activists – representing youth from the most informal structures to the most formal ones.

• Voice: This relates to informal forms of political participation and focuses on online activism. Ideal candidates include representatives of social media groups and bloggers.
• Influence: This relates to semi‐formal forms of political participation and focuses on civil societyorganizations active in advocating and lobbying for changes to policies.
• Governance: This relates to formal mechanisms of political participation such as political parties and governance institutions, such as young politicians and members of parliaments, government representatives, city councilors, policy and political advisors.

Benefit

Accommodation and travel costs for the event will be covered by ODIHR.

Eligibility Criteria

ODIHR has the pleasure to invite up to 35 youth representatives from any of the OSCE participating States to the Youth Activism Seminar, to be held from 3 to 4 November 2016 in Budapest, Hungary. Participants will be selected by ODIHR based on the below listed selection criteria:

• Youth activists aged 18 to 35;
• Gender and geographical balance;
• Minimum 2 years of experience and proven track record of involvement and engagement within their social community  (i.e. involvement in the NGO sector, student’s unions, local and national political parties, online democracy and human rights associations, political parties and NGOs);
• A proven track record of engagement within the community, demonstrating potential in addressing    human rights, tolerance and non‐discrimination issues, including countering anti‐ Semitism, racism, xenophobia, gender equality, intolerance against Roma, Muslims, Christians and other religions or beliefs, and  other groups.
• English language competency

How to Apply

Applications should be sent in English via email, with “Youth Activism Seminar 2016” as the subject line.

Eligible Countries

Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada,Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg,Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,  Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States,Uzbekistan.

For more information, please visit ODIHR Call for Applications.