Indigenous Fellowship Programme

About the Programme

The Indigenous Fellowship Programme (IFP) is a comprehensive human rights training programme that was established by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in the context of the first International Decade of the World's Indigenous Peoples (1995-2004).

The programme contributes to build the capacity and expertise of indigenous representatives on the UN system and mechanisms dealing with human rights in general and indigenous issues in particular. This means they are in a better position to protect and promote the rights of their communities at the international level. Since the launch of the training programme in 1997, more than 300 indigenous men and women from all over the world have been trained. They have since provided human rights training to many more in their communities.

How the programme works

The IFP is held annually and is accessible in English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Candidates must apply to be considered for the Programme.

The selected candidates are entitled to a return flight ticket, living expenses and basic health insurance for the duration of the training. The IFP is held annually and Fellows from all four language components of the programme are trained together with simultaneous interpretation for a period of 4 to 5 weeks in Geneva. The date of the training programme usually coincides with the annual meeting of the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (June/July).
Read more about the training programme.

Publications and resources

Leaflet on the Indigenous Fellowship Programme

Videos

Video testimonies of former attendees of the OHCHR Indigenous Fellowship Programme, showing the impact on their work advocating for the rights of their communities and for the rights of indigenous peoples in general
10 November 2015

Watch the long video on YouTube
Watch the short video on YouTube