Adding New Links to the Fellowship Chain
PILnet Announces Eight New Fellows for the Class of 2012
A few links hardly make a chain. But with the announcement of eight new PILnet Fellows for the class of 2012, PILnet: The Global Network for Public Interest Law had expanded and strengthened its network of human rights advocates, adding new links in novel regions to a chain that now includes almost 100 public interest lawyers around the world.
From left to right: Alghiffari Aqsa, Raymond Salas, Yara Jalajel, Jyoti Poudel, Su Wenying, Zheng Ruheng, Mariya Oborina, and Grace KetefeWith this new class of Fellows, PILnet welcomes its first participants from the Philippines; Kunming, China; and Perm, Russia. Other Fellows hail from Urumqi, China; Jakarta, Indonesia; Kathmandu, Nepal; Lagos, Nigeria; and Ramallah, Palestine. During their Fellowships, several of these lawyers will design legal projects addressing women’s rights while others will focus on disability rights or developing human rights monitoring mechanisms. In addition, this diverse group of public interest lawyers will spend eight months immersed in a curriculum that combines academic and practical training with experiential and intellectual exchange.
"The PILnet Fellowship has been growing and extending its impact for 15 years," said Ed Rekosh, executive director of PILnet."This new class of Fellows is a group of dedicated advocates who are already doing extraordinary work expanding human rights and access to justice. I know I can speak for all of the PILnet Fellows going back to the very start when I welcome these remarkable lawyers to the Fellowship and to the PILnet network."
Begun in 1998, the PILnet Fellowship has helped cement and bolster the human rights commitment of 98 lawyers from more than 30 countries, lawyers whose leadership has helped change countless lives. Continually expanding the network of Fellows is crucial to building PILnet’s capacity to promote the rule of law and human rights.
2012 PILnet Fellows:
Jakarta, Indonesia
Project: Creating a legal aid movement involving paralegals, legal clincs, and students
Lagos, Nigeria
Project: Comparative analysis of protection against domestic violence and gender based violence laws in three US states
Ramallah, Palestine
Project: Working to secure access for people with physical disabilities to a key cultural site in the West Bank
Perm, Russia
Project: Public interest protection in the provision of public services in Perm, Russia
Kathmandu, Nepal
Project: Studying human rights protections for women in rural Nepal
Davao City, The Philippines
Project: Building the capacity of local communities in monitoring human rights compliance and violations
Urumqi, China
Project: "Out of Shadow: Muslim Girls Empowerment Project in Southern Xinjiang" & "Promoting Juvenile Justice in Xinjiang, China"
Kunming, China
Project: Building a public interest lawyers newtork in China's southwestern border areas
