The Commonwealth Gender and Sexuality Fellowships 2024 for Mid-Career Professionals from low and middle-income Commonwealth Countries

The Commonwealth Gender and Sexuality Fellowships 2024 are presented by the Commonwealth Secretariat as part of the Commonwealth Gender and Sexuality Initiative. Awarded yearly, these Fellowships offer access to professional development for mid–career professionals from low and middle–income Commonwealth countries in the field of gender and sexuality–based research, practice, advocacy, and policy.

The Commonwealth Gender and Sexuality Fellowships are for mid-career professionals from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries to spend a period of time at a UK host organization working in their sector for a programme of professional development.

OBJECTIVE

• Provide professionals with the opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills in their given sector, and to have catalytic effects on their workplaces.

INTENDED BENEFICIARIES

• Mid-career professionals (with five years relevant work experience) working in development-related organizations in low and middle-income Commonwealth countries.

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ELIGIBILITY CONDITIONS FOR THE COMMONWEALTH GENDER AND SEXUALITY FELLOWSHIPS 2024

To be eligible for this Fellowships, prospective fellows must:

• Be a citizen of, or have been granted refugee status by, an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Have at least five years full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant work experience, in a profession related to the subject of the fellowship programme, by the proposed start of the fellowship – voluntary work experience will not be counted towards this minimum
• Be in employment at the time of application at an organization that they will return to upon completion of the fellowship
• Provide at least two references, one of which must be from their current employer. Any applications for which references are not received by the reference closing date will be considered ineligible.
• Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award)
• Not be seeking to undertake an academic programme of research or study. Academics are eligible to apply for the scheme, but only to undertake programmes of academic management, not research or courses relevant to their research subject
•  Be available to undertake their fellowship within the full duration of the prescribed dates

MERITS OF FELLOWSHIPS

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Each Fellowship offers:

1. Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK
2. Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee
3. Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly (or pro rata) for the duration of the award at the rate of £1,944 per month or £2,397 per month for those at organizations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2021/22 levels)
4. If a Fellow reports a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC. Visit the CSC disability support statement for further information
5. Arrival allowance of up to £1,061.10 (rates quoted at 2021/22 levels), including an element for warm clothing
6. For the Gender and Sexuality programme a £1,000 travel allowance per fellow to facilitate attendance at events (administered by host organizations)
7. A maximum of £3,000 per fellow can be agreed upon by host organizations for short courses/conferences as well as travel to visit other UK organizations where this forms an integral part of the programme. Host organizations should bear in mind the restrictions set out in our guidance on claimable costs.

PROCEDURES FOR APPLICATION

Fellowship applications are currently open and will close at 16:00 BST on Wednesday 16 August 2023.

You can apply by completing our online application form. Please refer to the ‘Completing application form’ tab to access the application form.

In 2024/25, the CSC is conducting a Fellowship programme aimed at professionals whose work supports the rights, freedoms, dignity, and inclusion of communities who have been discriminated again because of gender identity or sexuality.

All Fellowships in this round will be tenable for three months from Wednesday 21 February 2024.

Application Deadline: 16 August 2023.

The Commonwealth Gender and Sexuality Fellowships 2024 for Mid-Career Professionals from low and middle-income Commonwealth Countries