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Women’s Leadership Scholarship

We are writing to you to inform you and your organization about a funding opportunity for women pursuing non-doctoral level graduate education.

The Women’s Leadership Scholarship (WLS) (formerly the Native Leadership Scholarship) program creates educational opportunities for women activists, grassroots leaders, and organizers from the Global South and/or from indigenous groups.   WLS invests in women's leadership by supporting non-doctoral graduate education in human rights, sustainable development, and public health in many places around the world.

Pre-applications for the 2007-08 academic year will be available on our website on January 1, 2007.  For more information please visit www.nativeleaders.org. Please distribute this message widely. Information about WLS is available in Spanish and French on the website.
History 

WLS has been granting scholarships since 2001. Our alumni are working around the world to improve the welfare of their communities. Prior to 2006, WLS granted scholarships to both women and men that included a limited number of awards for doctoral level education. Starting in 2006, WLS will only award scholarships to women pursuing non-doctoral level graduate education.

Goals
WLS 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. By granting scholarships to remarkable women who demonstrate effective leadership, innovative solutions, and commitment to their communities, WLS helps develop and advance local expertise and community-based, culturally appropriate solutions. WLS endorses non-traditional leaders who use imaginative methodologies and model change. Academic study, research and leadership training should be based on the scholarship recipient's present or prior experience working with her community.

Course of Study
Scholarship recipients enroll in programs of study 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. WLS is secular and does not support programs of study that promote specific religious beliefs.

Scholarships
The WLS Selection Committee awards four to eight scholarships, up to US$25,000 per academic year, for a maximum of two years. The awards help the recipients meet the costs of tuition, fees, books, educational supplies, housing, maintenance, and travel to and from the home country and the educational institution. WLS awards are paid directly to the institution in a student's account. For foreign women intending to study at U.S. universities, WLS funding for expenses other than tuition and books is subject to a 14% U.S. tax.

Location of Study

Candidates may use WLS funding for non-doctoral graduate study at accredited institutions worldwide. The WLS is committed to promoting the strengthening of research and of institutions of higher learning in the Global South. As such, WLS encourages students to study in their home country or region provided that the educational institution is accredited for higher education.

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

  1. They are committed to grassroots organizing and the needs of their communities.
  2. They have proof of a bachelor's or a higher degree.
  3. They have at least three years of work experience dealing with critical human rights concerns, or other social, educational, or health conditions negatively affecting their communities.
  4. They have been accepted 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.
  5. They can show evidence of financial need for educational support.
  6. They intend to return to their home countries to work, utilizing training and research acquired in the study program.

Deadlines
WLS pre-applications for the 2007-2008 academic year will be available Jan. 1 through March 23, 2007 on our website or by request from info@nativeleaders.org.
After the pre-application period ends, all candidates will be notified about their application status. Incomplete pre-applications will not be considered for review. Unsolicited additional documents provided by the pre-applicant will not be reviewed. Only a small group of candidates will be invited to complete a full application.

 


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