OHCHR Humanitarian Funds Fellowship 2026-2027: Fully Funded UN Fellowship in Geneva

If you work in human rights and have spent at least two years supporting survivors of torture or contemporary forms of slavery, read this carefully.

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is offering two fully funded fellowship positions based in Geneva, Switzerland. The stipend, return flights, and health insurance are all covered. The work is substantive and the experience is the kind that genuinely moves a human rights career forward in ways that are very difficult to replicate elsewhere.

Here is everything you need to know.

What Is the OHCHR and What Are the Humanitarian Funds?

OHCHR is the United Nations Secretariat's principal office for promoting and protecting human rights globally. Within OHCHR, two funds operate with a very specific purpose.

The OHCHR manages two humanitarian funds: the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture and the UN Voluntary Trust Fund on Contemporary Forms of Slavery. These funds manage and evaluate grants for civil society organisations worldwide that provide direct support to survivors.

In practice, this means these funds support organisations on the ground in dozens of countries, rehabilitation centres for torture survivors, legal aid for trafficking victims, communities affected by forced labour, and groups documenting abuses that would otherwise go unrecorded.

The fellowship places you at the centre of that work, inside the UN system, for a full year.

Two Positions, Two Start Dates

This call for applications is for two fellowship positions assigned to the Humanitarian Funds Secretariat within the United Nations Human Rights Office, based in Geneva, Switzerland. The two fellowship positions will be offered respectively from 01 August 2026 to 31 July 2027 and from 01 January 2027 to 31 December 2027, with a probationary period of two months. An extension of up to one additional year may be possible pending availability of funds.

You can apply for one position or both. You must clearly confirm your availability for the relevant period in your application form. The fellowship is not remote and not part-time. If you cannot commit to the full duration of either period, this opportunity is not the right fit for you right now.

What Is Fully Funded? The Honest Breakdown

This fellowship is described as fully funded, and it is worth being precise about what that means in practice before you plan your move to Geneva.

The selected candidates will be entitled to a monthly stipend that will cover basic living expenses in Geneva, as well as a return ticket from and to the country of residence and basic health insurance.

Breaking that down clearly:

• Monthly stipend paid in Swiss Francs at the UN Training and Fellowship rate, covering accommodation and daily living costs
• Return economy-class airfare between your country of residence and Geneva at the start and end of the fellowship
• Basic health insurance for the full duration of the fellowship period

One thing to be clear about upfront: Geneva is one of the most expensive cities in Europe. The stipend is structured to cover basic and modest living expenses, not a comfortable lifestyle. Fellows who go in with realistic expectations do well. Fellows who expect the stipend to stretch beyond essentials tend to find it difficult.

Please note that this is not a regular employment position within the United Nations Human Rights Office and it does not lead to employment rights and entitlements beyond the terms of the fellowship.

This is a fellowship, not a job offer. It will not automatically convert to a UN staff position at the end. What it does give you is a year of direct, hands-on UN experience at the centre of global human rights efforts, and the professional credibility and network that come with it.

What You Will Actually Do Day to Day

This is not an administrative fellowship. The work is substantive and the responsibilities are real from early on.

Fellows contribute to the work of the Humanitarian Funds through a range of tasks including evaluating and analysing grant applications from civil society organisations, liaising with applicants and providing technical guidance where needed, conducting research and contextual analysis on developments related to torture and contemporary slavery, reviewing and compiling best practices and lessons learned from funded projects, supporting outreach and communications activities including website updates, promotional materials, and impact stories, and assisting in the organisation of annual Board of Trustees sessions and public policy discussions.

You will be evaluating real grant applications from organisations working directly with survivors. You will be conducting research that feeds into UN policy processes. You will be engaging with the governance structure of two international funds that together support civil society organisations across dozens of countries.

The experience spans grant management, human rights research, institutional communications, event coordination, and direct engagement with the UN human rights machinery. That combination is genuinely difficult to build anywhere else at this stage of a career.

Who Is Eligible: 

At least two years of experience in human rights issues related to contemporary forms of slavery and/or torture is required. Experience in providing support to survivors of contemporary forms of slavery and/or torture is required. Experience in project management is desirable. A working level of spoken and written English is required. Fluency in French or Spanish is desirable. Knowledge of another United Nations language including Arabic, Chinese, or Russian is also desirable.

Before you spend time on the application, check yourself honestly against this list:

• You have at least two years of professional experience in human rights related to torture and/or contemporary forms of slavery, this is a hard requirement, not a preference
• You have direct experience supporting survivors of these violations, not just research or academic study, but practical work with affected people and communities
• You can write reports, draft professional communications, and hold professional meetings in English comfortably
• You are fully available for either the August 2026 or January 2027 start date for the entire 12-month period
• Knowledge of the United Nations system is desirable.

French or Spanish fluency is a real advantage in Geneva's working environment. If you have it, make it visible in your application.

Qualified candidates working with organisations which received or receive funding from the Humanitarian Funds, as well as survivors of slavery or torture, are strongly encouraged to apply. 

If you have lived experience of torture or contemporary slavery and now work to support others, you are explicitly and specifically encouraged to apply, the program was designed with you in mind.

How to Apply: Step by Step

The process is direct but has specific requirements. Every element must be present for your application to be complete.

You will need to prepare and send the following by email to ohchr-unvfvt@un.org before April 15, 2026:

• The completed and signed official application form, downloaded from the OHCHR website
• Your curriculum vitae, maximum two pages, no exceptions

Interested candidates should send their complete application by email to ohchr-unvfvt@un.org not later than 15 April 2026. Only successful applicants will receive a reply. Shortlisted candidates may be contacted for a written exam and an interview following application.

Because only successful candidates receive a reply, do not wait for a confirmation email after you submit. Once your email is sent with all required documents attached, your application is in.

A few things that genuinely matter for your application:

• Be specific about your experience with survivors of torture or slavery. Generic human rights experience described broadly is far less compelling than concrete, specific work described clearly
• If your organisation has received or currently receives funding from either Humanitarian Fund, say so clearly. It is an explicit advantage
• Confirm your period of availability directly in the form. Ambiguity on this point creates problems
• Keep your CV within two pages. Going over signals poor attention to detail in a role that requires exactly that

Why This Fellowship Matters for Where You Want to Go

This fellowship offers human rights professionals the opportunity to gain direct exposure to the UN human rights system, build expertise in grant evaluation and humanitarian funding mechanisms, strengthen research, policy, and programme management skills, and work on initiatives that directly support survivors of serious human rights violations.

International NGO roles, treaty body positions, UN agency opportunities, and diplomatic and policy functions all become significantly more accessible after the kind of institutional exposure this fellowship provides.

Beyond career outcomes, there is the work itself. You will spend a year directly contributing to efforts that support survivors of some of the most serious human rights violations happening in the world right now. The work has real consequences for real people. That matters too.

The Essentials Before You Close This Page

• Host: OHCHR, United Nations Human Rights Office
• Location: Geneva, Switzerland
• Number of positions: Two
• Period 1: 01 August 2026 to 31 July 2027
• Period 2: 01 January 2027 to 31 December 2027
• Funding: Monthly stipend, return economy airfare, basic health insurance
• Experience required: Minimum two years in human rights related to torture and/or contemporary slavery
• Language required: Working-level English
• Application deadline: 15 April 2026
• Apply by email to: ohchr-unvfvt@un.org

Thinking About a Career in International Human Rights?

Whether you are submitting this application or building toward the UN system for a future cycle, having the right guidance makes the difference between hoping and planning.

Understanding which international fellowships align with your profile and what the UN genuinely looks for in candidates takes time to figure out. It is also not something you should have to navigate alone.

Book a free counselling session with Leap Scholar and speak to an advisor who can help you map your career goals to the right international opportunities and build a strategy that actually moves you forward.

Sources: OHCHR ,  Humanitarian Funds Fellowship Official Page | OHCHR ,  Terms of Reference 2026 (Official PDF)