New York, 16 November 2021 – The President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Abdulla Shahid, launched the President of the General Assembly’s Harnessing Opportunities for Promoting Empowerment of Youth Fellowship – the PGA’s Fellowship for HOPE – in New York today, with a call to Member States to nominate applicants.

With the generous support of Member States, the Fellowship will benefit eight young diplomats over the remainder of the 76th session.

Drawing primarily from underrepresented countries at the United Nations, particularly from Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the Fellowship will aim to open the doors to the inner workings of the United Nations.

“This is a flagship initiative of the Presidency of Hope – one that is particularly close to my heart. I am a firm believer in the importance of engaging with youth and enhancing the role of youth at all levels of decision making. To invest in the future of multilateralism, we need to invest in our youth and bring them closer to the work of the United Nations.” noted President Shahid in his letter to Member States.

The stint at the United Nations will be deeply immersive and include mentorship with senior diplomats and civil servants across the multilateral world. Fellows will have the opportunity to support and engage in High-Level events at the General Assembly, follow negotiation processes, and facilitate the management and execution of mandated events and initiatives. Opportunities also exist for Fellows to join the President on official travel abroad where appropriate.

Developed in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), the Fellowship will allow participants to garner a deeper understanding of the United Nations system, its organs and subsidiary bodies through training components that shall cover the full gamut of issues relevant to the world today, from climate change to COVID-19, from peace and security, to human rights and gender equality.

Fellows will be attached on a rotation basis with the teams of the Office of the President of the General Assembly (OPGA) – Peace & Security; Human Rights; Humanitarian; Sustainable Development; Reform, Legal & Budget; and Communications. Through their work in the Office of the PGA, the Fellows will gain an in-depth understanding of the workings of the United Nations system, ranging from the Secretariat to United Nations funds and programmes, specialized agencies, and other entities and bodies.

In terms of selection process, Member States have been invited to nominate one candidate for consideration. An independent expert panel, consisting of one Member State, representative of the UN System, and Civil Society Organization, will assess candidates, taking into consideration gender and regional representation.

All costs associated with relocation, housing and work will be covered by the Member State funded Fellowship Programme.

“As a small islander, I know all too well the struggles that many countries, particularly those in special situations, face when ensuring representation abroad, whether at the UN or at events such as COP26. We need to do more to build capacities where they are needed. I hope we can do our part.” said President Shahid.

The deadline for applications is 30 November, with candidates expected in New York by early January 2022.

 

Media inquiries should be submitted to:

Carl Mercer, carl.mercer@un.org