ACLP’s flagship fellowship program promotes and supports the public interest engagement of young professionals and community activities in the social justice sector. ACLP has developed two fellowship streams within its program, with the objective of identifying and supporting emerging and existing civil society leaders and community activities as well as prospective young professionals in law and other relevant fields, thereby advancing the cause of social justice in Ethiopia.
The organizational fellowship stream selects civil society leaders and community activists from their respective organizations based on their experience, merit and commitment to community service, to offer them on-the-job training on organizational leadership and public interest law. The organizational fellows incorporate the specifics of their trainings into their organizational structure and effect positive change within their organizations. ACLP provides technical assistance and follow-up with organizational fellows to help each of them develop a comprehensive plan to strengthen the work of their organizations.
The public interest fellowship stream engages final-year undergraduate and Master’s level law school students. These fellows are enrolled for 10-month fellowships with grassroots civil society organizations based on their demonstrated interest, commitment and merit. ACLP works with host organizations, universities and selected fellows to jointly develop their terms of reference. ACLP provides stipends, organizes trainings, and provides technical assistance and mentorship for the public interest fellows throughout their fellowship period.
ACLP is now launching a Civil Society Resource Center (CSRC) in Addis Ababa, with the objective of identifying and supporting emerging and existing CSOs and thereby helping to rebuild civil society in Ethiopia. The CSRC aims to foster the development of a vibrant civil society in Ethiopia through research, advocacy and dissemination of information for civil society actors. It will provide state-of-the-art services by offering up-to-date information, resources, and training for emerging and existing civil society leaders and community activists as well as prospective young professionals. The CSRC focuses on human rights advocacy groups and those civil society actors engaged in governance issues. The training and resource center provides much-needed support to rebuild CSOs and foster collaboration and cooperation, as well as to provide a platform for networking among like-minded civil society leaders.
The CSRC aims to aims to serve as an information hub to advance practical and technical know-how for civil society leaders and their respective organizations, helping them to develop practical skills to strengthen civil society and enhance its impact as an agent for improving governance in such areas as public policymaking, accountability, transparency, information accessibility, and development of informed public opinion.