Starting in 2021, the International Legal Consortium (ILC) at the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids will be providing two Legal Fellowship Programs:
- The Global Legal Fellowship Program in tobacco control law and policy, and
- The African Legal Fellowship Program in tobacco control law and policy.
Both Fellowship Programs have been developed and are provided in association with The O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University. The African Legal Fellowship Program is run in partnership with Kenyatta University School of Law, Nairobi, and the ERSUMA Higher School of Magistracy, Bénin.
The 18-month, part-time programs are an exciting and unique opportunity for practicing lawyers from around the world to learn from global experts and participate in the specially developed curriculum. The Fellowships are designed to build legal capacity by creating a cohort of lawyers that will join existing tobacco control networks in their countries, in the international effort to combat the tobacco epidemic.
Recruitment of candidates for the 2021 programs is now complete.
Global Legal Fellowship Program
The Global Legal Fellowship Program began in May 2021. The 13 Fellows in the program are based in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Pakistan, Philippines, and Ukraine.
African Legal Fellowship Program
The African Legal Fellowship Program began in September 2021. The 12 Fellows in the program are based in a Benin, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zambia.
The Fellowship Programs' Unique Curriculum
The Fellowship Programs provide a unique opportunity to become experienced in law and public policy on tobacco control through a specially developed curriculum that includes:
- In-depth legal training through interactive online content, live webinars with global experts, tutorials and group works.
- Structured professional development through mentorship and observing work practices of ILC and O'Neill Institute Lawyers.
- Research projects.
- Assisting in drafting international tobacco control laws and contributing to technical assistance in defensive and proactive tobacco control litigation.
The curriculum covers:
- Evidence-based tobacco control policies;
- Legislative drafting and policy development;
- The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) and implementing guidelines;
- The tobacco industry’s role in creating a global tobacco epidemic and its continued efforts to create new generations of tobacco and nicotine users;
- Litigation to defend against industry challenges and to enforce existing tobacco control laws;
- How tobacco control integrates with the wider UN treaty system, global NCD objectives and the human rights agenda.
- The roles of the WHO, government and civil society in advancing policy change;
- Communication training for lawyers; and
- Translating research and analysis into effective policy and regulatory proposals.
All program content will initially be provided online, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specially developed virtual based curriculum. If international travel becomes appropriate and safe, Fellows will be provided with opportunities to travel to the CTFK offices in Washington DC, USA, for in-person training and mentorship.
Last updated August 25, 2021