Lester Fellowship Program

Anthony Lester QC (Lord Lester of Herne Hill). Photo by Gideon Lester

Anthony Lester Fellowships

Inaugurated in 2024, the Anthony Lester Fellowships support lawyers or law students who would like to undertake practical fieldwork in human rights and the rule of law outside of their country of residence. These fellowships enable lawyers and law students early in their careers to work on a project that helps effect practical change and are designed for those who may not otherwise have this opportunity.

More about the Fellowship

The fellowships are supported by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, the Open Society Foundation, and the Lester family.

Please email inquiries to [email protected] .

Details
- Two fellowships will be awarded each academic year.
- Fellows will receive a stipend of $25,000 for a project lasting at least three months.
- The fellowships are open to early-career lawyers or law students.
- There are no geographical restrictions on the fellowships.
- It is expected that the project will comprise full-time work for the fellows for a minimum of three months.
- The deadline to apply for the 2025–2026 academic year is January 20, 2025. Guidelines will be updated on this page when the application portal opens on November 1, 2024.
Selection Criteria
- The project has the potential to make a tangible impact in the promotion of the rule of law/human rights
- The project is fieldwork (something practical), rather than academic research
- The project is practical, manageable, and realistic
- The project should be in a country different from the applicant’s own, should be a different experience for them, and should come at a time in applicant’s career where it may make a real difference to career trajectory
- Diversity of geography and subject matter
After the Fellowship

At the end of the fellowship, fellows will be invited to give a presentation at Bard’s campus in New York’s Hudson Valley (their travel and accommodation costs will be paid). Fellows will write a short report on their project, to be published on the Human Rights Project’s website. Fellows may wish to publish their report elsewhere (crediting their support from the Anthony Lester Fellowships at Bard College). They will also have the chance to discuss their work with those who worked with Anthony Lester at the Odysseus Trust, which supported his legislative work.

Congratulations to the Inaugural Lester Fellows

The inaugural Fellowships have been awarded to Hilina Berhanu Degefa and Marian Alejandra Da Silva Parra.

Read Full Press Release

Hilina Berhanu Degefa

Hilina Berhanu Degefa has worked on the interlinking of gender and law in various international organizations and think tanks, including the UN office in Vienna and the European Institute of Peace. With an extensive repertoire of the countries she has worked and lived in across Horn and Eastern Africa, as well as Central Europe, her approach to women’s rights work is intersectional and community-oriented. Currently, Degefa is pursuing a postgraduate degree in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford. Before that, she earned an LL.M. in Law and Gender from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and an LL.B. from Addis Ababa University’s School of Law.

Hilina Berhanu Degefa

Hilina Berhanu Degefa has worked on the interlinking of gender and law in various international organizations and think tanks, including the UN office in Vienna and the European Institute of Peace. With an extensive repertoire of the countries she has worked and lived in across Horn and Eastern Africa, as well as Central Europe, her approach to women’s rights work is intersectional and community-oriented. Currently, Degefa is pursuing a postgraduate degree in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford. Before that, she earned an LL.M. in Law and Gender from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London and an LL.B. from Addis Ababa University’s School of Law.

Building on the recent opposition to lifting the ban on female genital mutilation (FGM) in The Gambia and drawing from the effective groundwork established by local grassroots activists, civil society, and advocacy groups, Degefa’s efforts will center on legal initiatives on FGM law. During this fellowship, Degefa will prepare shadow reports and conduct comprehensive legal advocacy aimed at bodies such as the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Human Rights Council.
Marian Alejandra Da Silva Parra

Marian Alejandra Da Silva Parra is an accomplished Venezuelan human rights lawyer with extensive experience in international litigation and advocacy. She graduated with honors from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and is currently pursuing an LL.M. in Human Rights Law at University College London as a Chevening Scholar. Da Silva Parra’s commitment to human rights was shaped by Venezuela’s complex humanitarian crisis. She engaged in pro bono litigation through Defiende Venezuela and the Observatory of Crimes Against Humanity, representing victims before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC). In addition to her legal practice, Da Silva Parra has trained over 200 human rights defenders worldwide and engaged in advocacy initiatives and academic research. Da Silva Parra coauthored the Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners. Her professional background and academic pursuits highlight her unwavering dedication to advancing human rights and the rule of law globally.

Marian Alejandra Da Silva Parra

Marian Alejandra Da Silva Parra is an accomplished Venezuelan human rights lawyer with extensive experience in international litigation and advocacy. She graduated with honors from Universidad Católica Andrés Bello and is currently pursuing an LL.M. in Human Rights Law at University College London as a Chevening Scholar. Da Silva Parra’s commitment to human rights was shaped by Venezuela’s complex humanitarian crisis. She engaged in pro bono litigation through Defiende Venezuela and the Observatory of Crimes Against Humanity, representing victims before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the United Nations, and the International Criminal Court (ICC). In addition to her legal practice, Da Silva Parra has trained over 200 human rights defenders worldwide and engaged in advocacy initiatives and academic research. Da Silva Parra coauthored the Handbook for the Liberation of Political Prisoners. Her professional background and academic pursuits highlight her unwavering dedication to advancing human rights and the rule of law globally.

Da Silva Parra’s project, Defiende Las Americas, is designed to honor the legacy of Anthony Lester QC by advancing human rights across the Americas. The project focuses on countries facing a deep-rooted human rights challenges, specifically Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Trinidad and Tobago. It aims to implement a comprehensive strategy that includes training on the documentation of human rights violations, and the advocacy for the protection and promotion of human rights. Defiende Las Americas will increase the capabilities of local human rights defenders through targeted training and a specialized mentoring program, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively advocate for human rights within their countries. These trainings and subsequent mentorship will lead to meticulously recorded cases of human rights abuses, which will be presented before international human rights bodies like the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the United Nations. Advocacy efforts will be tailored based on specific cases identified during the mentorship, aiming to build relationships with international bodies, embassies, and organizations to sustain global commitment to human rights.