Fellowship : Clooney Foundation for Justice

Around the world, women and girls face injustice and violence simply because they are women.

The justice system is supposed to protect women, but all too often, courts perpetuate discrimination or remain beyond the reach of those in need.

The Clooney Foundation for Justice’s Waging Justice for Women Fellowship provides annual mentoring and training to early-career African women lawyers in order to cultivate the next generation of justice champions for women and girls in their communities.

Meet our Fellows!

Did you know

The WJW Fellowship Program is now accepting applications for its third year. Join a growing network of legal advocates working to advance gender justice across Africa.

How to apply Apply now

How It Works

The WJW Fellowship offers early-career women lawyers a yearlong, fully funded immersive work experience at one of the leading human rights organizations in Africa. The Fellowship equips fellows with the tools they need to challenge and combat human rights violations, especially those affecting women and girls, through mentoring, training and access to some of Africa’s leading human rights experts, lawyers, judges, activists and academics.

Administered annually in partnership with the Legal Empowerment Fund at the Fund for Global Human Rights, the Fellowship provides host organizations with a fully funded lawyer for a year, helping to expand their capacity to deliver access to justice for women and girls. Upon completion of their fellowship, fellows join a growing network of feminist alumnae, which facilitates ongoing support, knowledge sharing and professional growth.

WJW 2025 Fellows outside the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights in Arusha, Tanzania.

Our Impact

The WJW Fellowship has already delivered significant results, with the inaugural cohort (2023-2024) helping over a thousand women and girls advance their rights:

230 + cases related to women's rights