Asia Development Justice Fellow

Accountability Counsel amplifies the voices of communities to protect their human rights and environment. As advocates for people harmed by internationally financed projects, we employ community driven and policy level strategies to access justice. Since our founding in 2009, our team has partnered with communities and advocates from 50 countries to defend their rights, demand justice, and achieve historic victories. We are seeking a junior advocate to accompany communities in the Asia-Pacific region to secure their environmental and human rights when negatively impacted by international investments. 

We work toward change through three programmatic approaches. Our Policy Advocacy program advocates for accountability offices that are accessible, transparent, and fair tools for justice; advocates in our Communities program provide grassroots legal support and assist communities to use accountability offices effectively; and our Research team delivers concrete research and tools for the movement for accountability more broadly. Our respect-based approach underlies all that we do: internally, it guides how our team treats one another, and externally, it ensures that marginalized people, particularly Indigenous Peoples, women and girls, are included as full participants in community-led strategies seeking accountability.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Accountability Counsel is seeking applications for the position of Asia Development Justice Fellow to support its  Communities and Policy Advocacy program, which works to ensure that communities can access justice for human rights and environmental violations using accountability offices tied to international finance. 

This fellowship is suitable for young professionals with 1-4 years of work experience in international law; development and economics; public policy; environment and human rights.  The fellow does not need to be a lawyer, but must have experience working in respectful collaboration with communities.

This fellowship provides an opportunity for young professionals to enrich their knowledge and skills in international financial institutions and independent accountability mechanisms with the aim to address environmental, social and human rights harms from international financiers that operate in Asia. 

The fellow will be integrated into our Communities team with a focus on our work in Asia. They will support our existing team members in the region on all of our Asia casework and on outreach in the region to grow awareness of accountability mechanisms.

Their work will include research, brief-writing, legal analysis; communications work including blog and article writing, social media engagement, and media monitoring; facilitating workshops and capacity building activities; network-building within the region; and direct advocacy support to community partners. The fellow’s work will iterate with policy advocacy in the region, as we translate lessons learned from communities to inform policy recommendations at financial institutions. The fellow will also provide necessary research and support to complement our policy and advocacy goals for the region. 

Applicants are required to have excellent communication, research, writing, and critical thinking skills. Applicants must be fluent in English and at least one language commonly used in the Asia region.

This is a full-time one-year fellowship, beginning in June 2023. Full-time employment with Accountability Counsel should not be expected at the end of the fellowship. Ideally, this person will be located in Bangkok, Thailand but we are open to a remote fellowship model from other countries in Asia. 

FELLOWSHIP FOCUS

• Work with local communities, case partners, and team members to seek accountability and remedy for human rights and environmental abuses tied to international finance.
• Document abuses, interview stakeholders, prepare information for complaint filing, conduct legal and technical review and analysis, investment chain research and other research.
• Support communities and local partners on case-specific advocacy and policy changes at development finance institutions.
• Organize and facilitate awareness raising, capacity building activities and regional network coordination on IAMs for communities, civil society partners, and other stakeholders.
• Develop and implement strategic communication plans tailored to regional context and audiences to support communities and local partners’ goals including, writing articles, blogs, preparing press information, social media engagement, and media monitoring.

WHO YOU ARE

• Personally committed to Accountability Counsel’s mission and values and respect-based approach. You believe in the agency of communities around the world to protect their human rights and environment. You are committed to meaningfully partnering with those communities and disrupting the systems of power, privilege, and injustice that undermine their rights and interests.
• A young professional advocate for social and/or environmental justice that is committed to centering the voices of communities in those struggles. You have at least a graduate degree in a related field, such as law, development studies, international finance, economics or human rights and 1-4 years of experience in a relevant field (e.g. community organizing, human rights, environmental and social justice projects, international development, corporate accountability, communication and social media engagement). 
• Deeply grounded in the Asia region. You have knowledge of the socio-political and economic context and civil society landscape of countries in Asia, and more broadly across the Asia-Pacific region.
• A thoughtful relationship builder who develops rapport and trust across lines of difference, both internally and externally. You have a high degree of empathy, patience, and ability to work among diverse coalitions, including across different languages and timezones.
• A clear communicator. You have excellent written, verbal, research, and analytical skills, including the ability to review and evaluate technical information related to international financing and related policies. You ask thoughtful questions, share information that others require, and seek out guidance and support when necessary.
• At home in a lean, but collaborative nonprofit environment working at the cutting edge of international environmental and human rights law, with the ability to stay both focused and nimble in the face of change.
• You appreciate the value of working in a healthy environment (or workspace, whichever communicates better) and take steps towards preserving, promoting and protecting a healthy workplace.
• Fluent in a language commonly used in the Asia region, and fluency or advanced language proficiency in English.
• Proficient in IT skills including email, G Suite, and Microsoft Office. Skills in graphic design and multimedia productions will be given special attention.

HOURS AND LOCATION

This full-time fellow opportunity will begin in June 2023. In order to facilitate communication and collaboration with existing Accountability Counsel team members and regional partners, we have a preference for candidates located in Bangkok, Thailand, but we will consider candidates based elsewhere in the Asia region. This position will require close communication with Communities team members in Thailand, Indonesia, India,  the US and Africa, and regular communication with the rest of our global team. This position may offer the opportunity to travel within the region and internationally. 

COMPENSATION 

Accountability Counsel is committed to competitive, equitable, transparent, and progressive compensation and benefits for staff and consultants. This role is a fellowship, not employment. Compensation will be provided by way of stipend in the range of US$1,200-$1,500 a month (depending on experience and location). In addition, we will provide reimbursement for certain costs associated with the fellowship, including health insurance, housing support, wellness and counseling, telecommunications, security and travel, and equipment. Team members, including fellows, are encouraged to take every other Friday off (Wellness Fridays), as part of our commitment to team wellbeing.  

TO APPLY

We are no longer accepting new applications for this role.  All applications are still under consideration. Due to the volume of candidates received and size of our organization, we regret that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted regarding further steps in the application process.

Accountability Counsel is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation or other prohibited category. We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, people from disadvantaged backgrounds, and all qualified persons to apply for this position.