The ArbitralWomen Educational Funding Committee consisting of ArbitralWomen Board members Mary Thomson, Louise Barrington and Sally el Sawah calls for nominations for its New Initiative Award.
The ArbitralWomen Board considers education to be a top priority when allocating the organisation’s resources. In 2021/2022, ArbitralWomen awarded grants to two organisations dedicated to the legal education of young women who would normally not have access to it. In 2021, Cambodian Legal Education for Women (‘CLEW’) and the Vis East Capacity Building Project (‘CBP’) received grants. Both programmes are multi-year undertakings. CLEW supports female students year-round while CBP takes place each autumn in three-year cycles coinciding with the Vis and Vis East arbitration competitions.
CLEW brings young high school graduates from the provinces of Cambodia, registers them at law school and provides English language instruction. Selected graduates then enrol in a US Business Law JD programme at the same university. Throughout their studies, the young women live together in a dorm, are provided with food, a computer, a bicycle, and a small monthly stipend. After 5 years, many graduate and go on to further education, government service or join the Cambodian Bar.
CBP sends a team of experts to jurisdictions which lack basic knowledge and infrastructure for arbitration. The team visits once a year for 10 days of intensive training and practice using the current Vis Moot problem. The students come from two or more law schools. At the end of the third year, the CBP team moves on to another jurisdiction, leaving behind three cohorts of enthusiastic grads from several law schools, who can continue the training with those who follow.
Both are established programmes brought to the attention of the ArbitralWomen Board.
ArbitralWomen calls on its members to nominate further programmes deserving of support by 31 July 2023. The New Initiative Award will be a lump sum support (i.e., for a one-time event or project, or as seed-money for a new programme) for initiatives designed to further the goals and principles espoused by ArbitralWomen. To apply for the grant, an event or programme must be nominated by two ArbitralWomen members, both in good standing for two years as of the date of the application. A nominator may, but need not, be one of the organisers of the event or programme being nominated. Each nominator should provide ArbitralWomen with a detailed letter of support. Additional requirements for eligibility include the following:
- The programme or event must further the goals of ArbitralWomen, namely the education and promotion of women in arbitration and other forms of ADR. It is not limited to events or programmes aimed exclusively at women provided the women in the programme would benefit substantially from the programme.
- Programmes must have an established track record, OR the programme organisers must have proven experience in organising and administering events like the one being proposed.
- Depending on the nature and amount of the expenses to be funded, the New Initiative Award may be delivered in one or more instalments.
- Other conditions may apply, depending on the nature of the event or programme.
Each recipient of a New Initiative Award will be required to provide a report following the guidelines provided by the Educational Funding Committee, by 31 December of the year in which the funding is provided, or within three months after the end of the programme or event, whichever is earlier. In the case of long-term programmes, a quarterly report may be required.
Applicants or Programme organisers are invited to submit their detailed application by email with ‘ArbitralWomen’s New Initiative Award 2023’ in the subject line and the two nomination letters attached, to: awards@arbitralwomen.com. This year’s deadline is 31 July 2023.