Action Burkinabè de Fundraising

The Washington College of Law (WCL) announces its Human Rights Essay Award, an annual competition sponsored by the Academy to stimulate the production of academic work on international human rights law.

The winning essays - in English and Spanish - will be published in The American University International Law Review (AUILR). The AUILR is a leading journal of academically relevant material, receiving approximately 1,500 submissions each year and publishing a wide range of legal scholarship from leading professors, judges, practicing attorneys and legal thinkers.

Eligibility criteria

Speakers:

• This prize is open to all lawyers worldwide, whatever their nationality!
• ONLY entrants who hold a Juris Doctor (JD), Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) or equivalent degree by the submission deadline are eligible to enter the competition.
• Must have proven experience or interest in international human rights law.
• Have the opportunity to choose any topic related to the 2023 theme: "Equality and human rights: confronting racial discrimination".
• Remember that the essay must be an academic paper with appropriate citations.

Rules

The Academy of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at American University Washington College of Law is proud to invite submissions for the Human Rights Essay Award (HREA). Recipients will be chosen according to the following rules:

• Candidates for the prize must hold a law degree and have experience or a demonstrated interest in international human rights law.
• Previous winners are not eligible for future prizes.
• To apply for the HREA, candidates must choose a subject relating to the topic chosen by the Academy for each particular year. Candidates will have the opportunity to choose any subject related to substantive law relevant to the field. International human rights law is understood to include international humanitarian law and international criminal law. The essay must be within the scope of the topic or it will be disqualified.
• Applicants must submit an unpublished legal essay in English or Spanish written solely by that person. Essays written by two or more people will not be accepted!
• Only one submission will be accepted per candidate in either language, English or Spanish. If more than one essay is received, it will be up to the candidate to decide which essay to submit officially. If the candidate does not indicate a preference, the first essay received by the Academy will be the one considered for the prize.
• Essays must not exceed 35 pages, including footnotes.
  • For the body of the essay, candidates must use Times New Roman font, 12 point, double-spaced.
  • For essay footnotes, candidates should use Times New Roman, 10 point, single-spaced font. If you have any questions about the appropriate use of footnotes, please consult "The Uniform System of Citation: The Bluebook".
  • Character spacing should be set to normal with margins of 1 inch (2.54 cm) all around.
  • All tests must be on letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 inches/21.59 x 27.94 cm). Do not use any other size!
  • Any essay that does not follow the guidelines will be reformatted and 5 points will be deducted from the final score. If the essay is longer than 35 pages, it will be automatically disqualified.
• The essay must be a legal document and must contain thorough research and legal analysis; therefore, it will include substantial footnotes and citations. The absence of these will result in the disqualification of the essay.
• Candidates/authors must not include their names or any identifying information in their essays.
• Essays will only be accepted in Word format.
• In addition, each applicant must also include a curriculum vitae (CV)/CV of no more than three pages explaining their experience or interest in human rights issues. Please submit the CV as a separate file from your essay.
• Any attachment other than a CV will not be accepted. Do not include a bibliography, list of websites or any other additional material. These will be immediately rejected and not taken into account.
• Essays must be submitted using the online submission form. Entries sent by e-mail will not be accepted!
• The Academy will confirm receipt of all submitted essays by email. If you do not receive a confirmation within 48 working hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) of sending a submission, please contact us to ensure they have received it.
• Essays must be received before the deadlines. Essays received after the deadline will not be accepted.
• The honorary jury that selects the winners is made up of professionals with recognised expertise in international human rights law.
• A pre-selection committee will examine all the accepted, valid and non-disqualified essays and select the last three in each language, which will then be examined by the honorary jury.
• The winners will also be informed by e-mail. The decision of the Honorary Jury will be final and without appeal.
• The Academy will award six prizes, three for each language, as follows:
  • Essays in English :
    • Prize for best essay in English.
    • Honourable mention for the second best essay in English.
    • Honourable mention for the third best essay in English.
  • Essays in Spanish :
    • Prize for best essay in Spanish.
    • Honourable mention for the second best essay in Spanish.
    • Honourable mention for the third best essay in Spanish.
• Winners will receive a certificate accrediting them as such, which may be given to any organization or educational institution if the recipient deems it important. The prize will be publication of the essays in The American University International Law Review (AUILR) * if publication standards are met.
• Essays shortlisted for the prize will be scrutinised for plagiarism and may be disqualified if evidence of plagiarism is found.
• Authors must keep copies of all their source documents; this means having photocopies of all pages used from a particular source. These documents may be requested at any time at the discretion of the Academy.
• The Academy reserves the right not to award the prize to any of the candidates if the essays submitted do not meet the minimum requirements.
• Essays submitted will be the property of the American University Washington College of Law, Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. The Academy reserves the right to publish them in the Proceedings of the Academy in print or electronic form, or other media, and to disseminate them as deemed appropriate. In the event that the essay is not published within a reasonable period of time, it will be returned to the author upon request.
• If a situation arises that is not covered by these terms and conditions, the Academy will resolve it at its own discretion and will inform candidates accordingly.
• Application for the prize presupposes acceptance of the conditions described here.

For more information, please visit Washington College of Law.