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“A butterfly’s trace is not seen, a butterfly’s trace does not disappear. My soul has an effect on those I love like the trace of the butterfly. I leave a beautiful trace they do not see or feel, but it never disappears. They always remember it, and they remind me of it.” – Mahmoud Darwish
The Refugees Platform in Egypt proudly announces the launch of the Mohamed Hafez Fellowship which aims to memorialize the memory of a colleague, an exceptional comrade, and a unique human rights defender, by supporting the work that he always cared about and fought for. A dedicated leader and an exceptional human rights defender, by supporting the labour that he was committed to accomplishing, this fellowship’s first edition empowers and supports researchers and lawyers from refugee, asylum seeking, and migrant communities interested in asylum, refugee, and migrancy issues to develop specialized research and scholarship on asylum, refugee, and migration issues.
Mohamed Hafez (1984-2024)
Lawyer and human rights activist, Mohamed Hafez, was born in December in Alexandria. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at Tanta University in 2010 and began his career as an independent lawyer before joining several of Egypt’s most prominent human rights organizations. He worked at the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights in 2013, then joined the Arab Network for Human Rights Information from 2014-2023. From 2015 until now, Hafez worked as a lawyer at the Association of Freedom of Thought and Expression.
Hafez was one of the most prominent human rights defenders in Egypt, known for his dedication to social justice issues and his commitment to those facing marginalization and oppression. Hafez was an exceptional figure in the legal field, as he dedicated his life to defending political prisoners, supporting forcibly displaced people, and courageously confronting human rights violations in various courtrooms and legal battles. Hafez also fought against authoritarian repression in Egypt. He defended hundreds of young people detained for their political beliefs and human rights activism, believing that justice is a right for all regardless of obstacles. Hafez joined the Refugee Defense Movement in Alexandria and played a key role in providing legal advice and direct assistance to forcibly displaced people in precarious legal situations. He contributed to ensuring their rights were protected before the Egyptian judiciary and during their dealings with the authorities. Hafez was not just a legal representative in the court of law, he was also a prominent voice in Egyptian human rights circles who highlighted human rights issues and denounced human rights violators. He was also a member of the Egyptian Front for the Defense of Rights and Freedoms in Alexandria and the Front for the Defense of Egyptian Protestors.
Hafez’ Journey in Exile
Hafez was arrested twice: the first time in 2014 and the second time in 2019, when he was kidnapped from inside of the Alexandria Criminal Court and taken to the National Security headquarters in the Abis area where he was subjected to enforced disappearance and not allowed access to a legal representative or to contact his family. Hafez was later released without being brought before any official investigative body. Despite being released, Hafez continued to be surveilled, harassed, targeted, threatened, and prosecuted by national security forces. As a result of these repeated intimidation attempts, Hafez was forced to leave Egypt and start a new life in the Netherlands as a refugee. Exile was harsh, but it did not deter him from his commitments to human rights defense. In exile, Hafez suffered during his asylum journey and continued his work defending human rights as he sought to convey the voices of the oppressed, marginalized, and exiled to the international community, even if from a distance.
Why this fellowship?
The fellowship is not just an academic program or a professional opportunity; it is a humanitarian call to memorialize the legacy of a colleague and friend who was wholeheartedly committed to justice and dedicated to securing the rights of the marginalized and oppressed. One of my favorite quotes is ‘Hafez’ by Mahmoud Darwish: “A butterfly’s trace is not seen, a butterfly’s trace does not disappear. My soul has an effect on those I love like the trace of the butterfly. I leave a beautiful trace they do not see or feel, but it never disappears. They always remember it, and they remind me of it.” Mohamed Hafez was not just a lawyer, but he was a friend to all, a voice for the oppressed, and hope for the hopeless. He chose to shoulder the causes of the oppressed, despite the risks and challenges he faced. The fellowship commemorates his name and his humanitarian legacy that has inspired us all. Mohamed always believed that knowledge and law are the most powerful weapons against injustice. The fellowship provides an opportunity for refugee, migrant, and asylum seeking researchers to become human rights advocates and create tangible legal changes within their communities.
This fellowship honors the memory of our colleague Mohamed Hafez, who passed away on March 22nd 2024 by providing a space for human rights defenders, researchers, and lawyers who are refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Egypt who were forced by extenuating circumstances to leave their homeland after facing increased burdens and risks. This space provides technical and financial support that enables them to return to work in the field they worked in within their countries of origin to support their communities. This fellowship is a platform to highlight the legal and humanitarian challenges faced by refugees, migrants, and asylum seekers as well as a call for solidarity and collective action to find justice-oriented solutions. With every step Mohamed Hafez took, he reminded us of the value of standing up for one another. This fellowship carries his spirit and aims to build a legal and humanitarian community that promotes the values of justice and dignity. Let us join together and continue the journey Mohamed Hafez started by making this fellowship a symbol of resistance and humanity to build a more just and humane future for all.
Fellowship Information
Duration: 3 to 6 months
Deadlines and Important Dates:
Applications for the fellowship open on May 15th, with a deadline of May 31st at 11:59 PM Cairo local time.
The fellowship begins on July 1st after the fellowship committee has reviewed the applications, prepared a shortlist for interviews, and notified a selected candidate of the first iteration of the fellowship.
Fellowship Provisions:
- Nominal monthly stipend throughout the fellowship period
- Space for reflection, work, and research production
- Practical training in research, monitoring, documentation, and analysis of refugee, migrancy, and asylum issues
- Integration within the Refugee Platform community in Egypt
- Garnering experiences and building skills with established team members
- Providing the necessary research tools and methodologies to the researcher selected for the fellowship
Eligibility Criteria:
- Applicants must be refugees, asylum seekers, or migrants residing in Egypt
Academic Qualifications:
- Applicants with a degree in law, political science, humanities or related studies preferred
- Applicants with strong work experience may be considered, even if they do not have a degree.
Work Experience:
- Applicants must have a record of human rights advocacy and at least one year of practical experience in human rights, legal, research, or advocacy work.
- Applicants must have a clear and specific research proposal for the duration of the fellowship.
Research Proposal Requirements:
- Applicants must submit their research proposal of 3-5 pages, including a full research plan for 3-6 months, in the following areas of legal studies, social studies, policy papers, cultural studies, digitization in migration trajectories, and economic studies at the intersection of refugee, asylum, and migration issues in Egypt and the region.
Deadlines and Important Dates:
- Applications for the fellowship open on May 15th, with a deadline of May 31st at 11:59 PM Cairo local time.
- The fellowship begins on July 1st after the fellowship committee has reviewed the applications, prepared a shortlist for interviews, and notified a selected candidate of the first iteration of the fellowship.
How to Apply:
Please attach the following documents to your application
- CV
- A letter of intent explaining why you are interested in the fellowship and your research goals – 500 word maximum
- A 3-5 page summary of your research proposal
- Any pertinent previous work done or relevant papers written (optional).
To apply, please fill out this form:
