John Ruggie Fellowship Program, Africa Intern

Accountability Counsel strives to create a world where people and our planet are prioritized over profits; powerful institutions are responsive to the needs of communities; and the global financial system respects human and environmental rights. We hold trillions of dollars in international investments accountable to human rights and environmental standards. We work alongside communities whose rights, livelihoods, and environment are under threat. Case by case, and investor by investor, we shift power to communities to build a more just financial system.

We work toward change through three programmatic approaches. Advocates in our Communities program provide grassroots legal support and assist communities to use accountability offices effectively; our Research team delivers concrete research and tools for the movement for accountability more broadly; and our Policy team advocates for accountability offices that are accessible, transparent, and fair tools for justice. 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 women and girls, are included as full participants in community-led strategies seeking accountability.

The opportunity

The John Ruggie Fellowship is inviting applications for the 2026 program for a Kenya-based business and human rights fellows.

Established by the family of the late Professor John Ruggie and Shift, the Fellowship supports talented business and human rights students and early-career practitioners seeking to advance their contribution to the field. Each year, fellows are placed withleading organizations working at the forefront of advancing respect for human rights inbusiness practice.

For 2026, the Fellowship is pleased to partner with Accountability Counsel in Kenya. Theselected fellows will support Accountability Counsel’s mission to amplify the voices ofcommunities in protecting their human rights and the environment.

About the John Ruggie Fellowship Program for Business and Human Rights

The John Ruggie Fellowship was established in 2022 by the family of the late Professor JohnRuggie and Shift, and enables talented business and human rights students to advance theircareers and contribution to the field.

It honors the life and legacy of John Ruggie, a preeminent scholar-practitioner in the field ofinternational affairs, whose work as a political scientist focused on the impact of globalization oninternational rule-making. He was, among other roles, the UN Secretary-General’s SpecialRepresentative on business and human rights, the author of the UN Guiding Principles onBusiness and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the founding chair of the nonprofit Shift dedicated toimplementing these principles. The UNGPs have become the foundation for a shared set ofexpectations regarding companies’ impacts on people, and have increasingly been integratedinto international standards, industry commitments, guidance, and national and regional lawsand policies.

Throughout his career, John was a tireless champion of both students and practitioners in thefields in which he worked. This fellowship seeks to carry forward his spirit of mentorship and opportunity.

Shift partners with select organizations across the business and human rights field to hostfellows and provide practical learning opportunities in different areas of the field.

For more information on the John Ruggie Legacy Fund and John Ruggie Fellowship, visit www.shiftproject.org/ruggie-in-memory.

2026 Fellowship Placement: Accountability Counsel

The selected fellows will accompany Accountability Counsel’s Communities program in theAfrica region to secure their environmental and human rights when negatively impacted byinternational investments.

The fellows will have the opportunity to enrich their knowledge and skills in internationalfinancial institutions and independent accountability mechanisms with the aim to addressenvironmental, social and human rights harms from international financiers that operate in Africa.

Core Responsibilities

The fellows will be integrated into Accountability Counsel’s Communities team with a focus onwork in Africa. Their core responsibilities and work will involve:

• Research, brief-writing, legal analysis;
• Communications work including blog and article writing, social media engagement, andmedia monitoring;
• Supporting workshops, capacity building, and network building activities;
• Advocacy support to community partners.

Location and Duration

• Location: Nairobi, Kenya; hybrid work environment with partial in-office time required.
• Duration: The fellowships are 3-month placement, with possibility of extension foranother additional three months.
• Time Commitment: Approximately 15 hours per week.
• Full-time employment with Accountability Counsel should not be expected at the end ofthe fellowship.

Who You Are

Successful applicants to this fellowship posting:

• Are personally committed to advancing the business and human rights agenda inkeeping with the vision of John Ruggie; and to Accountability Counsel’s mission and values and respect-based approach.
• Believe in the agency of communities around the world to protect their human rights andenvironment. And are committed to meaningfully partnering with those communities anddisrupting the systems of power, privilege, and injustice that undermine their rights andinterests.
• Are committed to centering the voices of communities in struggles for social and/or environmental justice.
• Are thoughtful relationship builders who develop rapport and trust with a high degree ofempathy, patience, and ability to work among diverse coalitions, including acrossdifferent languages and time zones inside and outside the organization.
• Are clear communicators who ask thoughtful questions, share information that othersrequire, and seek out guidance and support when necessary. They have excellentwritten, verbal, research, and analytical skills, and the ability to review and evaluatetechnical information related to international financing and related policies.
• Are deeply grounded in the Africa region. They have knowledge of the socio-political andeconomic context and civil society landscape of countries across the African continent.
• Are 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.  
• Appreciate the value of working in a healthy work environment, and take steps towardspreserving, promoting and protecting a healthy workplace and culture.

Required Qualifications

• Enrolled in or recent graduates of an undergraduate level program in law, public policy, development, economics, or related fields. Current students must be able to complete course commitments and fulfil required working hours of placement.
• Based in Nairobi, at least for the duration of the internship.
• Fluent in Kiswahili, with fluency or advanced language proficiency in English.
• Required to have excellent communication, research, writing, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong interest in business and human rights.
• Proficient in IT skills including email, G Suite, and Microsoft Office. Skills in graphicdesign and multimedia productions will be given special attention.

Assets

• Knowledge of international law or international finance institutions.
• Experience with advocacy, communications, or grassroots work.
• Skills in design or multimedia.

Compensation

• Successful fellows for the Nairobi placement will be provided with a stipend of USD$500-600 a month (depending on expenses and need).
• Reimbursement for modest costs associated with the fellowship, including transport,telecommunications, work-related 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.

About Shift

Shift is a non-profit, mission-driven organization working globally to embed respect forhuman rights into business. We leverage the UN Guiding Principles on Business and HumanRights to shape the standards, incentives and practices that are needed for a fairereconomic system in which everyone, not just the few, can thrive.

Visit shiftproject.org to find out more.

About the Placement Partner: Accountability Counsel

Accountability Counsel amplifies the voices of communities to protect their human rights andenvironment. As advocates for people harmed by internationally financed projects, we employcommunity driven and policy level strategies to access justice.

Since our founding in 2009, ourteam has partnered with communities and advocates from 50 countries to defend their rights,demand justice, and achieve historic victories. We work toward change through threeprogrammatic 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 office 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.

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.