Deadline: 13 March 2015, 5:00pm CET
The Constitution Building Processes Programme of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) is pleased to announce its 2015 essay competition on constitution building in Africa.
Applicant – criteria
- Master’s degree (in law, public policy, development studies or other related field)
- Excellent writing and analytical skills
- Demonstrated knowledge and interest in the constitutional development of his/her country of nationality or residence
The award
- Publication of your article on the ConstitutionNet site of International IDEA that supports constitution builders globally and reaches over 20,000 readers per month (www.constitutionnet.org)
- Admission to the Constitution Building in Africa summer university and conference held at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary (20-31 July 2015) – see course description here
- Funding for the course – including tuition waiver, travel grant and accommodation grant
Article – criteria
Title: to be determined by the applicant
Substance
- identify and explain a current issue of constitutional relevance
- the issue must pertain to the applicant’s country of nationality or residence
- relevant issues include but are not limited to
– ongoing negotiations on prospective constitutional reforms
– ongoing constitution drafting or review/amendment processes
– current challenges or good practices related to the implementation of the substantive provisions of the constitution
Framework
- place the issue within the domestic legal environment and societal context
- analyze it under the relevant provisions of the Constitution and/or the country’s constitutional principles and traditions
- discuss its relevance and potential implications
- draw conclusions and formulate recommendations
* The expected approach is practical and analytical, for a recent example see:
Shibil Siddiqi: Pakistan: On Massacres of Children and Constitutions
Format
- 1500 – 1800 words in English (Times New Roman 12, single-spaced)
- in the heading please indicate: name, country of nationality and residence, word count
Submission: please send the article along with a recent CV to Katalin Dobias: k.dobias@idea.int
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the Constitution Building in Africa – Essay Competition
