Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition for Law Students Worldwide 2018

Application Deadline: 23rd April 2018
Timeline:

• Release of hypothetical case to be argued: 20 December 2017
• Request for clarification of facts: Submit by 12 February 2018
• Response to requests for clarification of facts: Publicised by 26 February 2018
• Announcement of the 50 qualifying teams: 30 April 2018
• Confirmation of travel details: 2 July 2018

Eligible Countries: All

To be taken at (country): Palais des Nations, in Geneva, Switzerland

About the Award:  The Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition is an international human rights law moot court competition.
Participation in the Competition is open to students from all universities in the world. The Competition involves a written phase after which teams are selected for the oral phase. Teams argue a hypothetical case on issues of international human rights law, as if they were before a hypothetical world Human Rights Court, on the basis of the International Bill of Human Rights and other applicable (such as regional) human rights instruments.
The 2018 Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition will include a one-day event, designed to expose students to the work of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as the Human Rights Council. This will involve personal interaction with senior staff members of both institutions who are involved key activities and processes. This practical exercise promises to be an eye –opening and personally enriching series of encounters which will add value to what many World Moot participants have already described as the highlight of their university studies.

Offered Since: 2009

Type: Contest

Eligibility: 

• The Competition is open to both undergraduate and master’s degree law students.
• A team of two students from each university – preferably one woman and one man – is invited to participate.

Selection Process: 

• In the preliminary rounds the students submit heads of argument for a hypothetical case, which are assessed by a panel of experts.
• The best 10 teams from each UN region are then invited to participate in the pre-final and final rounds of the Competition in Geneva. Here, teams have to argue the two sides of the hypothetical case, the Applicant and the Respondent, before a ‘bench’ of human rights experts.
• The two best teams proceed to the final round, which is presided over by judges from international courts and tribunals. The Competition will be held in English and French.

Value of Contest: 

• No registration fees are charged
• However, participants must cover all their own costs (air tickets, accommodation, meals and medical insurance).
• As participants have to cover all their costs, they are encouraged to begin fundraising as soon as possible. Donors may include embassies, the UN and EU, bar associations and law firms, corporate donors and their own universities.

Duration of Contest: 15 to 20 July 2018

How to Apply: Apply here
It is important to go through the Contest Guidelines and Application requirements before applying.

Visit Contest Webpage for details

Award Provider: The Nelson Mandela World Human Rights Moot Court Competition is presented by the Center for Human Rights, based at the University of Pretoria, in partnership with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva Switzerland.