Humanitarian Futures: Gender, Displacement, and Justice Research Fellowship or Lasting Change

Application Deadline: February 4, 2026 

Program Overview 

The Women's Refugee Commission (WRC) invites applications for a 8-month research fellowship designed to support mid-career researchers exploring critical questions at the intersection of gender, displacement, and humanitarian systems. This program centers the leadership and knowledge of displaced women and seeks to generate research that challenges conventional humanitarian approaches and promotes inclusive, feminist alternatives. 

 Fellows will receive financial support, research guidance, and opportunities for peer learning and collaboration with WRC staff, and a cohort of fellow researchers. 

Program Duration: 8 months (March 2026 - October 2026) 

Fellowship Support Includes: 

• Research Stipend 
• Research support from WRC staff  
• Peer learning and cohort support 
• Opportunities to present findings at convenings and publish through WRC platforms 

Eligibility 

We are seeking early to mid-career women researchers who: 

• Have completed or are currently enrolled in a graduate degree (Master's or PhD) in a related field (International Studies, Political Science, Gender Studies, Public Health, Sociology, Anthropology, etc.)  and have 3-10 years of research experience 

• Have lived experience of displacement, forced migration, or statelessness. 

• Demonstrate commitment to participatory, community-centered research methodologies 

• Have experience working with or conducting research in displacement, migration, or humanitarian contexts 

• Are fluent in English 

Women are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet all listed eligibility requirements. 

Ideal candidates will also: 

• Have experience translating research into policy influence and advocacy 

• Have strong skills in writing for various audiences and stakeholders 

• Proficient in MS Office Suite and qualitative or quantitative data analysis software
  Bring a gender justice lens to their work 

Research Focus Areas 

Fellows will pursue original research on one of the following themes, or propose an alternative topic aligned with WRC's mission and priorities, or will explain their own area of research that is outside the list below. 

• Redefining Protection: How do women define safety, dignity, and autonomy in displacement—and how can these definitions reshape humanitarian protection and GBV frameworks?  

• Gender, Power, and Systems Change: What does a feminist, decolonial, and community-driven humanitarian system look like in practice? What community-built or culturally rooted approaches to humanitarian response are emerging – and how might they offer scalable alternatives to traditional humanitarian aid? 

• Reproductive Health and Bodily Autonomy: How are displaced and migrant women and girls accessing and experiencing reproductive health care in humanitarian settings, and what does true bodily autonomy look like in crisis contexts? How can humanitarian systems better support community-driven approaches to contraception, maternal health, abortion care, menstrual health, and informed decision-making?  

• Dignified and gender-inclusive self-reliance: what are the key barriers and enablers for displaced women to secure sustainable and dignified self-reliance across different displacement settings? What are best practices from policy or practice that can be replicated? 

• Rights and Justice: the impact of national laws, policies, and government practices on advancing or regressing protection, justice, and self-reliance for displaced, stateless, and migrant women 

WRC particularly welcomes research focused on displacement (including returnees), statelessness, and migration in Afghanistan/Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central America, the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Rohingya population (Bangladesh/Myanmar), Sudan, and Syria.   

Fellowship Components 

• Research 

• Design and conduct independent research on your chosen theme 

• Employ participatory, ethical, gender-sensitive research methodologies that center displaced communities 

• Produce a final research report or paper suitable for publication 

• Research Guidance (offered by WRC) 

• Technical support on research design, methodology, and analysis 

• Guidance on translating research to policy recommendations 

• Peer Learning 

• WRC-facilitated cohort meetings with fellow researchers 

• Opportunities to share work-in-progress and receive feedback 

• Collaborative learning on research methods, advocacy strategies, and humanitarian systems 

• Dissemination and Advocacy 

• Present findings at WRC convenings or public forums 

• Contribute to WRC policy briefs, reports, or advocacy materials 

• Engage with policymakers, practitioners, and humanitarian stakeholders 

Application Requirements 

Please submit the following materials by February 4th, 2026: 

  1. Statement of Interest/Cover Letter (maximum 800 words) 

Your statement of interest should include: 

Brief biography (200 words max.) 

Why you are interested in this fellowship (300 words max.) 

How this fellowship aligns with your professional goals and personal experiences (300 words max.)    

2. Research Proposal (maximum 1,500 words) 

Your proposal should include: 

Research question(s): What do you wish to explore? 

Significance: Why does this research matter? How does it advance gender justice in displacement contexts? 

Methodology:  What research methods will you use? How will you center community knowledge and ensure ethical, participatory approaches? 

If proposing an alternative research topic (not listed above), please provide clear rationale for how it advances WRC's mission.   

3. Two Writing Samples 

Please submit two examples of research or analytical writing (published or unpublished) where you are the sole or lead author. These may include: 

• Journal articles or book chapters 

• Policy briefs or reports 

• Dissertations or thesis chapters 

• Analysis or commentary pieces 

At least one writing sample should demonstrate your ability to conduct independent research. Writing samples should total no more than 50 pages combined. 

  4. CV/Resume (maximum 3 pages) 

  5. Two References 

Please provide name, title, affiliation and contact details 

Selection Criteria 

Applications will be evaluated based on: 

• Research quality and rigor: Strength of research question, methodology, and feasibility 

• Alignment with WRC mission: Connection to gender justice and displaced women's leadership 

• Participatory approach: Commitment to centering community knowledge and using ethical, participatory methods 

• Potential for impact: Likelihood that research will inform policy, practice, or humanitarian systems change 

• Writing ability: Demonstrated analytical and communication skills 

• Diversity of perspectives: Preference for applications that bring diverse lived experiences, geographic contexts, and disciplinary approaches 

Program Timeline 

February 4, 2026: Application deadline 

February 2026: Review and selection process 

Mid-March 2026: Fellows notified and onboarding begins 

March 2026: Fellowship officially begins 

April– August 2026: Research, research support, peer learning 

September – October 2026: Dissemination of findings (convenings, publications, advocacy) 

Expectations:

Fellows are expected to: 

• Conduct research in accordance with ethical standards and WRC values 

• Participate actively in monthly cohort meetings and mentorship sessions 

• Provide a research plan before beginning data collection 

• Produce a final research report or paper 

• Present findings to WRC staff and at least one external audience 

• Contribute to WRC advocacy or publications, as appropriate 

• Acknowledge WRC support in any publications or presentations resulting from fellowship research 

About the Women's Refugee Commission 

The Women's Refugee Commission (WRC) protects the rights, health, and safety of displaced and migrant women and girls, and drives systemic change to ensure humanitarian responses are more inclusive and effective. For over 35 years, WRC has been a global leader in research and advocacy that places displaced women and girls at the center of humanitarian and policy responses. 

WRC was founded on the principle of listening to women. We believe that displaced and migrant women are not only experts in their own experiences but also leaders in developing solutions to the challenges they face. Our approach includes co-designing research agendas with national women-led organizations and local researchers and supporting community-based and refugee-led groups to identify priorities, generate evidence, and drive meaningful change. 

Application Submission 

Please submit all application materials to Wednesday February 4th, 2026, 11:59 PM EST.