The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in collaboration with civil society partners, bar associations, and universities, is launching a Pro Bono Legal Roster to strengthen access to justice for refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons, victims of trafficking, and other forcibly displaced individuals across the ECOWAS region.

We would like to invite qualified and committed legal practitioners to express their interest in joining this regional roster, which will provide pro bono legal assistance—including support for cases suitable for the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice and related national litigation.

Who Can Apply?

• Practicing lawyers in good standing with their National Bar Association;

• Lawyers who have experience in human rights, refugee law, migration, statelessness,

gender-based violence, or related fields.

• Lawyers interested in contributing to strategic litigation that advances the protection of

displaced and stateless persons.

• Legal Officers, academic researchers, and other non-bar qualified advisors for research

roles.

What does the Roster Offer?

• Opportunities to represent forcibly displaced individuals, asylum-seekers, and stateless

persons before domestic and regional human rights mechanisms;

• Access to mentorship, peer support, and research assistance through the Core Group and

a dedicated Virtual Secretariat;

• Participation in specialized trainings on international refugee law and human rights law,

as well as data protection, confidentiality, and the responsible use of technology.

• Access to legal resources: free access to case law databases, toolkits, and guidance notes

on refugee and human rights law.

Please note that inclusion on the roster does not guarantee case assignment; allocation will

depend on conflict checks, availability, and the suitability of the case.

Expectations of Roster Members:

• Uphold the highest professional and ethical standards;

• Commit to providing pro bono legal services to assigned cases;

• Participate in mandatory onboarding and refresher sessions;

• Collaborate with the Virtual Secretariat on case follow-up and reporting.

• Communicate promptly if you are unable to fulfill a commitment.

• Handle client information strictly on a need-to-know basis and in accordance with

applicable data protection and confidentiality standards; do not share case details outside

authorized channels.

How to Express Interest:

Lawyers, legal organisations, and related personnel (including legal officers and researchers for research-support roles) wishing to join the roster may submit an expression of interest by 30 March 2026 to the Virtual Secretariat hosted by the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) at:

📧 ihrda@ihrda.org / rbirindwa@ihrda.org 📞 +220 418 1096

To express your interest, please email ihrda@ihrda.org, copying rbirindwa@ihrda.org. Your application file should include (i) a brief motivation letter (maximum 1 page) indicating your working languages, and countries of practice; (ii) a brief CV (maximum 3 pages); and (iii) proof of bar membership/good standing (where applicable)

Additional information and application instructions will be shared following initial registration.

Together, we can expand access to justice and strengthen protection for

forcibly displaced and stateless persons across West Africa.