Humanitarian Futures: Gender, Displacement, and Justice Fellowship

Women's Refugee Commission • New York, NY

10d

About The Position

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

Requirements

• 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

Nice To Haves

• 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

Responsibilities

• 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

Benefits

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

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees