Call for Volunteers- Children’s Right to Water and Sanitation in the African Context
Deadline: Monday, 26 October 2026, noon / 12:00 pm (UK time).
Oxford Pro Bono Publico (OPBP) invites applications from 8–10 research volunteers to participate in a legal research project entitled “Children’s Right to Water and Sanitation in the African Context: Legal Obligations, Standards, and State Responsibilities”.
Commissioned by a leading African human rights organisation, the research may support future advocacy initiatives, legal analysis, publications, and broader engagement with regional human rights mechanisms concerning children’s socio-economic rights in Africa. This is particularly within the context of the African Union’s theme for the year: “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to achieve the Goals of Agenda 2063”.
Volunteers will contribute to the preparation of two substantive reports:
- International & Regional Law (First Report – to be completed around December 2026)
- Domestic law: The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, and Uganda (Second Report – to be completed around March 2027)
The research entails an estimated commitment of approximately 12-20 hours, depending on the number of volunteers. This opportunity is particularly suited to students seeking experience in academically rigorous research with tangible real-world impact.
We are accepting applications for volunteers for both reports. Applicants may apply to work on only one of the reports, but applicants to contribute to BOTH will be preferred.
Eligibility criteria
Research volunteers must be registered students at the University of Oxford.
Knowledge or academic background in one or more of the following is desirable:
- International Human Rights Law: UN Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights; Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
- African Regional Human Rights Systems: African Union bodies; Africa Charter, Court, and Commission; ECOWAS Court; East African Court of Justice
- Children’s Rights, specifically the UNCRC, and the African Charter and Committee on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
- Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- Comparative Legal Research
- Public International Law
- Knowledge of the law of the jurisdictions listed for the Second Report (working knowledge of French language necessary for Ghana and Morocco)
How to apply
To apply, please send your CV (max. 2 pages) to opbp@law.ox.ac.uk by Monday, 26 October 2026, noon / 12:00 pm (UK time).
In your covering email, please highlight any specific knowledge or experience you have in the above topic and indicating any expertise or preference in the subject matter area(s).
Do get in touch with us if you have any further queries regarding the project on opbp@law.ox.ac.uk