The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in collaboration with civil society partners, bar associations, and universities, has launched a Pro Bono Legal Roster aimed at strengthening access to justice for refugees, asylum-seekers, stateless persons, victims of trafficking, and other forcibly displaced individuals across the ECOWAS region.
The initiative, coordinated through the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA), seeks to bring together qualified and committed legal practitioners willing to provide pro bono legal assistance, including support for cases suitable for the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice and related national litigation.
According to the announcement, the roster will create opportunities for lawyers to represent forcibly displaced individuals, asylum-seekers and stateless persons before domestic and regional human rights mechanisms. It will also provide participants with access to mentorship, peer support, and research assistance through a Core Group and a dedicated Virtual Secretariat.
Members of the roster will also benefit from specialised trainings on international refugee law and human rights law, as well as guidance on data protection, confidentiality, and the responsible use of technology. In addition, participants will have access to legal resources, including case law databases, toolkits and guidance notes on refugee and human rights law.
The initiative is open to practising lawyers in good standing with their National Bar Associations, particularly those with experience in human rights, refugee law, migration, statelessness, gender-based violence or related fields. Legal officers, academic researchers and other non-bar qualified advisers may also apply for research roles.
However, organisers noted that inclusion on the roster does not guarantee case assignment, as allocation will depend on conflict checks, availability, and the suitability of cases.
Roster members are expected to uphold the highest professional and ethical standards, commit to providing pro bono legal services to assigned cases and participate in mandatory onboarding and refresher sessions. They are also required to collaborate with the Virtual Secretariat on case follow-up and reporting and handle client information strictly on a need-to-know basis in line with applicable data protection and confidentiality standards.
Interested lawyers, legal organisations, and related personnel are invited to submit an expression of interest by March 30, 2026, to the Virtual Secretariat hosted by the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa (IHRDA) at: ihrda@ihrda.org / rbirindwa@ihrda.org or +220 418 1096.
To express interest, please email ihrda@ihrda.org, copying rbirindwa@ihrda.org. Applications should include a brief motivation letter (maximum 1 page) indicating working languages and countries of practice, a short curriculum vitae (maximum 3 pages), and proof of bar membership or good standing where applicable.
Organisers say the initiative aims to expand access to justice and strengthen protection for forcibly displaced and stateless persons across West Africa.