Win Recognition and Travel Support for Human Rights Work: UNESCO Regional Youth Contest for Human Rights in Eastern Africa (2026)

If you are 18–35 and based in Eastern Africa, here is a chance to turn your ideas about human rights into something the world can see — and to get travel, cash prizes, publication and an audience to present to. The UNESCO Regional Youth Contest for Human Rights in Eastern Africa invites young writers, filmmakers, artists and performers to present human rights as “Everyday Essentials” through essays, poems, videos, animations or other creative art. The deadline is firm: 21 March 2026 at 23:59 EAT — a date chosen to coincide with the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and World Poetry Day. If the subject matters to you — freedom of expression, access to information and privacy, scientific progress, cultural participation, or safe water and sanitation — read on. This guide explains what the contest really offers and how to make a submission that gets noticed.

At a Glance

What This Opportunity Offers

This contest is not just about trophies or a line on your CV. At its heart, it offers visibility and the chance to bring a youth perspective on human rights into regional conversations. Winners in each creative category will receive travel to a UNESCO or partner conference in 2026 or 2027. That means your work could move from a screen or page to a stage where policymakers, academics, activists and other young creators are listening.

Publication on the UNESCO website is another real-world payoff. A well-placed essay or video on UNESCO’s platform can reach an international audience and be cited by teachers, NGOs, and media. For many young creators the exposure leads to invitations to speak, collaborate, or join networks that help transform a project into sustained action.

There is also direct financial support for high-performing submissions: $1,000 for second place and $500 for third, per category. Beyond the top three, UNESCO recognizes 4th–30th entries with certificates and publication, which still provides legitimacy and a public record of your work.

Finally, the contest welcomes a range of formats and encourages ethical use of new tools such as digital media and AI (with restrictions on fully AI-generated essays and poems). Braille and sign-language submissions are welcomed — UNESCO is asking for inclusivity, not just tokenism, so accessible entries are explicitly encouraged.

Who Should Apply

This contest is ideal for young people who can write or create with clarity and purpose. If you are a university student, recent graduate, independent artist, junior journalist, community organizer or a filmmaker with a mobile phone and a story, you should consider applying. The contest is designed to highlight voices that combine personal experience, critical thinking and creative technique.

If your work connects to one or more of UNESCO’s focus areas — freedom of expression and information, scientific progress, cultural participation, access to water and sanitation, and privacy — you have a natural fit. For example, a short documentary about a local clean-water initiative, a poem reflecting on censorship and identity, a data-driven essay about open science in your country, or an animation exploring digital privacy for youth would all be relevant.

Nationals of the 13 Member States covered by UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa are eligible. This is a regional contest intended to surface perspectives from those specific countries; international applicants outside those states will be disqualified.

If you’ve experimented with AI in drafting your piece, proceed with caution: fully AI-generated essays or poems will be excluded. However, thoughtful, transparent use of AI tools — with a short note describing which parts were assisted — is permitted. Accessibility-minded creators (Braille, sign-language, captioned video) are especially welcome.

Entry Formats and Style Notes

The contest accepts multiple formats. Essays should fall between 1500 and 2500 words, typed, titled, and submitted as PDF or MS Word files using Arial 12 with 1.5 line spacing. Poems must be typed, titled and submitted in PDF or Word; check the official form for any specific word limits for poetry and for guidance on line breaks and stanza formatting.

Video and animation entries can be submitted in English, French or Swahili; Swahili entries must include English captions. If your creative art is tactile, like a Braille piece or performance captured in video with sign-language interpretation, the organizers explicitly welcome those formats — just make sure accessibility features (captions, descriptions) are included.

On AI use: if any part of an essay or poem was generated by AI, you must add a short declaration describing what was produced by a tool and what you authored. Fully AI-generated texts are not allowed.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application

1. Treat the first paragraph like a hook and a promise. Start with a clear image, statistic or personal scene that shows why your topic matters. Then tell the reader, in a line or two, what you will demonstrate or explore. Reviewers read fast; they respond to confident clarity.

2. Choose a single strong idea and follow it. Essays that try to solve five problems in one piece often come across as scattered. Pick one angle — for example, how lack of access to sanitation shapes girls’ school attendance in a specific district — and carry that through with evidence and reflection.

3. Use specific, verifiable examples. If you mention data, cite a source or give a brief reference. If you discuss a community project, give concrete details (names, dates, locations) so your submission reads like reporting, not opinion alone.

4. For poems and short scripts, edit ruthlessly. The power of poetry is compression. Remove lines that merely restate what you’ve already said. Let images and sound carry meaning. Consider reading your poem aloud to detect awkward rhythm or clichés.

5. Make your video visually simple and narratively tight. A strong 3–5 minute video with steady audio, clear captions, and a single through-line will beat a longer, unfocused piece. Use B-roll sparingly and caption interviews. Remember the judges may view many videos; clarity helps you stand out.

6. Respect the technical rules exactly. Formatting errors — wrong font, missing title, incorrect file type — are among the easiest reasons for disqualification. Convert your final file to PDF to preserve layout. Label files clearly: Lastname_Firstname_Category.pdf.

7. If you used AI to brainstorm or to edit, be honest and precise in the AI disclosure note. Say which parts were machine-assisted and how you edited them. Reviewers value transparency; trying to conceal AI use is riskier than explaining it.

8. Ask someone outside your field for a readability check. If they can’t follow your essay’s argument or the emotional beat of your poem, simplify and sharpen. Many winning entries read like conversations — direct, vivid and human.

9. Think about accessibility. Including captions, audio descriptions, or an alternative text summary for visual artworks can boost your entry because accessibility is one of the program’s stated values.

10. Prepare a short 150–200 word summary of your entry for the form’s description box. That blurb may be used to introduce your work to judges and audiences, so write something concise and compelling.

These tips take time to apply. Start early and iterate.

Application Timeline (Work backward from 21 March 2026)

Begin at least eight weeks before the deadline. Week 8: settle on your concept and format. If you plan interviews or filming, schedule them now. Week 7–6: draft the piece. For essays, draft your argument and gather supporting sources. For videos, record footage and assemble a rough edit. Week 5–4: refine and get feedback. Share a draft with two people — one who knows the field and one who does not. Week 3: finalize technical formatting, add captions, embed references, and prepare the AI disclosure note if relevant. Week 2: convert to final file types (PDF for text, MP4 or link for video), double-check the file names, and back everything up in two places. Week 1: complete the Google Form, paste in your summary, upload files, and submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to avoid last-minute upload issues. Leaving submission to the final evening is asking for trouble: slow connections and form hiccups exist.

Required Materials and How to Prepare Them

Every submission must be uploaded via the application form. For essays and poems, you’ll need the main document (PDF or Word), a short 150–200 word summary, and any references. Ensure the document follows Arial 12, 1.5 spacing, and contains a title. If you quote materials, include citations at the end — citations do not count toward the word limit.

For videos and animations, prepare your file in a commonly used format (MP4 recommended), include English captions (if you used Swahili), and add a short synopsis and credits page. If your video is hosted on a private link (YouTube unlisted or Vimeo), ensure the judges can access it without a password and provide the link in the form. If your piece uses music or footage that is not your own, include permissions or licenses.

If you used AI tools at any stage, prepare a one-paragraph disclosure that specifies which sections or elements were AI-generated and how you edited them. For accessibility submissions (Braille, sign-language), include a short transcript or an audio/video file that allows judges to evaluate your work.

Finally, prepare a concise bio (50–100 words) and contact details to include in the form. Be honest about your nationality and age; eligibility is strict.

What Makes an Application Stand Out

Judges look for authenticity, clarity of argument, and craft. For essays, depth of insight and evidence will score points. Judges value a clear thesis, structured argument, and strong prose. For creative pieces like poems or videos, emotional truth and deliberate choices (sound, pacing, imagery) make a memorable impression.

Entries that explicitly connect a personal story to broader structural issues tend to resonate. For example, a poem reflecting on a childhood experience with water scarcity that ties to local policy failures shows both intimacy and systems thinking.

Accessibility and ethical handling of sources matter. If you interview community members, show how consent was obtained. If you borrow images or music, document permissions. Finally, entries that are carefully proofread, correctly formatted, and accompanied by clear captions or transcripts stand out because they are easy to evaluate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Fix Them)

Many applicants make avoidable errors. First, missing the deadline: submit at least two days early. Second, ignoring format rules: incorrect font or file type can justify disqualification. Always convert to PDF for text-based submissions and check recommended video formats. Third, claiming research without sources: if you cite statistics or reports, include references. Fourth, overreliance on AI: fully AI-generated essays and poems are not allowed; if you used AI, explain exactly what it did and how you modified the output. Fifth, weak opening: a muddled intro loses judges quickly. Tighten your first 200 words so the purpose is unmistakable. Sixth, poor audio or missing captions in videos: ensure clear sound and readable captions. Fix these by planning a checklist and crossing items off as you prepare.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who can enter?
A: Youth aged 18–35 who are nationals of any of the 13 Member States covered by UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa (Comoros, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rwanda, Seychelles, Tanzania, Somalia, South Sudan, Uganda).

Q: Can I submit more than one entry?
A: The official form limits entries per person to one per category; check the form’s fine print. If you have multiple, choose the strongest and most polished.

Q: Are group entries allowed?
A: The contest is primarily individual, but some categories may allow collaborative entries. Confirm via the application form and name all contributors.

Q: What languages are accepted?
A: Essays and poems: English or French. Video and animation: English, French or Swahili (Swahili entries must include English captions).

Q: Are fully AI-generated essays or poems allowed?
A: No. Fully AI-generated essays and poems will be excluded. If you used AI for parts of your work, include a note describing which parts were AI-assisted.

Q: How will winners be notified?
A: Winners are typically contacted via the email address provided in the form and announced on UNESCO platforms. Keep your contact information current and check both your inbox and UNESCO channels.

Q: What happens if I’m shortlisted?
A: Shortlisted entrants may be asked for additional documentation or to prepare a short presentation for an online or in-person session.

How to Apply / Next Steps

Ready to apply? Here’s a short checklist you can follow in the final two weeks: finalize your creative piece, proofread and format it to specs, write a concise summary and bio, prepare accessibility elements (captions, transcripts), prepare the AI disclosure if needed, and convert to the correct file types. Then open the official form and complete every required field — missing information can delay or disqualify your entry. Submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to avoid technical problems.

Ready to apply? Visit the official application form and upload your submission here: Apply now: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAXXjjYZfSYL5UXcG1K5_QtqnN_1Iuq0TlYciILpCk_ARFMQ/viewform

If you want to draft an entry and want feedback, find a peer or mentor to read your summary and a draft. Give them a specific brief: check clarity of argument, emotional impact, and technical correctness. Good luck — this is a rare platform that amplifies young voices on human rights at a regional level. Use it well, and make your work count.