Grants and fellowships

I. A. Rehman Research Grant

The I. A. Rehman Research Grant was instituted in 2020 in honour of the veteran human rights defender, journalist and former secretary-general of the Commission, the late I. A. Rehman (1930-2021). HRCP awards one grant annually to an academic, journalist, or human rights defender or professional for original research carried out in any area of human rights—civil, political, economic, social, cultural, or environmental—in Pakistan.

The grant is open to Pakistani citizens or foreign nationality holders of Pakistani heritage. All shortlisted applications are evaluated by an independent committee before the recipient is announced.

Through this grant, HRCP hopes to expand the depth and breadth of research on human rights in Pakistan. The resulting reports are published for dissemination among policymakers, human rights defenders, academics, and the media.

Application cycle 2025

The application cycle for the I. A. Rehman Research Grant for 2025 is now closed.

Previous recipients

2020: Farieha Aziz (Rethinking the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act: How Cybercrime Laws Are Weaponised Against Women)

2021: Razeshta Sethna (Truth Comes at a Price: Censorship and the Battle for an Independent Media)

2022: Usama Khawar (Fighting to Breathe: Occupational Safety and Health in Punjab’s Stone-Crushing Industry)

2023/24: Zubair Torwali (Internal Colonization in Pakistan: The Impact on Cultural Rights)

2025: Syeda Armeen Nasim

Fakhruddin G Ebrahim Fellowship

In 2023, HRCP instituted a fellowship in memory of the late Justice Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim (1928–2020), an eminent jurist and founding member of the organization. Sponsored by the Ebrahim family, the fellowship is an annual competitive grant awarded to human rights defenders and practitioners to support the development of an independent project aligned with HRCP’s vision and mission.

Application cycle 2025

The application cycle for the Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim Fellowship for 2025 is now closed.

Previous recipients

2023/24: Azwar Shakeel (Perilous Passage: Human Smuggling in Pakistan)