Julie Cook becomes the latest Diplomacy student to be published. Congratulations, Julie!
Read Julie’s article on reviving the cap-and-trade system as a potential means to reduce corporate garbage production here: http://www.earthtimes.org/green-blogs/green-opinions/reviving-cap-trade-reduce-corporate-garbage-production-08-Apr-13/.
An amazing opportunity came for me this week that was completely unexpected. I was invited as an intern of the World Policy Institute to attend a panel event at the United Nations discussing Hate Speech and Incitement to Genocide. This two-hour event featured a panel of diverse experts ranging from the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide, Adama Dieng, to the current Ambassador of Norway to the UN, Geir Pedersen, to other practitioners in the field. The audience itself was diverse, with representation from several ambassadors, NGOs, and media groups. The discussion focused on what constitutes hate speech and how some forms of hate speech can catalyze mass violence and then turn into genocide. With views from journalists, humanitarian groups, and the United Nations staff, I was able to learn a great deal about a subject that directly corresponds with my own research interests. This opportunity showed me that this internship has and will continue to give me several advantages for advancing my career as I meet the key practitioners in the field.
I began at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) New York Resettlement Office as a volunteer ESL teacher in September 2012. I taught beginner ESL to newly arrived refugees, predominantly from Myanmar, but a few were from other countries including China, Cuba, and Iraq. I had no prior experience teaching, nor studied to be a teacher, and was the only one in the group who lacked this experience. This led me to learn on my feet-literally! I never planned on being a teacher-and this experience in a way confirmed that-but I would not trade the experience and I have some great stories from it. But this entry is not about my volunteer teaching experience, it is about my current position-Continuing Education Intern.
I started in this position at the beginning of the semester, January 2013. In this position I advise and assist clients in locating ESL, GED, and college courses closer to their home. Many of our clients live in the Bronx and even though we offer free ESL classes, in addition to other classes such as computer classes and civics and citizenship classes, the commute to Midtown Manhattan for many of them is far and expensive. There are a number of fabulous resources throughout New York City such as libraries and community colleges, that there are often a variety of options and locations closer to their home-and I help them find them.
One Billion Rising Rally in Time Square, New York, NY
One of the coolest activities I have done so far, was participating in Amnesty International USA’s rally to support the One Billion Rising movement. About 30 of us marched down the streets of Times Square, NYC decked out in AIUSA gear and armed with signs, ready to spark attention to our cause.
We gathered at the center of Times Square, chanting and dancing to stop the violence against women. The rally was led by Thenjiwe McHarris, Senior Campaigner at Amnesty International, who gave a motivating speech that caught the attention of many passer-byes. The purpose of the rally was to promote awareness about the issue of violence against women and inform people about the VAWA (Violence Against Women Act). We hoped that with this rally people would take action, especially on the 10 IAR cases of gender-based violence. This Campaign is a movement that spanned throughout many cities in the US (Washington, D.C, San Francisco, Chicago, and Atlanta) and throughout the globe.
Being a part of this campaign was a unique experience that brought to life the type of grass-root campaigning AIUSA is known for. I was able to learn more about campaigning and organizing during this experience which is valuable in my chosen career path. It was also a chance to be a part of the process to end violence against women and promote equality.
Who can say that they danced around NYC for an hour as part of their internship? I had a great time; but more importantly, as a woman, it was empowering to rise for women’s rights, something I strongly believe in.
The past two weeks were a little stressful and hectic as I planned a luncheon for a VIP
discussion about Afghanistan Beyond 2014. After finding a venue and figuring out the
other logistics for the event, I was tasked with compiling a limited guest list and then
contacting each person individually. The most incredible aspect of this responsibility was
having the opportunity to contact the heads of several Permanent UN missions and
Departments. Ultimately, we had a full guest list and attendance for the luncheon. Three
Afghan civil society leaders came to NYC for the event, and the countries having
significant involvement in Afghanistan were all represented. Additionally, the UN
Department of Political Affairs, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, UNDP,
UNICEF, and Secretariat were all represented as well. I was able to attend the
luncheon, and the discussion between these 30 policy makers and practitioners was
truly incredible. I was able to meet and network with several of those that attended, and
I also now have the opportunity to write an article for World Policy Institute about the
event. This was definitely an amazing opportunity to see people in the field finding
solutions to a very complex situation which will have great impact in the next couple
years.
Read the article Laurel published here: http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2013/02/22/afghanistan-beyond-2014
MADRE
By, Elaina Montagnino
In just the first eight hours as a Program Intern at MADRE, I have learned so much about the organization.I researched our global partners to learn how they work together with MADRE to advance individual and collective human rights around the world. I learned about the challenges faced by displaced Afro-Colombian women and children due to long-standing armed conflict, and how MADRE and its partners LIMPAL and Taller de Vida provide humanitarian aid and educate such people on their consitutional rights. I also learned how the Women Workers’ Committee meets urgent needs of marginalized neighborhoods in Guatemala, providing dental care and women’s reproductive healthcare for the community.My first task was to help complete our partner KOFAVIV’s training manual on Utilizing Humanitarian Mechanisms to Address Gender-Based Violence in Haiti. The manual promotes a human rights-based approach (as opposed to a needs-based approach) to humanitarian aid and development to ensure that the fundamental rights of every human being are recognized and protected. Furthermore it calls for civic participation of the community through mobiliziation and advocacy at the local, national, and international levels. This gave me a good insight into the tools and strategies that KOFAVIV uses to promote women’s rights and to help women participate effectively in society.
On my second day, I researched our Nicaraguan partner Wangki Tangni‘s Women Waterkeepers. I learned that indigenous peoples live on the North Atlantic coast of Nicaragua without health or sanitation infrastructure- a result of government neglect and marginaization. Despite the fact that access to clean water and sanitation was declared a funamental human right by the United Nations General Assembly in October 2010, many people still have no access to clean water, which exposes them to fatal, waterborne diseases. This assignment showed me how clean water, education, and community involvement can help ensure resources are shared equitably and sustainaby.
This is my fourth year studying International Relations and Latin American Studies at Seton Hall University. It was truly rewarding to see how the knowledge I had gained from my coursework correlates directly to the human rights issues addressed by MADRE, in turn applying my education skills to my tasks in the workplace. Between the hands-on knowledge gained from the tasks on Haiti and Nicaragua, as well as the exposure to the successes of the organization as a whole, I couldn’t be more pleased with the rewarding experience I’m already having here at MADRE.
