IHRP Summer Letters: 2008

Every summer, the International Human Rights Program (IHRP) at the U of T Faculty of Law offers students the unique opportunity to work on human rights projects "in the field."  While they are working on their internships, they write to us with an account of their exceptional experiences working with international and non-governmental organizations on a range of pressing human rights issues. Here is a selection of the letters from the summer of 2008.

Steven Hoffman World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland "My work for the World Health Organization has been rewarding, challenging and inspiring, and has proved to be one of the most valuable learning experiences of my life. The opportunity to engage in meaningful, hands-on work in an international context has brought new relevance to my academic studies." Read more >> Steven Hoffman (left) with WHO Director-General Margaret Chan

Aneesa Walji (front) with colleagues from UNHCR Aneesa Walji UNHCR Regional Office for Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam "As a resettlement intern for the urban caseload, my primary task is to interview candidates for resettlement. In the process, I confirm refugee claims and gather additional information required to complete Resettlement Registration Forms (RRFs)." Read more >>

Ben Kates Burma Lawyers Council (BLC), Mae Sot, Thailand "I have been working in the Legal Analysis section at the BLC, which means that I have joined a team of four exiled Burmese lawyers and legal professionals. Essentially, our group is mandated to analyse what is happening in Burma from a legal perspective. ... My latest tasks have involved working on a comprehensive analysis of the status of Burma from the perspective of the rule of law." Read more >> Ben Kates with children at the Mae Lai refugee camp

Kate Oja (right) with refugee during World Refugee Day events in Rabat. Kate Oja United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Protection Unit, Rabat, Morocco "Working in the Protection Unit involves a high level of direct contact on a daily basis with refugees and asylum seekers.  As an intern, my tasks include registering asylum seekers, one of the most demanding aspects of our work here at the office as it requires going over a six-page form individually with every claimant, often with significant language barriers." Read more >>

Sam Siew United Nations High Commission for Refugees, Geneva, Switzerland "A major project I am working on is formulating and drafting UNHCR's legal position paper on the US-Canada Safe Third Country Agreement, in consultation with the Division of International Protection Services and the Ottawa Branch Office. ... I find it pleasantly ironic that I am across the Atlantic, yet have never been more immersed in North American refugee and asylum law." Read more >> Sam Siew in front of the UNHCR headquarters

Laura Tausky Urban LandMark, Pretoria, South Africa "Urban LandMark has launched a new initiative to promote security of tenure and the 'right to the city.' ... My role has been to research what intermediary forms of tenure exist and how these can be incorporated into a policy that distributes security of tenure to those without access to the formal land market." Read more >>