The Institute for the Study of Human Rights (ISHR) invites human rights graduate students to apply for an eight-week international volunteer program in the summer of 2012. The volunteer opportunities are being offered by alumni of the Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP).
Founded in 1989, HRAP is a unique and successful model of human rights capacity building providing grassroots leaders and human rights activists the tools, knowledge, access, and networks to promote the realization of human rights and strengthen their respective organizations. Participants in the program have gone on to become recognized leaders in their respective fields due to the advocacy training, networking, skills-building, and academic coursework the program provides.
Human rights graduate students are strongly encouraged to develop their own professional skills, networks, and knowledge of human rights by volunteering on-site with HRAP alumni organizations. As a volunteer, you will learn about – and contribute to – grassroots human rights advocacy and programming efforts.
ISHR’s Graduate Student Volunteer Program provides students the opportunity to develop their own professional skills, networks, and knowledge of human rights by volunteering on-site with HRAP alumni organizations.
ISHR will review all applications received by 11:59pm EDT on Friday, March 23, 2012. Interviews will be conducted during the first week of April. Two applicants will then be chosen to participate in this program. Each applicant will receive a travel grant of $1,500 from ISHR.
An information session will be held on Friday, February 24, from 1 pm to 2 pm in Room 801 at SIPA. The two students who participated in the summer volunteer program last year will speak about their experiences. Please make sure you bring your questions with you to this session.
This opportunity is available to graduate students in the Human Rights Studies Master of Arts program and Human Rights Concentrators at SIPA. Preference is given to graduate students who expect to continue their graduate studies at Columbia University in the fall of 2012. Upon their return, the students will be expected to discuss their experiences at two brown bags sponsored by ISHR in the fall of 2012.
Please do not directly contact the organizations or HRAP alumni listed below. If you have any questions, please contact Kristina Eberbach, Director, Education, at and Stephanie V. Grepo, Director, Capacity Building, at
Volunteer Options
When applying for the Graduate Student Volunteer Program, students will select one option only from the following volunteer opportunities offered by HRAP alumni.
India: Labor Rights, Women’s Rights
HRAP Alum: Renuka K R
Organization: Centre for Women’s Development and Research, Chennai, India
A graduate of the 2004 HRAP, Renuka is the Director of the Centre for Women’s Development and Research (CWDR) in India, an organization dedicated to women’s rights, especially in the workplace. The organization advocates on behalf of women domestic workers, adolescent girls, and single women.
The volunteer will work with Renuka and CWDR coordinators to develop implementation and marketing strategies for a job placement service administered by CWDR. The job placement agency is designed to ensure that employers provide quality services and meet basic labor standards and to provide women domestic workers in the informal sector with job security and benefits. The volunteer’s responsibilities will include creating a database of domestic workers starting with the 1500 women enrolled in CWDR’s domestic workers trade union, developing a system to monitor employee treatment, and creating training modules for women workers. Depending on interest, the volunteer could also have the opportunity to teach English to adolescent girls, and to train CWDR staff in computer and Internet use. Please note: Current Columbia student Kimberly Rogovin volunteered at CWDR in the summer of 2011.
India: Labor Rights
HRAP Alum: Anbu Sengo Arasi
Organization: Society for Rural Education and Development, Tamil Nadu, India
Anbu graduated from HRAP in 2008 and now works as the Project Coordinator for Society for Rural Education and Development (SRED) in Tamil Nadu, India. SRED seeks to eliminate discrimination based on caste, religion and gender to achieve a democratic society based on principles of equality and tolerance, along with sustainable development. SRED works to mobilize laborers that are vulnerable to human rights abuses, including the agricultural sector, quarry workers, brick-kiln workers along with women workers. SRED facilitates the collaboration of these workers to campaign, lobby and advocate for political action, human rights and non-discrimination. The organization also facilitates women’s income generation programs including a collective women’s organic farm.
The volunteer will work with Anbu to assist with organizational development activities. The volunteer will be responsible for documentation and reporting, updating the SRED website and writing profiles from people in the movement. This position will also encourage the volunteer to develop creative strategies for the organization’s development.
Liberia: Environmental Rights
HRAP Alum: Peter Mulbah
Organization: Skills and Agricultural Development Services, Oldest Congo Town, Monrovia, Liberia
Peter Mulbah is a HRAP 2008 graduate, and is founder and Executive Director of Skills and Agricultural Development Services (SADS), a registered NGO in Liberia. SADS works to empower local citizens through community-based actions for sustainable development, environmental protection programs, and natural resources management, while embracing the promotion of social justice, equality and respect for human rights. In the past, SADS has emphasized engagement with forest-dependent communities comprised of poor and marginalized indigenous people, with the central objective of improving their well-being through the sustainable eco-friendly use of forest resources. SADS uses community participatory engagement techniques to help rural people identify their problems and needs. This research allows SADS to implement programming and promote awareness among communities to influence policy making.
The Student Volunteer will work closely with Peter and SADS staff to contribute to the organization’s mission and programs. This will include providing technical and training support for field staff in the implementation of SADS’ Environmental Rights Awareness and Education Training Program. He or she will be responsible for building field staff’s capacity in report writing and other skills. The volunteer will also design and produce new environmental education materials to be used in rural communities and schools, and will engage local communities by conducting youth group discussions and meetings on environmental issues. Other responsibilities will include: mobilizing and training an outreach team, implementing environmental conservation outreach awareness, photo documentation, developing fundraising proposals in collaboration with SADS staff, assisting in the agro-forestry rehabilitation program and reporting on plans and implementation of the programs. The Student will be required to write and/or review, edit and submit all field team reports and publications.
Mexico: Labor Rights, Migration Rights
HRAP Alum: Alejandra Aneheita Pagaza
Organization: Project of Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ProDESC), Mexico City, Mexico
A 2005 HRAP graduate, Alejandra now serves as executive director for ProDESC, an NGO founded in 2005 by Mexican women to defend the economic, social, and cultural rights of the Mexican people. The organization’s focus areas are labor rights, migrant rights, the rights of indigenous people, women’s rights, and environmental rights.
The Student Volunteer will work closely with ProDESC staff to assist in the planning and implementation of advocacy strategies, specifically with international actors including foreign governments and international NGOs. The student volunteer will communicate directly with allies to build and maintain strong relationships and update them on ProDESC’s activities. In addition, the volunteer will aid in the documentation of cases of human rights violations and in identifying legal and extrajudicial forums in which to present cases. Testimonies from former interns can be found at www.prodesc.org.mx/acerca-de/pasantias/.
Please note: STUDENT SHOULD BE FLUENT IN SPANISH.
Sri Lanka: Legal Practice, Human Rights Advocacy
HRAP Alum: Sherine Xavier
Organization: Home for Human Rights, Jaffna, Sri Lanka
A graduate of the 1983 HRAP, Sherine is Executive Director for Home for Human Rights in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, an organization created by three lawyers in 1977 as a response to mass communal riots. HHR has one of the first legal aid clinics in Sri Lanka created specifically to support victims of the ongoing civil conflict. HHR’s mission is to prevent human rights violations in Sri Lanka based on UN covenants of Economic, Social and Cultural rights and on Civil and Political Rights. Since its foundation, HHR has expanded to include a human rights documentation unit, women’s help desk, an education program, and a medical aid and rehabilitation program. HHR has become one of Sri Lanka’s leading human rights organizations.
The Student Volunteer will have a diverse array of responsibilities, and will work directly with HHR’s program managers, executive director, project officers and lawyers. He or she will write reports and project proposals, and edit affidavits and legal documents. The volunteer will also communicate with HHR’s documentation desk about ongoing human rights violations, preparing briefing papers and producing monthly situation reports. The student will also assist with monitoring HHR’s current projects.
Uganda: Human Rights Advocacy, Democracy-Building
HRAP Alum: Evalyne Achan
Organization: Charity for Rural Development, Northern Uganda
Evalyne, an HRAP 2009 graduate, is a co-founder and board member at Charity for Rural Development (CHAFORD), an organization designed to serve communities in Northern Uganda affected by conflict through socioeconomic interventions and sustainable development. CHAFORD’s four key focus areas are HIV/AIDS, agricultural livelihood and community enterprise, democracy and good governance, and prevention of gender-based violence.
The Student Volunteer will work with the Program Office and field workers with the support of board members to promote CHAFORD’s mission. The student will manage two Village Saving and Loan Association groups to monitor their progress. The student will have a chance to further engage with the community by attending community meetings and documenting issues that arise.
