| North America
Organizations
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American Refugee Committee International (ARC)
Connie Kamara, International Health Programs Coordinator
Therese Gales, Public Relations Specialist
430 Oak Grove Street, Suite 204
Minneapolis, MN 55403
United States
Phone: 612-872-7060
Fax: 612-607-6499
E-mail: conniek@archq.org or thereseg@archq.org
Website: http://www.archq.org/
Internship Webpage: http://www.archq.org/employment/
The American Refugee Committee (ARC) is an international nonprofit, nonsectarian organization that has provided multisectoral humanitarian assistance and training to millions of beneficiaries for more than 20 years.
Past Intern: Sanda Ojiambo / Tali Averbuch
Dates of Internship: Summer 1996 / Summer 2004 (full-time) and Fall 2004 (part-time)
Program of Study: Public Affairs / Public Policy (Women & Public Policy) & Human Rights
Language: English
Salary: Unpaid (free parking provided)
Funding: Center on Women & Public Policy Internship Grant / Center on Women & Public Policy Internship Grant & Human Rights Program Grant
Pursuant to her interest in economic development in Kenya, Sanda prepared a series of articles on African refugees. Sanda mainly worked with the Public Relations and Development Departments on strategies to increase the visibility of and support for American Refugee Committee among local communities in Twin Cities, especially among community of color, African communities, and women's groups. She studied the local network and made public presentations about ARC. She also contributed to the ARC's quarterly newsletter with a report on the organization's maternal and child health programs.
Tali was the gender-based violence (GBV) advocacy intern officially, and worked on two major projects: a GBV legal aid toolkit/manual and a Congressional briefing on GBV. The toolkit/manual is intended to help people in the field design and implement culturally appropriate, participatory GBV services with the eventual long-term goal of providing legal information and representation for survivors, using ARC Guinea's very successful legal aid program as a model of sorts. She was responsible for gathering documents from ARC employees in the field (mostly Guinea) and researching the topic of GBV and GBV programming, as well as proofreading and putting together the text and working with publishers on format and design. The Congressional briefing was intended to provide staffers on the Hill with some information about the urgent problem of GBV in conflict-affected settings. She helped put together fact sheets on GBV in general and ARC GBV services for dissemination at the briefing, and helped locate speakers and formulate the agenda.
ARC is suggested as a prospective internship site by Marsha Freeman, senior fellow at the Humphrey School. She directs the International Women's Rights Action Watch (IWRAW), a women's human rights resource and communication center. She can be reached at mfreeman@hhh.umn.edu. Please note that students must contact Marsha prior to contacting ARC.
ARC is also suggested by Deborah Levison, associate professor at the Humphrey School. She is involved in several projects in developing countries on the interrelated topics of children's labor force work and education, child care, and women's employment. She can be reached at dlevison@hhh.umn.edu.
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Center for Democracy and Citizenship
Dennis Donovan, National Organizer for Public Achievement
Hubert H. Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota
301 19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
United States
Phone: 612-625-5543
Fax: 612-625-3513
E-mail: ddonovan@hhh.umn.edu
Website: http://www.publicwork.org/
The Center for Democracy and Citizenship develops citizenship initiatives around the concept of public work. Public work is sustained, visible, serious effort by a diverse mix of ordinary people that creates things of lasting civic or public significance.
Past Intern: Isiuwa Iyahen
Program of Study: Public Policy
Dates of Internship: Summer 2003
Language: English & French
Salary: Unpaid
Funding: Stassen Center for International Affairs Internship Grant
Isiuwa received a Stassen Grant for a summer internship project with Public Achievement (PA), an international youth civic initiative. PA draws on the talent of people in their community to shape a better world and to encourage true democratic ideals. At PA sites, participants work in teams with a coach. Young people choose public issues important to them and develop action projects that actively address that issue. The program draws on the talents and desires of ordinary people to build a better world and to create a different kind of politics. She specifically aimed to work with Somali girls on issues concerning citizenship rights and discrimination against their communities. However, team members chose to expand the team to include Guinean and Mexican students. This positive decision showed a willingness to celebrate diversity and the collective immigrant experience. She met once a week with a group of students at Abraham Lincoln High School to create strategies to tackle discrimination against immigrant communities. During the project she served as a guide and facilitator.
More detailed evaluation by Isiuwa is available at the Center on Women and Public Policy. Please contact us if you would like to read the evaluations and/or contact her about her internship.
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Center for Victims of Torture
717 East River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455
United States
Phone: 612-436-4800
Fax: 612-436-2600
E-mail: ctv@ctv.org
Website: http://www.cvt.org/
The Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) was founded in 1985 in response to community outrage over torture and its physical, social, emotional and spiritual consequences. The Center is a private, non-profit organization that aims to provide direct care and rehabilitation services to survivors of politically motivated torture and to members of their families.
Past Intern: Clarissa Jones
Dates of Internship: Summer 2000
Program of Study: Public Affairs
Salary: Unpaid
Funding: Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship
Clarissa researched different monitoring techniques used by human rights groups to expose violations by different business and labor organizations. Also, she assisted patients at the Center with filing their asylum claims, which consisted of interviewing them and writing up their statements.
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Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Refugee & Employment Services
Katie Springer
2485 Como Avenue
St. Paul, MN 55108
United States
Phone: 612-879-5238
E-mail: kspringer@lssmn.org
Website: http://www.lssmn.org/refugee.htm
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota (http://www.lssmn.org/) is an affiliate of Lutheran Immigration and Refugees Services (LIRS) (http://www.lirs.org/) which works with refugees and other uprooted people in advocacy on their behalf, supports them resettle in U.S. communities, and provides mentorship and community-based asylum projects and counseling in immigration. LIRS headquarters are located in Baltimore, MD.
Past Intern: Clarissa Jones
Dates of Internship: Summer 1999
Program of Study: Public Affairs
Salary: Unpaid
Funding: MacArthur International Internship Grant
Clarissa researched the long-term effects of sexual violence on refugee women and families who found themselves suddenly in a new environment and on the policies that are available to refugee women to protect them from further abuses.
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Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights
Intern Coordinator
650 Third Avenue South, #550
Minneapolis, MN 55402-1940
United States
Phone: 612-341-3302
Fax: 612-341-2971
E-mail: hrights@mnadvocates.org
Website: http://www.mnadvocates.org/
Internship Webpage: http://www.mnadvocates.org/Internships_Fellowships.html
Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights is the main non-governmental organization in the Midwest involved in supporting human rights and stopping the violations of those rights. In order to achieve its goals, the organization developed strong connections with national and international organizations concerned with the same issues. It has nearly 4,000 members, including more than 600 active volunteers who contribute an estimated $1.4 million annually of in-kind services.
Past Intern: Mercy Das / Christine Young / Mary Schouvieller / Teresa Jacobs / Robyn Linde
Dates of Internship: Summer 1994 / Summer 1994 / Summer 1995 / Summer 2003 / Summer 2005
Program of Study: Public Affairs / Law / Public Affairs / Public Health / Political Science
Salary: Unpaid
Funding: Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship / Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship / MacArthur International Internship Grant / Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship / Upper Midwest Human Rights Fellowship
Mercy assisted with documentation efforts related to asylum/refugee cases. She worked in particular with two projects: "Advocacy on behalf of Filipina foreign workers," and "Women seeking asylum on the basis of persecution on gender related issues."
Christine researched Mexican policies and laws on women's rights. She also worked on developing strategies to strengthen locally-based Mexican women's rights groups.
Mary prepared a study for the Beijing Conference on women.
Teresa worked did a research on the need for health services for battered immigrant and refugee women in the Twin Cities and developed a project. She interviewed informants and focus groups, reviewed case files and medical information, and drafted the reports.
Robyn worked in the Women's Human Rights Program under the supervision of Cheryl Thomas, Christine Tefft and Rose Park. She worked on the criminal justice section of the Battered Immigrant Women's Project and created webpages on ethnic minority groups and violence against women in Central and Eastern Europe. Read her fellowship report at the Human Rights Center's website.
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Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota
Erin MacDonald
1965 Ford Parkway
St. Paul, MN 55116
United States
Phone: 651-696-5516
Fax: 651-698-2405
E-mail: emcdonald@ppmns.org
Website: http://www.ppmns.org/
Internship Wabpage: http://www.ppmns.org/site/pp.asp?c=gwKTJaN0JyF&b=292630
Planned Parenthood of Minnesota/South Dakota is a non-profit organization which provides reproductive health care to women, men, teens and families. They are an affiliate of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). Their belief is that everyone should have access to quality medical care at an affordable cost. Their medical services are complemented by educational programs and advocacy for family planning and reproductive rights.
Past Intern: Natalie Elkan
Dates of Internship: Summer 2003 (May to September)
Program of Study: Public Policy (Women & Public Policy)
Salary: $13.00/hour (hired as an independent contractor, not as an intern)
Funding: None
Natalie worked as an event planner and organizer. She designed, planned, organized, and implemented event plans for Amigas en Salud: an cross-national, cross-cultural discussion on international family planning and youth sexuality education. Tips from her: "Planned Parenthood is a fantastic organization to work for. Their Global Partners Program is linked with the Neza Clinic in Mexico. If you are interested in international family planning I highly recommend getting involved with this program."
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Population Council
Judith Bruce , Program Director
New York Headquarters, International Programs Division
Gender, Family, and Development Program
One Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
New York, NY 10017
United States
Phone: 212-339-0671
Fax: 212-755-6052
E-mail: jbruce@popcouncil.org
Website: http://www.popcouncil.org/
Internship Webpage: http://www.popcouncil.org/opportunities/internships.html
The Population Council is an international, nonprofit institution that conducts research on three fronts: biomedical, social science, and public health. This research-and the information it produces-helps change the way people think about problems related to reproductive health and population growth. Their research makes a difference in people's lives. The Gender, Family, and Development (GFD) program, part of the International Program Division, explores how social, economic, and cultural factors, such as gender roles, women's and girls' non-domestic activities, and male partners' roles and responsibilities, affect individuals' reproductive and sexual health.
Language: English
Population Council is suggested as a prospective internship site by Deborah Levison, associate professor at the Humphrey School. She is involved in several projects in developing countries on the interrelated topics of children's labor force work and education, child care, and women's employment. She can be reached at dlevison@hhh.umn.edu.
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Population Reference Bureau (PRB)
1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 520
Washington, DC 20009-5728
United States
Phone: 800-877-9881 / 202-483-1100
Fax: 202-328-3937
E-mail: popref@prb.org
Website: http://www.prb.org/
Internship Webpage: click here
The Population Reference Bureau (PRB) is the leader in providing timely and objective information on US and international population trends and their implications. PRB informs policymakers, educators, the media, and concerned citizens working in the public interest around the world through a broad range of activities, including publications, information services, seminars and workshops, and technical support. They work with both public-sector and private-sector partners.
Language: English
PRB is suggested as a prospective internship site by Deborah Levison, associate professor at the Humphrey School. She is involved in several projects in developing countries on the interrelated topics of children's labor force work and education, child care, and women's employment. She can be reached at dlevison@hhh.umn.edu.
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United Nations Development Programme, Regional Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States (UNDP RBEC), Headquarters
Administrative Associate (Internships)
One United Nations Plaza, Room FF472
New York City, NY 10017
Website: http://europeandcis.undp.org/
Internship Webpage: http://www.undp.org/ohr/Interns/intern.htm (follow the instruction on this website)
UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.
Past Intern: Chune-Loong Lum
Dates of Internship: Summer 2004
Program of Study: Public Policy (Self-Designed Concentration)
Language: English & Mandrin
Salary: Unpaid
Funding: Stassen Center for International Affairs Internship Grant
Under the supervision of the Gender Focal Point, Ms. Emmanuelle Saint-Firmin, Chune-Loong was responsible for research and the development of a document on the gender issues in the RBEC region. The paper provided an analysis on how UNDP integrates gender into the Millennium Development Goals and the constraints in doing so. It also took stock of UNDP activities on gender, best practices and lessons learned. He assisted with the publication of the newsletter entitled "Gender & Change," including compilation of materials, editing and organizing.
He had to be familiarized with all the countries in the region and will get acquainted with the UNDP main thematic areas such as governance, environment, poverty eradication, HIV/AIDS and gender as well as the status of the countries with regard to the Millennium Development Goals:
- Eradicate poverty and hunger
- Achieve universal primary education
- Promote gender equality and empower women
- Reduce child maternal health
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
- Ensure environmental sustainability
- Develop a global partnership for development
In addition, He had to take stock of foundations/institutions susceptible to fund some of the Trust Fund proposals on Gender. He prepared the appropriate documentation for transmitting the proposals to the foundations and follow-up on their status.
- Specific duties and responsibilities:
- Research on gender aspects in the region and identify issues of relevance
- Consultations from different sources such as: national human development reports, RBEC CO website, existing country profiles
- Consultations with gender focal points from Country Offices as needed
- Collect and analyze proposals to be submitted to foundations and follow up
- Participation in meetings with Gender Team as well as UNIFEM
- Liaise with Regional Office in Bratislava on gender issues and regional activities.
- Identification of local foundations focusing on gender.
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United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
Roxanna Carrillo
New York Headquarters
304 E45th Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10017
United States
Phone: 212-906-6400
Fax: 212-906-6705
E-mail: roxanna.carrillo@undp.org
Website: http://www.unifem.org/
Internship Webpage: http://www.unifem.org/about/internships.php
UNIFEM promotes women's empowerment and gender equality. It works to ensure the participation of women in all levels of development planning and practice, and acts as a catalyst within the UN system, supporting efforts that link the needs and concerns of women to all critical issues on the national, regional and global agendas. UNIFEM focuses its work at the country level within the context of the United Nations Resident Coordinator System.
Language: English
Salary: Unpaid
UNIFEM (NY headquarters) is suggested as a prospective internship site by Marsha Freeman, senior fellow at the Humphrey School. She directs the International Women's Rights Action Watch (IWRAW), a women's human rights resource and communication center. She can be reached at mfreeman@hhh.umn.edu. Please note that students must contact Marsha prior to contacting Ms. Carrillo.
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United Nations Headquarters, Department of Economic & Social Affairs, Division for Advancement of Women
2 UN Plaza, DC2-12th Floor
New York, NY, 10017
United States
Fax: 212-963-3463
Website: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/
Internship Webpage: http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/examin/internsh/intern.htm
*Departments do not accept applications directly. They require the internship application processing by the Office of Human Resources Management.
Internship Coordinator
Room S-2500J, United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Fax: 212-963-3683
E-mail: OHRM_interns@un.org
According to their website, "Grounded in the vision of equality of the United Nations Charter, the Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW) advocates the improvement of the status of women of the world and the achievement of their equality with men. Aiming to ensure the participation of women as equal partners with men in all aspects of human endeavour, the Division promotes women as equal participants and beneficiaries of sustainable development, peace and security, governance and human rights. As part of its mandate, it strives to stimulate the mainstreaming of gender perspectives both within and outside the United Nations system."
Past Intern: Dr. Taimur R. Malik
Dates of Internship: June & July 2002
Program of Study: Public Health Administration
Language: English &French
Salary: Unpaid
Funding: School of Public Health, University of Minnesota Awards
Taimur's internship duties included monitoring conferences, meetings, and official sessions at the UN Headquarters, assisting UN staff in preparation of documents, preparing meeting summary notes, attending intern meetings and activities, and doing literature searches and reviews. Taimur attended the General Assembly, ECOSOC, Security Council, Trusteeship Council meetings, the High Level 2002 Substantive Session of the Economic and Social Council, Committee for Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women session, INSTRAW Trusteeship Council Meeting, and others. Taimur was even able to attend the informal and formal closed door meetings with dignitaries and delegates.
Taimur fully participated in the role and function of the United Nations. He writes, "The intern duties and accomplishments are directly dependent on the enthusiasm of the intern. This internship is very permissive, in either being engaged actively in UN function and role, or to remain totally aloof at the HQ. So, the assignments depend on the intern’s interest and qualifications/skills. The UN Secretariat is totally open to an intern. An intern can walk in any open meeting without permission and listen to the proceedings. At the UN everything depends on an intern’s interest and enthusiasm. The UN staff is in search of an interested intern, and assign duties accordingly."
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Women’s Initiative for Self Empowerment (WISE)
Wilhelmina Holder, Executive Director
Hamline Park Plaza
570 Asbury Street, Suite 110
St. Paul, MN 55104
United States
Phone: 651-646-3268
Fax: 651-646-3278
E-mail: wilhelminaholder@aol.com
Website: http://www.womenofwise.org/
Internship Webpage: http://www.womenofwise.org/index.php?src=gendocs&link=InterningVolunteering
WISE’s mission is to empower immigrant women and girls to achieve prosperity through diversity and innovative community solutions.
Past Intern: Rosa Tock / Kazuko Uwasu
Dates of Internship: Summer 2002 / Summer 2003
Program of Study: Public Policy
Language: English & Spanish / English
Salary: $1,000 per month / Unpaid
Funding: None / Center on Women & Public Policy Internship Grant, Stassen Center for International Affairs Internship Grant and George Warp Internship Grant
Rosa assisted the Executive Director and two program coordinators at WISE with the development of two resource handbooks on finance and health insurance addressed to immigrant women and girls. She wrote and edited materials related to finance and insurance and solicited sponsorship from a diversity of institutions. Among the most important of Rosa's achievements during the internship was the development of managerial, organizational and planning skills, which enhanced her ability to work independently. Because WISE has a small staff, Rosa did not work as part of a team, but rather, she got the opportunity to work with people from various ethnic backgrounds and enhance her experience in the analysis of public issues related with immigrant populations, particularly building community capacity and women’s leadership.
Kazuko assisted the Executive Director to develop a new program that supports immigrant and refugee women to engage in public policy and self-advocacy. She conducted research to identify immigrant and refugee women’s issues, and coordinated a public forum to develop advocacy agenda for immigrant and refugee women.
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Women, Law and Development International (WLDI)
1350 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 1100
Washington, DC 20036
United States
Phone: 202-463-7477
Fax: 202-463-7480
E-mail: wld@wld.org
Website: http://www.wld.org/ (under construction as of April 2005)
Women, Law and Development International (WLDI) is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization with category II consultative status to the UN Economic and Social Council. WLDI promotes women's full and equal participation in nations around the world by advancing universal respect for human rights, expanding rights education and legal literacy among women.
Past Intern: Mary Schouvieller
Dates of Internship: Summer 1995
Program of Study: Public Affairs
Salary: Unpaid
Mary assisted in summarizing country surveys of legislation on domestic violence and its effectiveness in ending violence against women.
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