Contributing To a UN Report Through My Human Rights & Anti-Racism Remote Internship

Feb 24, 2022 • Ruby

Ruby, an Australian student working towards a Bachelor of Law with a Major in Human Rights, is an aspiring human rights barrister. Ruby joined Intern Abroad HQ’s remote Human Rights and Anti-Racism internship to improve her own advocacy and research skills. She has also been able to contribute to human rights anti-racism work. Read more about how Ruby helped contribute to the UN report, alongside human rights professionals.

How was your experience initially different to what you had imagined?

The first week of the remote internship experience was really amazing. Before starting, I thought I would be overwhelmed by the heavy task load. However, my experience could not be further from this. I was introduced to the team and asked to do some extra research on the status of Palestinian people in Israel.

My most memorable moment at the beginning of the internship was when my supervisor said that they were currently collating the data for a report they were going to submit to the UN and that she would need help with the English side of it. I was buzzing from the excitement of being able to use my language skills for such a worthwhile project! The prospect of working on these tasks is something I never thought I would be doing so young!

Considering that the internship is focused on human rights, how did you note multiculturalism being supported within placement itself?

My internship was very multicultural. The fact that my host organization for this internship consists of a diverse range of employees, each with an amazing linguistic capacity, demonstrates its cultural richness. Also, my supervisor valued my cultural views surrounding feminism and gender-based violence in Australia.

I think that through sharing and exchanging views, multiculturalism is encouraged as a means of growth and an increased understanding of gender inequality, as well as human rights on the whole.

How did your internship evolve?

At the start of the internship I was given the impression that I would be doing tasks such as writing the English newsletter for my host organization or securing potential partnerships. However, as my internship experience evolved, I was given a lot more responsibility.

At first this scared me but I felt increasingly confident and excited about the role I could play - especially in regard to submission of the UN shadow report. I felt so happy that I had the privilege of helping with such an important movement - I felt like I had such a purpose because of it!

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What advice would you give to others, considering a remote human rights internship?

Considering my own experience, I would advise others to come in with a completely open mind. Even if you are told what tasks you are doing beforehand, always know that these things are subject to change and it’s your responsibility to embrace changes and see where the experience takes you. Ask lots of questions and be willing to demonstrate your proactivity and engagement to the supervisor.

What was your favorite outcome from this internship?

My favorite experience from this internship was getting to edit a UN report alongside human rights professionals. This moment felt surreal. I vividly remember writing language suggestions and seeing these professionals integrate them into the report that was being submitted to the UN! It filled me with confidence as I knew more about the conflict, intersectionality and the work that goes into submitting one of these reports.

I have a lot more self-assurance than I had before, as this internship put me in situations outside my comfort zone. I managed to take on new challenges, build my competencies, and complete the tasks expected of me. From here, I want to continue developing my professional skill set and learn more about the struggles Palestinians face.

How can I get started?

Our step-by-step guide on how it works provides you with more information on how to get started. The process is user friendly and there are two options you can take to get the ball rolling.

If you’re unsure of which internship program is right for you, you can simply check availability to submit an enquiry which will help us to point you in the right direction. If you want to chat over the phone, you can also find our full contact information here.
If you already have an idea of what you want to do, and when you want to do it, you can submit your application. It doesn’t cost anything and won’t take more than 5 minutes. However, your formal expression of interest provides the foundation for us to help you take the next steps.

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