Human Rights Internet - International Internships 2011-2014

Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2014) include: coordinating 39 internships in five countries (South Africa Colombia Nepal Peru and the Gambia). The interns gained skills and professional experience by assisting local partners in a wide variety of efforts related to public health policy good governance democracy human rights and conflict prevention. For example: In the area of public health policy through varied assignments in South Africa interns contributed to improving access to public health services by improving the registration of patient information maintaining and adding on to certain epidemiological databases and rationalizing health care by measuring satisfaction of health care professionals. The interns also worked to improve maternal and newborn health in rural areas and health care for migrants and people with HIV/AIDS. In the area of good governance and democracy interns working with the Parliamentary Monitoring Group in South Africa helped to monitor and report on the work of parliamentary committees and other subsidiary bodies. One intern assisted the Group and the Community Law Centre with the organization of a conference on democracy and good governance. Following the conference the intern worked successfully on different projects for both organizations including additional research assignments for the Community Law Centre which allowed her to summarize submissions to parliament from rural delegates on a traditional courts bill and to work on legal education for people with disabilities. The intern also helped to compile a list of constituency offices throughout the country for the Parliamentary Monitoring Group. The joint arrangement between the Group and the Community Law Centre better matched the intern’s learning needs helping her to learn about politics the legislative authority and the role of non-government organizations in the legislative process along with the legal system. The intern was able to improv