IHRP Summer Internship Report
Lawyers Committee for Human Rights
David Lisson
This summer I worked with the Lawyers Committee for Human Rights in their Washington, D.C. office. I had an excellent time working on important human rights issues with leading human rights advocates in a fascinating city.
The best aspect of the summer was the variety of projects and issues on which I worked. During the first half of the summer, I worked primarily with the organization’s legislative counsel and legislative director. I attended congressional hearings, NGO meetings and researched various policy issues as they arose. I worked on peacekeeping and security issues in Afghanistan and the Congo, attempting to create a policy framework around these issues for the organization to pursue in its advocacy efforts. The second half of my summer was primarily spent working on the organization’s report on the loss of civil rights and civil liberties post 9-11. Specifically, I helped write a chapter on government secrecy. This gave me the opportunity to research and become immersed in an issue about which I had known very little and craft part of LCHR’s major publication. Throughout the summer I also worked with the Asylum Representation program performing client intakes, writing a briefing memo on the persecutor mandatory bar to asylum and updating case files. With such varying tasks the work always remained interesting and I was able to learn about a wide variety of issues.
While the work itself was very rewarding, the organization made the experience that much more enjoyable. The atmosphere in the office was great and it was quite inspiring to work with leaders in the field. The permanent staff made me feel valued and important to the working of the office and I was encouraged to work on issues that interested me. I was given the independence to create work product that I could think of as “mine” and treated like a fellow colleague not just a temporary intern. Additionally, everybody was always willing to answer questions, give advice and talk about the workings of the non-profit world.
Washington D.C. itself was an important aspect of the experience. I got to know the workings of government intimately and develop high-level advocacy strategies. I learned how “the system” works – when to use the system to produce change and when it is necessary to go outside of it. I found it invaluable to see what motivated different people (whether they be senators, members of the administration or bureaucrats) and how a professional and respected organization worked to influence those people. Being in Washington provided a unique opportunity to see how human rights advocacy is done at this level.
It is indescribable how much I learned this summer and the fact that I was able to promote respect for human rights and push forward advocacy efforts made it a truly incredible experience.