Welcome to April! Take a walk when you have a chance and observe how many flowers have already blossomed!
HRHP's last community hour this semester moves to 7-8pm, April 12th! We will let you know if we decide this one to be in person! Of course social distance will be respected. Plan accordingly!
For international students who need to apply for OPT/CPT, plan accordingly and submit the application as soon as possible. Info here.
May graduate students' internship requirements are on OCS Newsletter. Please schedule an appointment with OCS if you have questions about your internship requirements.
For students who will access campus buildings this semester, remember to do the Spring term COVID regular testing. Info here.
We wish you have a wonderful week. Feel free to contact us with any questions you have. :)
Discuss career advice, hear stories, and ask your questions to SIPA alumni working in the Conflict Resolution field.
Panelists:
Madeline Vellturo is a policy analyst with nearly seven years of experience conducting policy-oriented research on conflict dynamics in west and central Africa. Following more than four years with the Stimson Center's Protecting Civilians in Conflict Program, she now serves as the west and central Africa policy analyst with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Her research has focused on violence against civilians, atrocity prevention and ethno-religious violence, and food security and pastoralism-related conflict. She lived and worked in Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Uganda, and has conducted field research in Mali, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. Madeline received a Bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College and a Master’s degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.
José S. Vericat is a Middle East expert with more than two decades of experience working in conflict zones and active war theaters. He has led negotiations with armed non-state actors and interviewed hundreds of militants, including movement founders, senior political leaders, religious figures, military commanders and foot soldiers. Before joining the European Institute of Peace, he was the Carter Center’s Israel-Palestine Country Representative and Field Office Director promoting viable peace between Israelis and Palestinians and inter-Palestinian reconciliation. Previously, he was a Middle East advisor at the International Peace Institute (IPI) influencing policy-making at the UN headquarters, an EU official working on security sector reform in Palestine, and a prize-winning journalist covering the Second Intifada and the Iraq war. His main professional areas and academic interests are the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Gaza Strip, political Islam and the religious discourse of Islamist movements. He is a regular contributor to the peer-reviewed Journal of Palestine Studies, where in September 2020 he published the long essay “A Palestinian Statelet in Gaza”. He has a PhD in Oriental Studies from Oxford University—where he was the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Studies scholar—and an MA in International Relations from Columbia University. He speaks fluent Spanish and Arabic, and has full professional working proficiency in Hebrew.
Lidia Cano Pecharromán is currently a researcher focusing on the intersection of conflict prevention and climate disaster risk planning, as a PhD student at MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning. She is also a Legal and Policy Advisor at Climate, Law and Policy (CLP), an organization that works on climate change and natural resources management from a social and environmental safeguards perspective, providing advice to governments and international organizations. Lidia has published work on water security issues, the Rights of Nature, environmental governance and conflict prevention in the extractive sector, and the role of civil society in conflict prevention amongst others. She has also collaborated as an attorney and researcher with the UC Berkeley Center for the Law, Energy and Environment, and worked for Radon Law Offices, LSE and the Natural Resources and Governance Institute, as well as UNDESA and the UN operations and crisis center. Lidia was a visiting scholar at NYU and holds a master’s in international affairs and African studies from UAM, a master’s in international and public affairs from Columbia University, and a Law Degree from UAM, being a member of the Madrid Bar Association. Lidia is a La Caixa fellow and former Fulbright fellow.
Heidi Rosbe has spent over 15 years designing, facilitating and managing programs for crisis- and conflict-affected populations in the United States and internationally, including work for the International Rescue Committee, United Nations Development Programme, the Women's Refugee Commission, Soliya and the Arab American Association of New York. From 2010 to 2018, she served as Deputy Director for Encounter, a nonpartisan educational organization working on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and has taught peacemaking/peacebuilding as a adjunct instructor at NYU's Center for Global Affairs. She is a trained mediator and speaks some Arabic, French, and Spanish. Heidi holds an MIA degree, focused on Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Gender Policy from SIPA.
About this Event
The ECOSOC Youth Forum side-event is organized by a team of students from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) in the context of their research project: “Understanding the Strategic Role of Human Rights Education and Training (HRET) in Preventing Conflict an Sustaining Peace,” commissioned by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). This event will contribute to the understanding of HRET and its potential impact on conflict prevention and sustaining peace. The team will address this connection and showcase specific examples that will contribute to a better understanding of the role of HRET in achieving a safer global community. To illustrate the power of youth in HRET, the Youth Peace Ambassadors Network will share their experiences from the field.
The side event aims:
To introduce human rights education as an important empowering process for youth and women participation in society;
To discuss existing initiatives and programs and their assessed impact on conflict prevention and sustaining peace;
To give an overview of HRET’s success factors and challenges; and,
To underline the contribution of students/universities to United Nations Processes.
The global pandemic has affected most spheres of economic, social and political life - including at the United Nations. In 2020, discussions at the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and ECOSOC shifted to remote platforms. This high-level panel will highlight how the lack of in-person interactions between delegations affects formal and the informal discussions at the UN. Panelists include Amb. Munir Akram, President of ECOSOC, Amb. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN and 74th President of the UNGA, Amb. Amal Mudalali, Permanent Representative of Lebanon, as well as Stéphanie Fillion, International reporter on the UN.
Join us for an intimate conversation with Ana González Medina, a Culture Program Specialist from UNESCO, as she walks us through:
-Day in the life of a UNESCO employee
-Challenges of doing UNESCO work in a developing country
-What its like to work at UNESCO, how Ana developed her career there, and her career journey
We will host this like a round table discussion, with a small presentation by Ana to kick us off. We look forward to you joining us!
Register for the Zoom link, or email danielle.neftin@columbia.edu if you have any questions.
Presenter Bio:
Ana González Medina is a Culture Program Specialist at UNESCO since May 2019, responsible for the Culture Sector at the UNESCO Office in Quito and Representation for Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela. Ana completed her higher education in France. She holds a Master's degree in Comparative Politics, with specialization in Latin America, from Sciences Po Paris, and a Master's degree in Development Studies and Project Evaluation from the University of Paris 1 - Panthéon Sorbonne. She has worked in the design and evaluation of public policies in France and Chile, in the fields of culture, youth, social and urban development, and education. Prior to UNESCO, Ana worked at the Ministry of Culture of Chile (former National Council for Culture and the Arts), in the formulation of cultural policies and design of indicators on culture and development.
This year, we mark the 20th anniversary of the Durban World Conference against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance. In 2020, events in the US have sparked again a global discussion on the need to address all forms of racism the world over. Examining the norm-setting, legal, policy, and narrative-changing activities of various international organizations, the speaker series shows both successes and limitations of multilateral approaches toward combating racial discrimination and promoting social cohesion.
Migration Mini-grant:
Migration Working Group is providing a mini-grant of $200 to SIPA students wanting to undertake a project related to migration. We accept projects from individual or group applications (groups encouraged). The project must be related to migration, can be either international or US domestic-focused. See poster or follow the link for how to apply: http://cglink.me/2e9/r1053886
EngenderHealth envisions a gender-equal world where all people achieve their sexual and reproductive health and rights. We believe this is essential for ensuring all people can achieve their full potentials. To achieve this vision, we implement high-quality, gender-equitable programs that advance sexual and reproductive health and rights.
INTERNSHIP SUMMARY:
The Gender, Youth and Social Inclusion Team at EngenderHealth is looking for a qualified and motivated individual to support the development of a white paper on the intersection between girls’ education, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality initiatives. The intern is anticipated to support research, data synthesis, documentation and knowledge management tasks for the development of this white paper and serve as one of its key authors.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Work with the GYSI and the Business Development teams to conduct a scan of existing partners and donors in the girls’ education, SRHR, and gender equality global spaces.
Work with the Deputy Director of AYSRHR to jointly map a timeline and associated tasks and deadlines for the development of the paper.
In collaboration with the Deputy Director of AYSRHR, develop a white paper on the intersection between girls’ education, sexual and reproductive health and rights, and gender equality initiatives for internal and external dissemination.
Review key internal documentation related to AYSRHR programming to jointly determine with the Deputy Director of AYSRHR key strengths of current approaches and programming, challenges faced, and future opportunities to explore.
Actively participate in relevant GYSI team meetings related to the individual’s scope of work.
Support the Director of the Gender, Youth, and Social Inclusion team with discrete tasks as needed.
Other duties as assigned.
EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE & SKILLS:
Experience documenting and synthesizing technical content for a variety of audiences.
Strong English writing skills.
Demonstrate strong interest, passion, and commitment to SRHR, gender equality, girls’ education and/or working with adolescents and youth.
Exceptional interpersonal communication and teamwork skills.
Must be comfortable and respectful of EngenderHealth’s programming that promotes sexual and reproductive rights, gender equality, sexual diversity, and LGBTQ rights.
Proficiency in French a plus.
DURATION AND LOCATION OF THE INTERNSHIP:
The internship will last approximately 3 months and ideally would commence by June 2021, with an opportunity to extend dependent upon need.
The time commitment for this internship is 20 hours per week.
Information Session: The International Fellows Program
Friday, April 9 | 1:00PM - 2:00PM Zoom Link
Applications for the International Fellows Program (IFP) for the 2021-2022 academic year will open on Friday, April 9. On that day, Program Director Professor Stephen Sestanovich will host an information session, welcoming interested students to learn more about the program and how to apply. The IFP is a two-semester seminar open to students of all graduate degree programs at Columbia University and dedicated to examining the role of the United States in the world over time; the leaders, concepts, and events that have re-shaped it; and emerging debates about its future direction. Fellows receive a stipend and access to distinguished scholars and practitioners as a part of dedicated study trips and meetings.
Check more available jobs/internships/opportunities on the ALNAP website!
Contact us!
Professor Elazar Bakan, Director of the Human Rights and Humanitarian Policy Concentration, Director of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights
The global pandemic has affected most spheres of economic, social and political life - including at the United Nations. In 2020, discussions at the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and ECOSOC shifted to remote platforms. This high-level panel will highlight how the lack of in-person interactions between delegations affects formal and the informal discussions at the UN. Panelists include Amb. Munir Akram, President of ECOSOC, Amb. Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN and 74th President of the UNGA, Amb. Amal Mudalali, Permanent Representative of Lebanon, as well as Stéphanie Fillion, International reporter on the UN.
This event is being postponed. We hope to reschedule and will keep you posted once we have a new date. We apologize for any inconvenience.
Join the EPD concentration for an important discussion of how racial biases and inequalities play out in different development sectors, and how our panelists have navigated as women of color working in international development.
Discuss career advice, hear stories, and ask your questions to SIPA alumni working in the Conflict Resolution field.
Panelists: Madeline Vellturo is a policy analyst with nearly seven years of experience conducting policy-oriented research on conflict dynamics in west and central Africa. Following more than four years with the Stimson Center's Protecting Civilians in Conflict Program, she now serves as the west and central Africa policy analyst with the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Her research has focused on violence against civilians, atrocity prevention and ethno-religious violence, and food security and pastoralism-related conflict. She lived and worked in Ghana, C├┤te d'Ivoire, Kenya, and Uganda, and has conducted field research in Mali, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan. Madeline received a Bachelor's degree from Bryn Mawr College and a Master's degree from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs.
José S. Vericat is a Middle East expert with more than two decades of experience working in conflict zones and active war theaters. He has led negotiations with armed non-state actors and interviewed hundreds of militants, including movement founders, senior political leaders, religious figures, military commanders and foot soldiers. Before joining the European Institute of Peace, he was the Carter Center's Israel-Palestine Country Representative and Field Office Director promoting viable peace between Israelis and Palestinians and inter-Palestinian reconciliation. Previously, he was a Middle East advisor at the International Peace Institute (IPI) influencing policy-making at the UN headquarters, an EU official working on security sector reform in Palestine, and a prize-winning journalist covering the Second Intifada and the Iraq war. His main professional areas and academic interests are the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Gaza Strip, political Islam and the religious discourse of Islamist movements. He is a regular contributor to the peer-reviewed Journal of Palestine Studies, where in September 2020 he published the long essay "A Palestinian Statelet in Gaza". He has a PhD in Oriental Studies from Oxford University—where he was the Sheikh Zayed Islamic Studies scholar—and an MA in International Relations from Columbia University. He speaks fluent Spanish and Arabic, and has full professional working proficiency in Hebrew.
Lidia Cano Pecharromán is currently a researcher focusing on the intersection of conflict prevention and climate disaster risk planning, as a PhD student at MIT's Department of Urban Studies and Planning. She is also a Legal and Policy Advisor at Climate, Law and Policy (CLP), an organization that works on climate change and natural resources management from a social and environmental safeguards perspective, providing advice to governments and international organizations. Lidia has published work on water security issues, the Rights of Nature, environmental governance and conflict prevention in the extractive sector, and the role of civil society in conflict prevention amongst others. She has also collaborated as an attorney and researcher with the UC Berkeley Center for the Law, Energy and Environment, and worked for Radon Law Offices, LSE and the Natural Resources and Governance Institute, as well as UNDESA and the UN operations and crisis center. Lidia was a visiting scholar at NYU and holds a master's in international affairs and African studies from UAM, a master's in international and public affairs from Columbia University, and a Law Degree from UAM, being a member of the Madrid Bar Association. Lidia is a La Caixa fellow and former Fulbright fellow.
Heidi Rosbe has spent over 15 years designing, facilitating and managing programs for crisis- and conflict-affected populations in the United States and internationally, including work for the International Rescue Committee, United Nations Development Programme, the Women's Refugee Commission, Soliya and the Arab American Association of New York. From 2010 to 2018, she served as Deputy Director for Encounter, a nonpartisan educational organization working on the Israel-Palestinian conflict, and has taught peacemaking/peacebuilding as a adjunct instructor at NYU's Center for Global Affairs. She is a trained medi­ator and speaks some Arabic, French, and Spanish. Heidi holds an MIA degree, focused on Human Rights, Conflict Resolution and Gender Policy from SIPA.
Miguel Ángel Moratinos, UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) will share insights into how the Alliance serves as a platform for intercultural and interreligious dialogue, and works to prevent and address identity-based tensions and crises and combat stereotypes, misperceptions, discrimination and xenophobia.
