Week 3: Perspective and Beyond
Perspective and Policy
Prior to moving to Kathmandu, I attempted to learn as much as I could about Nepal’s political climate. I researched the history surrounding the Nepalese Civil War, recognizing any lingering political instability would undoubtedly impact the legislative work I would be doing during my internship. I tracked Nepalese news, looking for key political actors and the policy issues dominating the headlines. However, nothing has taught me more about international development work than living in Kathmandu during the events of this past week.
On Sunday night, I received an alert from one of my co-workers, warning that I should work from home on Monday. At this point, it was well-known that a Maoist splinter group called for a nationwide strike on Monday. Strikes are not entirely uncommon in Nepal, and they do not always result in harm. However, depending on the size of the political group rallying for the strike, they can bring even a city as densely populated and busy as Kathmandu to a halt; businesses shut down, and drivers are deterred from entering the road, given a history of isolated incidents of violence against non-compliant drivers and businesses. In this instance, violence erupted a day early, with IEDs set up around Kathmandu valley, sadly resulting in the loss of lives and severe injuries.
From the moment news began circulating about the explosions, my co-workers were careful to send me frequent updates, calling and texting me to ensure I was safe. I felt secure in my Airbnb, thankfully situated away from the threat of violence, and I am so grateful to work for an organization that prioritized my safety. Despite Kathmandu seeming to return to its normal pace on Tuesday, with no more reports of violence, I waited a few days before venturing back into town.
Although I felt safe throughout the strike, I was rattled by the slow international response to the reports of violence. I have never felt the ramifications of political instability like I did this week, and it shocked me to see so many lives disrupted. Yet as I frequented various news sites, I saw only a handful of stories on the events, none of them capturing the gravity of what happened here. Nepal is a small country, but I watched so many people have their sense of normalcy and security threatened—why was this not garnering more attention?
This past week has left me with so many thoughts about what it means to do international development work, but perhaps the most significant lesson I have learned is the importance of being here. We should undoubtedly be advocating for human rights from anywhere, but proposing robust legislation that meets the needs of the affected people should be sourced and advocated for by those people. Otherwise, we risk missing the whole story.
Perspective is everything. As I continue my legislative research, I am increasingly grateful for my co-workers who generously share their opinions and backgrounds with me. Their openness and commitment to advocating for their country is the reason Hamro Samman is able to make progress, and I am so thankful to learn from them.
Outside the Office
Although a substantial portion of my work involves research and writing, interning for an international NGO also presents a number of opportunities to attend events outside the office.
At the start of my internship, I tagged along to the closing reception for the CLEAR II project. Funded by the US Department of Labor and implemented by Winrock International, CLEAR II was a sister project to Hamro Samman, advocating for the eradication of child labor. The reception served as an opportunity to learn more about the incredible progress made in implementing safeguards against child labor in Nepal, and it was inspiring to hear from local officials who spoke about their intentions to continue protecting the rights of children.
In my second week of work, my supervisor invited me to attend a financial responsibility workshop hosted by Hamro Samman, aiming to equip the project’s partner organizations with effective compliance training. Although most of the workshop was in Nepali, I was eager for the opportunity to meet the diverse group of advocates involved with the Hamro Samman project. At the end of the day, I was able to speak with one of the local attorneys largely responsible for prosecuting the first organ trafficking case in Nepal. Needless to say, I was grateful for the opportunity.
Although most of my work is arranged by Ramesh, the Law & Governance Manager, I also sometimes assist Punam, the Subnational Governance Coordinator. After editing some of the materials for a new research project Hamro Samman is developing with the Office of Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Women and Children, Punam graciously invited me to a meeting at the National Human Rights Commission. Up until this point, most of the partners I had met were involved with other civil society organizations, so seeing the NHRC headquarters and meeting government officials working on counter trafficking in persons legislation was exciting.
Living in Kathmandu has also provided for some eclectic extracurricular events too. Recently, my Chief of Party kindly invited me to tag along with her family to an election watching party and barbeque at the Australian ambassador’s home, the event aptly entitled “Democracy & Sausages.” I met expats from all over the world, and I learned quite a bit about Australian politics. I never expected an opportunity to visit the grounds of the Australian Embassy, and I especially never anticipated attending a barbeque there.
All in all, I am so happy to be working in such a diverse, and sometimes surprising, city.