Interview with Chayes Fellow and Rising 2L Anne Healy
Q: What will you be doing this summer?
A: This summer, I will be working with the International Rescue Committee with the protection program in one of its field offices in Northern Uganda. Northern Uganda has been plagued by conflict for over 20 years, leading to the displacement of much of the population. Although the situation has stabilized and many are returning to their home communities, the conflict severely diminished access to justice and rule of law. As individuals leave displaced persons camps, it is important that they return to secure and well-governed communities where rule of law prevails. To this end, IRC is seeking to strengthen the legal component of its protection programming and to transition its activities towards strengthening access to justice and rule of law. Given that the organization’s rule of law programming in this area is in the early stages, I will be helping to further develop the organization’s access to justice programming ideas, such as using community-based paralegals and legal assistance centers to supplement the formal justice system, as well as to explore ways to integrate traditional justice mechanisms and mechanisms appropriate for dealing with juvenile offenders into the organization’s programming. This work will involve field research, desk research, and liaising with community, NGO, and government stakeholders.
Q: How did you come to select your internship and why?
A: I selected this internship for several reasons. First, I worked in Africa for several years prior to coming to law school but never in a conflict or post-conflict setting. I knew I wanted to use this summer to gain field experience in such a setting and was looking at internships almost exclusively in post-conflict settings in Africa. Second, I wanted to work on community-level rule of law and access to justice programming. IRC had sought out an HLS intern through the Chayes program to work on precisely these issues. Because the Kitgum program is in the early stages of developing its rule of law initiatives, it seemed like a great opportunity to play a significant role in program development on issues I was already very interested in. Finally, I know a number of people who have worked with the IRC and have had great experiences with the organization.
Q: Can you discuss what sorts of activities you are involved in here at HLS?
A: During my first year at HLS, I was involved in two projects with Advocates for Human Rights and subcited and edited for the Human Rights Journal. Next year, I will be involved in a new HLS student group, the Law and International Development Society.
Q: What are your preliminary thoughts on what you might want to do after graduation?
A: As I am doing a joint MPA/ID degree with the Kennedy School and still have 3 more years before graduating, I’m not sure precisely what I want to do. Immediately after graduation, I would like to work in the field again, perhaps with a local NGO in an advocacy role, and am particularly interested in children’s rights, access to justice, and justice sector reform.
Q: What is one thing about HLS that you think everyone should know?
A: Beyond the wealth of opportunities and support HLS offers for international human rights work, one of the main reasons I chose to attend HLS was because I could study human rights law within the broader context of Harvard University and its various schools and programs. Particularly given my interest in pursuing a joint policy degree focused on international development, there was no question that Harvard was the best fit for my overall interests. When deciding which school to attend, law school applicants – particularly those interested in less traditional areas of law, such as international law and human rights law, or those who do not intend to practice law formally – should consider what a university as a whole offers.
