The irony of studying human rights from the classroom is learning again and again the importance of local context and input without ever having the chance to make use of that lesson. All of my experiences working with women\u2019s and human rights have operated across distance, whether that be physical, cultural, or both. These experiences have privileged a viewpoint rooted in my own culture and upbringing. I\u2019ve never had the chance to see how human rights worked in any other context, but I saw the opportunity to do so with the Summer in South Asia fellowship. I\u2019m therefore excited to be working with Samadhan, an NGO whose human rights advocacy focuses on women and girls. While I don\u2019t precisely know what my work there will be like, I\u2019m looking forward to both some new perspective and for a more hands-on experience than I\u2019m used to.<\/p>\n
Samadhan is located in Dehradun, a northern Indian city at the foothills of the Himalayas. Although I\u2019ve been to India twice before, (when I was 9 and 14) I hadn\u2019t heard of Dehradun until I started investigating potential NGOs I\u2019d like to work with. I was hoping Dehradun might be a bit cooler than the rest of the country and was somewhat consoled by the 77 degree Fahrenheit reading I found yesterday when I Googled the weather in Dehradun\u2014until I realized it was taken at 2 AM. At the same time, Google\u2014and everyone I\u2019ve spoken with about Dehradun\u2014also provided evidence of how beautiful the area is. I\u2019m so excited to explore an entirely new part of India and all the beauty and culture it has to offer. Me and my frizzy hair will just have to deal with the humidity and heat.<\/p>\n
Another component of my month-long experience in Dehradun will be a research project. Given that I\u2019ve spent the past semester using data to study empirically the effect of the Mexico City Policy\u2014a US policy that restricts aid in maternal and reproductive health to NGOs abroad that promote or provide abortions\u2014I\u2019m hoping to have conversations with health providers in Dehradun on their impression of the policy. I think it\u2019ll be illuminating to supplement the quantitative work I\u2019ve been doing with some firsthand perspective. My literature review has also revealed a lot of work on contraceptive access in Dehradun and the larger state of Uttarakhand, and I\u2019m eager to continue probing this body of research and adding to it in a meaningful way.<\/p>\n
Another thing I should probably mention\u2014I leave tomorrow. I only finished finals the day before yesterday, so I haven\u2019t had much time to process the fact that I\u2019m leaving so soon (or to pack for that matter). This is kind of weird for me. I love to plan things out extensively, and I am not a procrastinator. But while the fundamentals of my trip are good to go, I haven\u2019t thought (or panicked) about this trip and the fact that I\u2019ll be leaving the country for a month as much as I might have otherwise.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve decided to embrace that, and all the uncertainty that the next month holds. For as much as I don\u2019t know about what my time in Dehradun will be like, I do know that it\u2019ll be an adventure, learning-experience, and opportunity for personal growth like I\u2019ve never had before.<\/p>\n
Now, where\u2019d I leave that sunscreen\u2026<\/p>\n
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The irony of studying human rights from the classroom is learning again and again the importance of local context and input without ever having the chance to make use of that lesson. All of my experiences working with women\u2019s and human rights have operated across distance, whether that be physical, cultural, or both. These experiences have privileged a viewpoint rooted in my own culture and upbringing. I\u2019ve never had the chance to see how human rights worked in any other…<\/p>\n