Mahima Sharda /
International Crisis Group /
New York City, USA /
As my work at the International Crisis Group has developed over the past month, so have I. Building on some of the projects I discussed in my last post and starting some new ones as well has given me an opportunity to reflect more critically. I have been thinking more about human rights in development and some of the challenges faced by international nonprofits when attempting to balance diverse stakeholder interests.
This month, I have continued to draft communication for external stakeholders to the organization summarizing ICG’s policy research on conflict, including on gender and government-citizen relations. Furthermore, I have been working on a document summarizing some of the key groups and individuals ICG works with on a regular basis, some of the nuances of communicating with each, the biases they bring to the table, and the kinds of work they expect from the ICG. I have also assisted in organizing round-table events covering a wide array of subjects including climate change and its impact on at-risk groups, scarcity, and conflict.
These activities have given me pause, and a chance to think more about how context is key for human rights think tanks. The kind of information that would be useful to policymakers in one area, could be exceptionally different from that needed by others merely fifty kilometers away. I really appreciate the Crisis Group’s approach on this, as it operates in 40 countries with numerous local offices across the world. This allows the organization to stay relevant, and produce information that isn’t solely theoretical, but also practical and applicable. This also aids in the organization’s efforts to decolonize its work, rather than only producing content developed in the West.
I have also had the honor of speaking one-on-one with a number of ICG’s experts in critical areas about current events, including the director in charge of teams doing work on the Syrian conflict and the recent governance challenges in Lebanon. These conversations have been a highlight of my internship so far, as being able to pull the ears of renowned experts on these topics is a true privilege. And, unfortunately, one that I will sorely miss when my time at the Group ends in less than a month.