Let's Talk Human Rights

By Aila Carr-Chellman & Mercy John

Work on Connecting the Iraq Civil Society

Aila

Over the weeks I spent during summer 2024 at Counterpart International, as a fellow from the Human Rights Center, I had the opportunity to learn about the world of international development through the eyes of an NGO. Over my time there, I served on the Governance team, specifically working on the Iraq Civil-Society project. The purpose of this project is to cultivate connections between the civil society  and the state in Iraq. After a decade of political instability, many essential services are being provided informally, by humanitarian and civil society groups in lieu of a stronger state. For Counterpart, USAID, and community partners in Iraq, fostering a connection between the state and these civil society organizations is essential for maintaining political stability. Over my time it became clear to me that humanitarian intervention is both essential, and an incredibly delicate process. Regional political violence was a concern, and so while there was work to do there was just as much to do to ensure the safety of everyone in the field. Nonetheless, I was moved by how much energy there was between Iraqi citizens and organizers as those at Counterpart supported with just as much zeal and optimism. 

I learned so much during this time for many reasons, but primarily because the Iraq project is in its nascent phase. While it was astounding to work with those projects looking back at years of progress, my time working on the Iraq civil society project was insightful into what work is done to get a substantial and delicate humanitarian project off the ground. At Counterpart, the question on everyone’s mind is how to create substantial and sustainable change, in other words, how the organization can make change without creating a reliance on itself. In the case of the Iraq project at this early stage, this looks like seeking engagement, organization, and providing professional development from partners doing the work in Iraq. 

Before I spent time at Counterpart this summer, I reviewed their organizational structure in a class with Dr. Susan Weaver on NGO leadership. Counterpart is organized by subject area, of which the organization has five: Women’s Empowerment, Food Systems, Governance, Climate Resilience, and Social Inclusion. Before working with Counterpart personally, I came to the conclusion that it would be more faithful to organize by region as opposed to focus area, because it could allow Counterpart to adjust more effectively to the needs of the people in the area, without presuming anything about their experience. As I spent more time working, I understood more about the organization of Counterpart and the intentionality behind it. Each project is regionally focused first, but also has internal accountability to larger goals and organizations. Counterpart does an excellent job of buffering between funder intentions, and honoring the needs of those in Iraq. As such, my time at Counterpart was both rewarding and educational.

From Capstone to Counterpart: A Continued Study of El Salvador

Mercy

Thinking back to my capstone project, I find it interesting how timely our project was in preparing me unknowingly for the work I would be doing at Counterpart. Our capstone partnered with Cristosal, a civil society organization,  to create a report highlighting models and strategies that are either effective or ineffective in strengthening civil society and mitigating democratic backsliding. Each student picked a country or region, analyzed ways to strengthen civil society from multiple lenses, and at the end of the semester, we compiled our findings into a single report. The class spent the first two to three months of the semester learning about the Northern Triangle countries, especially El Salvador due to our partnership with Cristosal. What I found the most interesting was the section covering the banana plantations, foreign involvement, and “development”. We often spent entire class periods discussing the complexities of international development. What is international development and who defines it? In Central America’s case, is that the funder, usually USAID, or the standards of the recipient country? Or is international development just a euphemism for US intervention in Central America at the time?   

Fast forward to this summer, and imagine my surprise when I am assigned to work on the El Salvador programs. During the first half of my internship, I updated and created past performance reviews (PPRs) for the three El Salvador activities Counterpart’s Governance Team manages. A PPR is an evaluation of the progress programs have made on their objectives and intended results on either an annual or quarterly basis. Already having that foundational knowledge from my capstone made it easier to grasp the necessity of each program. For the PPRs I had to create, there was in-depth background research on Government or Rights activities since I already learned about it in my capstone. Previous knowledge of the Northern Triangle countries also aided in my major research project. As part of the USAID Central America Regional Human Rights Activity, I created country briefs for El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Belize. This included researching their main human rights priority, key stakeholders in the country, relevant past USAID activities, learning pieces, etc. 

I struggled a lot this summer working at Counterpart both because it was so different from the work I did last summer, and because of my hesitations about international development. Transitioning from hands-on fieldwork to working in an office and writing reports was tougher than I thought. However, I am grateful for this experience. Though I eventually found value in my work, I felt a disconnect between office work and its impact on the communities Counterpart works. Moreover, I struggled the most grappling with the ethics of working in a field funded by USAID, given their history in Central America. The self-discovery I experienced through this internship is invaluable, and I am grateful that I was able to come to these discoveries in such a supportive environment.

Aila Carr-Chellman is a rising senior, Political Science and Philosophy major with minors in Human Rights Studies and English. Aila is from Idaho, and now her family lives in Dayton. She is the Student Body President at the University of Dayton, succeeding three years of service in the organization through a variety of positions. Aila served as the 2023-2024 literary editor for Orpheus magazine, and as an intern at the Human Rights Center. Additionally, she has been an HRL employee for two years as a Fellow/RA.  

Mercy John is a recent graduate obtaining her B.A in International Studies and Human Rights Studies with a concentration in Peace and Global Security and a minor in Race and Ethnic Studies. In her time at Dayton, Mercy was a Human Rights Center student intern, a part of the Student Government Association executive board, and the CORE program. In her senior year, Mercy served as the co-president of Sigma Iota Rho Honors Society, and the 2024 president of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated.