By Georgina Mugugu
I had the amazing opportunity to intern with UN Women in their Beijing office this summer. As an intern, my work was focused on research and as such my official title was ‘research assistant’. I have had the privilege to work on each of the different programs that the China office focuses on which included EVAW (Violence against women), WPP (Women’s Political Participation) and Women’s Economic Empowerment. The area I enjoyed working on the most was the Women, Peace and Security program. As China continues to expand its global influence its role in international security has continued to grow. In 2014, China sent its first ever peacekeepers to the UN mission in South Sudan. It was during this time that it also sent women as part of its troops. UN Women has worked alongside independent organizations to provide training to all Chinese peacekeepers and will be organizing further training for females to educate them on sexual abuses during periods of conflict. Aside from my work in the office, I have continued to develop my language skills and explore the beauty that is China!
How will this experience help you in your job search and career?
As an international security student my interest is primarily on the experiences of women during periods of peace and conflict. Working for UN Women has given me unprecedented exposure to the work that a leading international organization does to progress women’s empowerment and advance women’s issues around the world. I have developed my skillset and have been exposed to UN processes. Additionally, the experience has allowed me to continue gain international experience, which is important in the field I wish to go into.
Additionally, from my experience at UN Women I have been able to better understand the context of which UN Women works, in China and the wider Asian Pacific. I hope to further my knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa as I continue to develop my understanding of issues across the world.
Why did you choose this particular country/internship?
China is in an interesting stage of its development. The economic growth that the country enjoyed was rapid and unprecedented. It now faces the task of creating an environment for sustainable development. Tackling gender inequality is a big part of this and it is an area that the Chinese government is taking steps to achieve. With limited political freedoms in China, I was interested to further understand the way in which such an organization could advocate for change – and, importantly, the extent to which they are successful at doing so.
I was also eager to develop my language skills and working for UN Women in China presented itself as a great opportunity to work for an organization I admire whilst also developing key skills.
Have you changed as a result of this experience?
In Beijing, I have had the opportunity to work for an organization whose work I greatly admire. I got to develop my understanding on the way in which UN Women inspires and advocates for change in China. I have also had the privilege of understanding the work that smaller NGO’s do through funding and support from UN Women. My time at UN Women has helped me to understand the impact that even the smallest organization can make in advocating for gender equality. Whilst I have always been attracted to bigger International organizations, I now appreciate the work of local organizations much more.
How will this experience help you in your job search and career?
As an international security student my interest is primarily on the experiences of women during periods of peace and conflict. Working for UN Women has given me unprecedented exposure to the work that a leading international organization does to progress women’s empowerment and advance women’s issues around the world. I have developed my skillset and have been exposed to UN processes. Additionally, the experience has allowed me to continue gain international experience, which is important in the field I wish to go into.
Additionally, from my experience at UN Women I have been able to better understand the context of which UN Women works, in China and the wider Asian Pacific. I hope to further my knowledge in Sub-Saharan Africa as I continue to develop my understanding of issues across the world.
Why did you choose this particular country/internship?
China is in an interesting stage of its development. The economic growth that the country enjoyed was rapid and unprecedented. It now faces the task of creating an environment for sustainable development. Tackling gender inequality is a big part of this and it is an area that the Chinese government is taking steps to achieve. With limited political freedoms in China, I was interested to further understand the way in which such an organization could advocate for change – and, importantly, the extent to which they are successful at doing so.
I was also eager to develop my language skills and working for UN Women in China presented itself as a great opportunity to work for an organization I admire whilst also developing key skills.
Have you changed as a result of this experience?
In Beijing, I have had the opportunity to work for an organization whose work I greatly admire. I got to develop my understanding on the way in which UN Women inspires and advocates for change in China. I have also had the privilege of understanding the work that smaller NGO’s do through funding and support from UN Women. My time at UN Women has helped me to understand the impact that even the smallest organization can make in advocating for gender equality. Whilst I have always been attracted to bigger International organizations, I now appreciate the work of local organizations much more.