The words you are searching are inside this book. To get more targeted content, please make full-text search by clicking here.

In this publication you’ll learn about programs and people whose work reflects the values that inspire IDN’s partnership with The Carter Center: the importance of engaging local knowledge, building collaborative partnerships and strengthening capacity to address complex development problems.

Discover the best professional documents and content resources in AnyFlip Document Base.
Search
Published by Obse.ababiya, 2017-11-21 15:32:12

IDN Newsletter - Fall 2017

In this publication you’ll learn about programs and people whose work reflects the values that inspire IDN’s partnership with The Carter Center: the importance of engaging local knowledge, building collaborative partnerships and strengthening capacity to address complex development problems.

FALL 2017

IDN NEWS

INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPING NATIONS

Bridging Development Practice and Scholarship in an Evolving World

Welcoming
Change

IN THIS ISSUE

EMORY 21 DAYS OF PEACE
NEW FACES AT IDN

ELMO AT WORK GLOBALLY
PARTNERS IN CHANGE

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 2

2 In This Issue
10 15
20 22 2 Emory 21 Days
of Peace: Building
Peace Locally
and Globally

10 New Faces at IDN
15 ELMO at Work

Globally
20 Partners

in Change
22 Where Are

They Now?
24 Upcoming Events

Bridging
Development Practice

and Scholarship in
an Evolving World
www.idn.emory.edu

Cover Photo credit: Emory Photo/Video

From the Director

This Fall I visited the In the five months since I joined IDN I have witnessed
ancient city of Athens. firsthand the power of change. After visiting Brazil - a
country known for its “culture of violence” - I flew back to the
Atop the Parthenon I was reminded of the words of the Greek Emory campus to participate in the finale event for Emory‘s
philosopher Heroclitus, “there is nothing permanent except 21 Days for Peace. At a time when violence, in its many
change.” For some, change may invoke feelings of anxiety insidious forms seems more prevalent than ever, I joined
and fear; for others change implies excitement, challenge Emory faculty, staff and students in a celebration - and more
and novelty. Science tells us that excitement and fear are the importantly action - for peaceful change.
same physiological response. At IDN we choose to welcome
change and all of the anticipation that it brings. Change, constant as it may be, provides us an opportunity to
reflect on the values we hold dear. Former President Jimmy
As part of the change outlined in this newsletter, I am honored Carter has advised that, “we must adjust to changing times
to join The Institute for Developing Nations (IDN) as the interim and still hold to unchanging principles.” Even in the face of
director. Amongst other changes included in this newsletter change our values and principles must remain constant. It is
are new faces at IDN including our program assistant, graduate in this spirit that I look forward to building upon what IDN has
assistant, and Emory’s newest future alumni who is just five already accomplished and continuing its collaboration with
months old. We also highlight partners with whom we are
working to create positive change in our world. The Carter Center towards advancing
global development. I invite you to stay
In this issue, you will read about Emory students who are engaged with IDN in this exciting time
changing the world locally and globally as they take ELMO and I hope you will value this issue of the
with them around the world to facilitate their field research. IDN Fall newsletter.
We also follow up with our alumni to see how they are agents
of change in their communities.

Warm regards,

DABNEY P. EVANS, PHD, MPH

INTERIM DIRECTOR INSTITUTE FOR
DEVELOPING NATIONS

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 1

HIGHLIGHTS FROM

2

FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, THE campaign on Emory peacemakers. The campaign culminated
EMORY INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPING with a discussion with a world-renowned humanitarian
NATIONS (IDN) PARTNERED WITH EMORY speaker from Burundi — Marguerite Barankitse, founder and
CAMPUS LIFE AND COLLABORATED WITH THE president of Maison Shalom.
CARTER CENTER HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM
AND THE UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE When Burundi’s civil war erupted in 1993, Barankitse
TO PRESENT EMORY 21 DAYS OF PEACE. witnessed and was the victim of murderous attacks. She
found herself caring for hundreds of orphaned children,
The goal of Emory 21 Days of Peace is to educate, inspire, and prompting her to found Maison Shalom, a complex
empower students with tangible skills to work for peace both of schools, hospitals, and a network of care extending
in their local and global communities. Through this initiative, throughout Burundi, focusing on children’s welfare and
IDN worked across campus, galvanizing more than 25 rights while challenging ethnic discrimination. In 2015,
committee members comprising students, faculty, and staff Maison Shalom was shut down, and Barankitse was driven
from various Emory departments, institutes, and schools. out of the country by the Burundian government. She
This year’s events included prayers and mediations for peace, reestablished herself as a refugee in Rwanda, where she
debate training, an annual day of service, and a social media launched a second organization called Oasis of Peace, which
provides a safe haven for refugees to reestablish their lives.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 3

As part of the program, Barankitse fielded questions along with student and peace advocates including: Farah Al Chammas, Interdisciplinary Studies,
Anthropology and Human Biology, Emory University Class of 2019 | Emory Scholar, Founder, and Co-president of Refugee Revive, Kevin Crawford, who is
also assistant chaplain here at Emory. He earned both his master’s degrees from Candler School of Theology | Sandrine Nkunzimana, intern at The Carter

Center Human Rights Program, originally from Rwanda, where Barankitse is now residing.

The scope of her action as well as the fact that she protects “Before attending the 21 Days of Peace conference,
all children without consideration of their ethnic origin,
Tutsi or Hutu, has brought Barankitse praise from all I was very unsettled by the negativity and hate in the
corners of the world including an honorary degree from news. But when I heard Marguerite Barankitse speak,
Emory University. She inspired an Emory audience with the
following sentiment: I was filled with a renewed optimism. Her hopeful
view of the world and her ability to transform her
“During 30 years I was trying to fight for dignity and social negative past into a driving force for positive change
justice, and together with the children to create new generation helped me come to realize that we are capable of
who will be able to break the cycle of violence. . . . And now using our pasts as catalysts for progress. She has
I created a community center called Oasis of Peace to dream
how to return [to Burundi] without violence and to educate inspired me to act locally in my community so
those young people to return in the university. I sent more than
300 young people in the university, and to give hope because ”that I, too, can help create positive change.
we are builders of hope. Everybody, this is why I fight. I will
never keep silent. . . . We must stand up and say ‘don’t kill my SHREYA PABBARAJU, Emory University Class of 2021
child.’ And when they kill a father, you say, ‘no, we don’t want
orphans.’ I am in refugee camp helping those refugees because
I tell people to stand up, to be a little candle in the middle of
darkness. . . . We must stand up, we are amazing . . . must tell you
young people, you are amazing. We are created in the picture
of God . . . if we want to stand up, we will change the world. . . .
You young people are our richness. If you want, we will change.
I am not discouraged. They can destroy infrastructure. They
can take the money, it’s only paper from the bank, but they will
never reach our treasure that is love. Nobody can stop the love.”

4

OVER 21 DAYS, 21 PEACEMAKERS WERE FEATURED ON SOCIAL MEDIA
RESPONDING TO TWO QUESTIONS. EMORY PEACEMAKERS ARE
SELECTED FOR BEING COMMUNITY BUILDERS WHO ARE
COMMITTED TO JUSTICE, INQUIRE COURAGEOUSLY, AND
ARE GLOBALLY MINDED WHILE LOCALLY GROUNDED.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE PEACEMAKERS RESPONSES.

How do you recommend that
we as an Emory community work to

build a more peaceful world?

“I encourage us to listen to each other’s stories,

to allow ourselves to be changed by those whose
experiences differ from our own, and to lead

”with compassion always.

CLAIRE E. STERK, President, Emory University

Dean Ajay Nair, senior vice president and dean of Emory Campus Life; Suzanne Onorato, assistant vice president of community, Emory Campus Life;
Carla Roncoli, associate director of the Master’s in Development Practice program; and Emory Law Professor Abdullahi An-Naim are among the audience
listening to Marguerite Barankitse and student peacemakers.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 5

What is your definition of peace?

“Similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, I see peace
as a concept that ranges from, on one extreme,
the absence of war, social dystopia, and violence
to social harmony, serenity, and tranquility.
Peace among members of a small family
or a friendship group might not resemble
the kind of peace between nation states or
religious groups. Given the fact that the human
condition is in flux over time, within and among
groups, I think peace is a state that is not finally
achieved, but a process that requires honesty,
communication, trust, and an assumption of good

”intentions for progress to be made.

JOSEPH MOON, Dean of Campus Life, Oxford College

The Emory Gamelan Ensemble opened the finale event by playing the musical traditions of Central Java, Indonesia. Gamelan typically consists of
varieties of percussion instruments, gongs, flutes and strings. The gamelan orchestra has existed as sacred music since before the 8th century with sacred
instruments that have names. Since 1997, Emory has housed the only full set of Javanese Gamelan instruments in the South-East region, named Paksi
Kencono or “Sacred Eagle” the set includes a great gong (biggest circular instrument) named Nyai Tentrem, “Ms. Peaceful.” It is believed that they contained
spirits, thus we cannot step over them and we have to treat them with respect.

6

How do you recommend that we as an Emory community work to
build a more peaceful world?

“Such serious work. To do it, we best pause and ask if we are
ready. The commitment to walking peace invites lifelong
determination. So, at Emory: stopping to notice who
does not cross your regular pathways and asking
why; creating regular conversations and spaces
for brave work in debate across differences (who
will sponsor this?); buying into student-driven
organizations doing community engagement —
professional school groups, Volunteer Emory,
fraternal organizations (who will keep this
commitment after graduation?); choosing to
participate in creative activities that challenge
and reimagine (who will support the arts?).
”Building peace is a lifelong walk.

BOBBI PATTERSON, Professor of Pedagogy,

Associate Director of the Graduate Division of Religion

What is your definition of peace?

“Peace begins with the

acknowledgment that one’s
inherent right to live with dignity is
inextricably connected to securing
the inherent rights of others to live
with equal dignity. In this regard,
peace is a shared destiny that all
or none will arrive at depending
on the choices we make to pursue

it together. To realize peace,
thoughts and words consistent

with peace are not enough;

”consistent action is required.

LINDSAY R. M. JONES, Professor of Law,

Municipal Court Judge for the City of Decatur,

Associate Magistrate Judge for DeKalb County

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 7

ON SOCIAL MEDIA, STUDENTS ALSO POSTED
WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO PROMOTE PEACE.
USIP Public Ed Retweeted

IDN Emory @idn_emory • Sept 7

#Emory21DaysofPeace sponsored Wonderful Wednesday
Here is what @EmoryUniversity students are doing to promote peace

#PeaceDayChallenge

The United States Institute for Peace (USIP), retweeted, IDN’s tweet on what Emory students are doing to promote peace, joining USIP’s global social media
#PeaceDayChallenge which reached an estimated 56 million people in more than 150 countries and engaged dozens of local organizations and 45 schools.

8

Emory 21 Days of Peace received media coverage from various sources,
including a story on September 21 from one of the most area’s respected
news outlet — WABE’s “A Closer Look” — featuring Marguerite Barankitse.

Please visit idn.emory.edu to view the Emory 21 Days of Peace media
coverage and listen to this interview.

A special thank you to Fahamu Pecou, acclaimed artist and doctoral
student, Institute of the Liberal Arts, Emory University for producing the
Emory 21 Days of Peace logo and artwork.

“Let me just conclude by

expressing my gratitude to all
of you for your passion, your
dedication, your commitment to
this important work around peace
and justice. As you know, peace is
not merely about endings; it’s also
about beginnings. As a community,
let’s share in this beginning in this
powerful program to galvanize
our community against hate and
injustice and transform ourselves

”and the community around us.

REMARKS AT THE EMORY 21 DAYS OF PEACE FINALE,
AJAY NAIR, DEAN OF EMORY CAMPUS LIFE

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 9

New
Faces

atIDN

Dabney P. Evans, interim director of IDN

In late June, the Laney Working in partnership with The Carter Center, the IDN
Graduate School announced strives to find new ways for higher education to help
that Dabney P. Evans, solve some of the world’s most complex development
assistant professor in the problems by connecting practitioners and scholars
Rollins School of Public working to advance human rights and alleviate human
Health, would assume the role suffering.
of interim director of the IDN.
Evans follows Sita Ranchod- “Given that The Carter Center’s programs are focused
Nilsson, who served on peace and health, this is a great opportunity for me
as director at IDN for more to bring the skill sets that I already have and to be able
than a decade. to work with partners who are focusing on the same
important issues,” explained Evans.

Evans will draw on both her master’s degree in public
health from Emory and a PhD in law with a focus on
human rights law in her new role. She is also an ideal fit
for the position in that all of her work has been at the
intersection of health and human rights.

Ask Evans why she is passionate about public health and
she will proudly tell you about her grandmother, Geneva,
who was a public health nurse in Louisiana almost 70
years ago. “Fundamentally, I came to my MPH because
of my grandmother. When I think of her and the work
she did, the challenges she faced working in the 1950s
and 60s in rural Louisiana, those challenges are not that

10

Nurse Geneva inspires
Dabney P. Evans,
interim director of IDN

I want people to live who is being exposed to these particles in the air, and what is
that child’s health and education going to look like?
“ ”lives of dignity.
Dabney P. Evans That woman and her child in that moment made clear for me
how global health and human rights are interdependent,
different from the challenges we see in low- and middle- and how important it is to work on them as a package.”
income countries today.”
Her driving passion is simple, “I want people to live lives of
But the moment that crystallized the importance of dignity.”
coupling global health with human rights came for Evans
when she was 24 years old. Evans had just completed her In addition to her new role at IDN, Evans is assistant
master’s in public health and was traveling outside the US professor in the Hubert Department of Health at the Rollins
for the first time to be a part of a health and human rights School of Public Health and director at both the Center
research experience. “I went to a carpet factory in Nepal. for Humanitarian Emergencies at Rollins and the Emory
There was a woman working on a carpet loom and as I got Institute of Human Rights.
closer to her — it was very dark and dusty room — I realized
that she was actually breastfeeding a baby.” As one of the first faculty to include health and human
rights in the public health curriculum, Evans has charted
She continued, “Here is this woman who wants to work. She new interdisciplinary paths uniting public health, human
wants to be able to earn a living for her family, but at the same rights, and humanitarian response to advance human
time, the conditions she is working in are not very healthy. rights discourse across a range of public health issues.
Who knows how long she had been sitting at that loom? Her capacity-building work has touched more than 19,000
Who knows how long it had been since she had a meal or learners from 171 countries. She hopes to further impact
a bathroom break? And at the same time she has her infant, global health and development through her leadership at
the IDN.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 11

A special
thank you

12

We would like to extend a special appreciation to Sita Ranchod-Nilsson

for her 10 years of outstanding leadership of The Institute for Developing Nations
and service to Emory University, The Carter Center, and the global communities IDN
supports. Ranchod-Nilsson led IDN from its early stages as an idea to its fruition.
She valued the opportunity to mentor and guide students to be agents of change in
their local and global communities.

“Through Sita’s vision and guidance, what began as an idea to

reinvigorate and reshape Emory’s collaborations with The Carter
Center has been realized in important and valuable ways that advance
the missions of both institutions, particularly as they relate to public
scholarship, the global good, and for graduate students. Today, IDN
conferences, workshops and programs demonstrate how the University
provides a unique space for open, civil and critical exchange of ideas

”across disciplinary, institutional and national boundaries.

Lisa A. Tedesco, Dean, Laney Graduate School

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 13

Stephanie Sorquira Raven Hinson

IDN also welcomes a new program assistant, Stephanie Raven Hinson, IDN’s new graduate assistant, is currently a
Sorquira. Prior to joining IDN, Sorquira served as the second-year student pursuing a Master’s in Development
program coordinator for the International Human Trafficking Practice with a focus on urban planning combined with
Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights monitoring and evaluation.
and interned with the America’s program at The Carter
Center, where she was tasked to follow the Colombian “I am excited to join IDN because of the opportunities it
Peace Process. provides students in solving development problems. While
at IDN, I look forward to gaining skills that will help me with
A graduate of Rollins College, Sorquira found her passion my dream of advancing the rights of citizens by making
for her work as a young woman. “Every summer my mother, cities become more equitable.”
who struggled to support our family, would send my
sister and me to stay with our aunts in one the poorest, THERE IS ONE
most dangerous neighborhoods in Cali (Santiago de OTHER NEW FACE
Cali, Colombia). This is the neighborhood my mother was IDN IS PROUD TO
raised in.” She continued, “And from an early age, I began
questioning why there was so much disparity in equity WELCOME
within Cali, within Colombia, and in comparison to the US.
I thought about how different life would have been for my Zaida Rose
family if we had better access to resources like healthcare Akberali
and education. This understanding led me to the field of
international relations and to here, IDN.” Born on May 12, 2017,
to OBSE ABABIYA, IDN’s
She concludes, “I believe the possibility for a more equitable senior program manager.
future relies heavily on the work that is being done by
today’s students. I am proud that my work at IDN will allow According to Ababiya, her
me to contribute to students’scholarship, skill development, second daughter likes to talk,
and practice involvement.” smile, and is looking forward to

her Emory years. Class of 2034!

14

ELMOAT WORK GLOBALLY

IN 2014, THE IDN LAUNCHED ELMO is an online, open-source mobile data collection and
THE ELMO INITIATIVE IN reporting system, originally designed for The Carter Center
COLLABORATION WITH THE to facilitate its election observation. In 2015–2016, the
CARTER CENTER AND LANEY ELMO Initiative began reaching out to faculty and graduate
GRADUATE SCHOOL, IN LINE students to encourage them to use ELMO in their research
WITH ITS MISSION OF FINDING on a wide range of social issues. ELMO’s versatility makes it
NEW WAYS FOR HIGHER especially suitable for research in low-resource and volatile
EDUCATION TO HELP SOLVE environments. Using ELMO not only reduces time spent on
THE WORLD’S MOST COMPLEX tedious manual data entry; it also allows for data collection
DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS. that is more reliable and secure. There are currently two
types of funding opportunities using ELMO: the ELMO
initiative annual academic year fellowship, and the ELMO
pre-dissertation summer funding. For more information
on these opportunities, please see www.IDN.edu.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 15

RUKSHAN MEHTA

ELMO PRE-DISSERTATION
FUNDING RECIPIENT
– SUMMER 2017

RURAL BIHAR, INDIA

Rukshan Mehta interviewing women in rural Bihar, India – Summer 2017 and childbirth. We ask about
lactation and her own eating
In summer 2017, Rukshan Mehta, a doctoral student habits. She shares information
in nutrition and health science received the ELMO pre- about the types of foods
dissertation funding to travel to Bihar, India, and conduct she eats and the types she
research on the topic “Environmental Exposures during doesn’t. Teekha, kada khaana
Lactation: Understanding Women’s Experiences with — or spicy, coarse foods — are
Water, Hygiene, Sanitation, and Food Systems.” Here is her avoided by new mothers as
letter from Bihar. they are difficult for the child
to digest in breastmilk.
In the midst of what can only be described as abundant
green, we sit down with the first woman we speak to that She tells us about farming
day. She has come down to her maternal home to deliver practices and a lack of rains,
her third child, who is now two months old. We prepare which make irrigating fields
to begin our interview sitting on a khatia or daybed in the difficult. Most of these
front yard of their mud hut. As our interview begins, our communities lack mechanized irrigation systems. It’s been
respondent tells us about her experiences with pregnancy a relatively dry summer. She then tells us about the use of
pesticides in her fields and describes how foods that may
be contaminated with poisonous fungi are disposed off or
given to animals for feed. She paints us a picture of the food
system as it pertains to her current lactating state.

She also tells us about where she goes to defecate, how
dirty water around her compound is disposed of, and how
and when she washes her hands during a given day. At
times throughout the interview, she pulls the baby close to
her to feed him, so he stops crying.

This picture describes just one of 20 in-depth interviews we
did with women in Bihar this summer. This exploratory work

16

Anna Grace Tribble (right), post-Interview picture with Tribal Matriarch at her request in Iraqi Kurdistan – Summer 2017

helped me realize that women — even in ANNA GRACE TRIBBLE
the most remote and rural areas of Bihar,
one of India’s most populous and poor ELMO PRE-DISSERTATION FUNDING
states — have a breadth of understanding RECIPIENT – SUMMER 2017
about issues that impact their lives, more FOOD SECURITY AND MENTAL
so than we can tap in a 30-minute-long HEALTH AMONG LOCAL AND
interview. The ELMO open data kit tool INTERNALLY DISPLACED WOMEN
was instrumental in allowing us to capture KURDISTAN, IRAQ
details of our discussions with these
women and other community members In summer 2017, Anna Grace Tribble, a doctoral student in anthropology
who kindly gave us their time. Its ease who is also pursuing a master’s in public health, received the ELMO pre-
of use and versatility in allowing us to dissertation funding to travel to Kurdistan, Iraq, to conduct research on
capture audio and video data significantly the topic “Food security and mental health among internally displaced
enhanced the fieldwork experience. I hope women” Here is her letter from Kurdistan.
to go back to India to learn more in the
coming months and continue using ELMO
as a tool in my data collection kit.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 17

On a dry, hot Thursday morning, I left my home in Slemani TRAVIS CURTICE
and caught a taxi along with my research assistant (RA)
to a neighboring town. The local tribal leader had given DOCTORAL STUDENT, POLITICAL SCIENCE
me permission to interview women in this town, and I 2017-2018 ELMO INITIATIVE FELLOW
chattered with my RA during the hour-long ride, excited HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE KENYAN ELECTIONS
about what the day would hold. We arrived in town and
called the leader for guidance, since directions work NAIROBI, KENYA
better than a specific street address. His family compound
emerged from between the clutter of other buildings, Travis Curtice, a doctoral student in political science, is
a gated complex of buildings surrounding a beautifully the 2017–2018 recipient of the ELMO Initiative Fellowship.
landscaped courtyard of palm trees and colorful flowers. This summer he observed the elections in Kenya. Here is
his letter from Kenya.
We were warmly welcomed by the sheikh (a tribal leader)
and his large family. As we spoke with his female relatives, As a fellow for the Institute of Developing Nations and The
we wandered from the large receiving hall upstairs to a Carter Center, I had the unique opportunity to work as a
modest dining room table burdened with our noontime data analyst for The Carter Center’s international election
meal. Over a meal of roasted chicken, lamb, and goat, observation mission to Kenya. Aminata Touré, former prime
Kurdish breads, Kurdish rice, tomato and cucumber salad minister of Senegal, and John Kerry, former US secretary
with pomegranate syrup, and boiled fava beans, we of state, led the short-term election observation mission
discussed the meaning and making of local food. The for the August 8 elections, which included more than 100
family matriarch enjoyed my curiosity and invited me observers from 34 countries.
to return the following week and learn how to make her
barley bread. In the days leading up to the elections, I advised the mission
leaders on the deployment of observers, assisted in the design
After our lunch feast, we settled in the living room to and structure of the forms that were used to collect the data
begin her interview with my recorder at the ready and for assessment, and trained the observers on how to use the
my phone with my ELMO app loaded. As the conversation election monitoring (ELMO) data collection technology.
traced the memories of her life, ELMO made it easier for
me to be present in the conversation, scrolling through Similar to the way that an election is about how a democracy
my in-depth interview guide subtly on my phone rather aggregates the preferences of all voters and not about only
than shuffling through papers as the interview question one individual’s vote, observing an election is not about the
order changed in response to the natural flow of our assessment of an individual observer. Rather, each observation
conversation. Through her interview and those with other team provides a snapshot that, when aggregated, reveals a
women, I’ve learned more about how households navigate more robust picture of the election process.
food choices on a daily basis, how they connect food to
their health, how families experienced past displacements, On election day, short-term observers with The Carter
the role of community aid in food insecurity buffering, Center assessed the electoral process in more than 400
and insight into contemporary local power dynamics that polling stations and 185 constituencies across 39 counties
govern resource distribution. As my dissertation research in Kenya. As a data analyst, my primary role was to piece
progresses, this interviewee’s ideas about healthy eating, together the individual snapshots of the various observers
her local food, and her community connections make
her thinking an integral component to recruiting future
women for my project. My dissertation study will focus on
how households manage chronic illnesses and buffer food
insecurity risk in the midst of their expectations about
Kurdish food culture and the political economic realities of
the Iraqi Kurdish food system.

18

Travis Curtice using ELMO tablets to monitor elections in Kenya – Summer 2017

to provide a more complete picture of the election process leaders and to gather and express his faith. My parents
for the mission leaders. I wrote several briefs for the co- helped smuggle Alexander and his research out of Romania
leaders and collaborated closely with other international and helped him come to the United States. I’m certain
observation missions, including the European Union. that hearing his stories as a child is why human rights and
political institutions matter to me.
As a political science PhD candidate, my primary research
interests focus on how political institutions shape human When I saw Kenyans waiting in long lines in Nairobi queuing
rights and conflict. Substantively, to observe such a historic up to vote because they understood that their vote matters
election was an incredible opportunity. Methodologically, and that as individuals they have power to make decisions
to oversee the data generating process — from entering that will affect their country, it reminded me of Alexander’s
the observer checklists into the ELMO system to gathering journey. Human rights and democracy are not a given but
the data from the observation teams and analyzing them to are institutions, norms, and values that must be fostered
brief leadership — was an opportunity to engage in real- over time. Watching the Kenyan people’s commitment to
time analysis in a high-stakes environment. democracy was a powerful reminder of how important it is
that we take our role seriously and engage in the political
Much of my work to understand why states engage in process. It truly was an honor to observe the dedication of
repression and how civilians can engage the political the Kenyan people to the democratic process.
process to hold leaders accountable stems from my early
memories as a small child listening to our family friend In a historic ruling on September 1, 2017, the Kenya Supreme
Alexander talk about the struggles of his life in Romania Court nullified the results of the August 8 presidential
under the authoritarian leader Nicolae Ceaușescu. elections after finding that the Independent Electoral
and Boundary Commission “committed irregularities and
I remember listening to the story of how he had been illegalities in the transmission of results.” A contentious
arrested and exiled to the Romanian Delta for practicing second election was held on October 26 and President
his religion and how his life was in danger in his country Uhuru Kenyatta was declared the winner.
because he lacked the freedom to speak out against his
IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 19

Partners IN EACH ISSUE OF THE IDN NEWSLETTER, WE
in Change HIGHLIGHT INDIVIDUALS WITH WHOM WE WORK
IN CLOSE ASSOCIATION AND WHO SHARE OUR
VALUES OF BEING COMMITTED TO FINDING WAYS
FOR HIGHER EDUCATION TO HELP SOLVE THE
WORLD’S COMPLEX DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS
BY CONNECTING PRACTITIONERS AND
SCHOLARS TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS AND
ALLEVIATE HUMAN SUFFERING.

LAURA M. OLSON

DIRECTOR OF THE HUMAN
RIGHTS PROGRAM AT
THE CARTER CENTER

20

aura Olson serves as the director of the Human successful, it is humility. Recognizing that I always have
Rights program at The Carter Center. She assumed more to learn (and to learn from everyone regardless of
her duties in July 2017. Prior to coming toThe Carter background) and that I can always improve what I do has
facilitated my ability to build important relationships and
LCenter, Olson was working in the US Department of
Homeland Security Office for Civil Rights and Civil successfully complete the work at hand.

Liberties (CRCL), where she had been immigration section WHAT HAS BEEN THE PROUDEST MOMENT OF
chief since 2010, focusing on immigration and human rights YOUR CAREER?
matters. During her federal service, Olson also served as

acting director of the CRCL Programs Branch, as well as senior As a legal adviser to the ICRC, I represented it from
policy adviser to the Department of State Special Envoy for 2003 to 2005 at the United Nations (UN) working group
Guantánamo Closure. established to draft an international treaty for the

Earlier in her career, Olson worked for the International protection of all persons from enforced disappearance.
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As legal adviser to the ICRC It was a privilege to work with the UN member states,
Regional Delegation inWashington, D.C. (2005–2007), she was as well as numerous nongovernmental organizations,
responsible for legal support of the organization’s activities family associations of the disappeared, and experts who
in the US and Canada, including visits to the US detention participated in the working group.

facility at Guantánamo Bay. Previously, she was legal adviser It was a proud moment of my career to know that I helped

at the ICRC headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland (2001– negotiate incorporation of several provisions into the

2005), as well as the delegate responsible for the treaty, including the first-ever provision in a

program to academic circles and universities human rights treaty requiring maintenance

at the ICRC Moscow Regional Delegation I feel of up-to-date records of all detainees and
(1998–-2001). During her studies, Olson privileged provisions requiring measures to locate
spent time as a volunteer with Defense that my career and return human remains, protect
for Children International/Palestine personal information, and assist with

Section, a church in Bethlehem, and on has been in the legal situation of disappeared
a kibbutz near Haifa, Israel. the human persons. I also played a critical role
rights field. in safeguarding important language
Her publications address international

humanitarian law, including its relation- in other provisions that, for example,

ship with international human rights law, ensured continued application of the

international criminal law, and transitional treaty during armed conflict and recognized

justice. Olson holds an LLM in international legal the right to know the fate of a relative.

studies from New York University School of Law and a JD WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD YOU
and MA in philosophy from the University of Iowa. OFFER A PERSON ENTERING YOUR FIELD?

WHY DO YOU DO THE WORK YOU DO? Learn a foreign language. Being able to communicate

I originally pursued a law degree because I wanted to in a foreign language will open up many doors, creating

contribute to promoting and protecting the rights and unexpected opportunities, and is critical if you want to work

dignity of vulnerable people. Today, my motivation for internationally.

being a lawyer remains unchanged. I feel privileged that my WHAT INSPIRES YOU ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP
career has been in the human rights field. In particular, being BETWEEN IDN AND THE CARTER CENTER?
the director of The Carter Center’s Human Rights program

allows me to devote my full attention to supporting others Past successful collaboration between IDN and The Carter
as they strive to realize their human rights. Center (for example, Emory 21 Days for Peace) demonstrates

WHAT HAS ALLOWED YOU TO BE SUCCESSFUL? the substantive impact we can have together. Combining
WHAT QUALITY ABOUT YOU HAS BEEN KEY TO IDN’s link to significant academic and research capacity
YOUR SUCCESS? with The Carter Center’s expertise and fieldwork permits
us together to have a greater impact on international

If I must choose one quality that has allowed me to be development and on inspiring others to work in this field.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 21

Where are they now?

ROSALYN SCHROEDER

Rosalyn Schroeder received IDN funding WHAT DO YOU DO AND WHAT DOES A DAY IN
in summer 2012 for a research project to YOUR SHOES LOOK LIKE?
address sexual and gender-based violence
in Liberia. She received her MPH in 2013 I am a study manager with UCSF, and our projects focus
from Emory University’s Rollins School primarily on knowledge of and equitable access to
of Public Health in global epidemiology contraception at community colleges and school-based
with concentrations in maternal and health centers throughout California and across the US; I
child health, global health in complex also manage all of the data systems and evaluations for my
humanitarian emergencies, and human research team, Beyond the Pill (beyondthepill.ucsf.edu). On
rights. Rosalyn is currently serving as an average day, I could be doing anything from collecting
a research and data manager at Bixby data out in the field to coding and analyzing data, writing
Center for Global Reproductive Health at papers, or on a field trip supervising one of our contraceptive
the University of California–San Francisco trainings, which we do across the country (my favorite trips
(UCSF) School of Medicine. have been Montana, Vermont, and Puerto Rico).

WHY DO YOU DO THE WORK YOU DO?

I do the work that I do because I think it is invaluable and
essential (and yet often overlooked), and I believe that every
man, woman, and child on this earth deserves equitable,

22

accessible, and culturally sensitive health care that meets Initiative teams at The Carter Center. This information was
their personal goals and needs. In the US and abroad, access used to evaluate The Carter Center’s current programmatic
to quality, affordable, and stigma-free reproductive health offerings as well as to provide evidence for future projects
care can be entirely dependent on one’s location, finances, that would best meet the needs of Liberian citizens.
and the political leanings of local elected officials. I believe
that this inequality is both unfair and unethical, and I seek DID THE IDN FUNDING ENHANCE YOUR CAREER?
to change this through my career and through my ongoing IF SO HOW?
advocacy with social justice and reproductive justice groups.
Yes, very much so. The IDN funding helped supplement my
Rosalyn Schroeder, IDN alumna, far left, first foray into international research. My Liberia research
pictured with research team in Liberia, summer 2012 served as my thesis project, and I was able to put to use
all of the skills in data collection, community research, and
WHAT WAS YOUR RESEARCH ABOUT/HOW DID ethics I had been learning in my epidemiology program —
YOU USE IDN FUNDING? all of which I still use today. The experience and passion I
My research was about knowledge of and access to mental gained during my Liberia trip was also fundamental to being
and reproductive health services in the context of postconflict selected as a Rotary International Global Grants Scholar in
Liberia. This included explorations of resources available to early 2013, which funded me to spend a year studying for a
women who had suffered from sexual- and gender-based master’s in demography and health at the London School of
violence, mental trauma, and disability related to the Liberian Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
civil wars. The IDN funding was used to conduct focus groups
and quantitative surveys with members of two communities in WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU WOULD YOU
Monrovia, Liberia — West Point and Peace Island. OFFER A PERSON ENTERING YOUR FIELD?
WHAT RESULTED FROM YOUR RESEARCH?
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT TO AN ORGANIZATION/ Keep your passions ignited by staying close to the
INDIVIDUALS ETC.? communities you wish to assist with your work and always
From our study, my research team was able to present listen closely to the voices of people you serve. Public health
community-based findings and share community is all about making access to health care and technologies
experiences garnered from more than 800 community more feasible, and your research and advocacy must be
members with the Access to Justice and Mental Health done in concert alongside the people who will be most
affected by your work in order to ensure that your aims are
community-centered and relevant to their lives and needs.
Through working closely with the community, you also
will be inspired and motivated to let their successes and
accomplishments power you to do the best work you can
do, especially when times are tough.

HAS THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN IDN AND THE
CARTER CENTER IMPACTED YOUR STUDIES AND
YOUR CAREER? IF SO, HOW?

The partnership between IDN and The Carter Center was
instrumental in encouraging my ongoing interest in social
justice and international health. Both IDN and The Carter
Center have such enormous reputations for the incredible,
impactful work they both do — and for good reason — and
I was so lucky to be able to partake in this partnership as a
scholarship recipient. My experience in Liberia improved my
epidemiological skills and gave me greater confidence for my
future work in public health, and every day of my career I will
continue to employ the social justice principles that both the
IDN and The Carter Center encourage in their work.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 23

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

IDN PUBLISHING AND ELMO PRE-DISSERTATION
FUNDING USING ELMO
NEW PRESENTATION FUND
The goal of the IDN Publishing and This summer funding is available for doctoral students
Presentation Fund is to foster the in the Laney Graduate School who would like to use the
dissemination of work done in collaboration between Emory ELMO software in their pre-dissertation field research.
University and The Carter Center. The fund facilitates the Awards range from $2000 - $3500 depending on the kind
publication and presentation of scholarly works by assuming of opportunity involved (short-term vs. summer, location
some of the costs associated with the publication of scholarly of field work). IDN grants may be combined with other
works developed directly through Emory and Carter Center Emory funding as long as total Emory funding does not
collaborations; likewise, funds may be provided to support exceed $5000. Students may use IDN funds toward the cost
student travel for presentation at professional conferences. of international airfare, housing, food, local transportation,
Emory University faculty and staff, postdocs, researchers, and visas and vaccinations. Priority will given to projects
currently enrolled graduate and undergraduate students, in related to: health systems capacity building; neglected
addition to Carter Center staff, are eligible to apply. Priority tropical diseases; mental health; human rights; democracy
will given to projects related to: health systems capacity and peacebuilding; conflict resolution with a geographic
building; neglected tropical diseases; mental health; human preference in: China, Latin America, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
rights; democracy and peacebuilding; conflict resolution Students may receive this grant from IDN only once.
with a geographic preference in: China, Latin America, and
Sub-Saharan Africa. Applications will be accepted on a rolling DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2018
basis. Applicants may receive funding for one paper and one
presentation per year. ELMO INITIATIVE GRADUATE
FELLOWSHIP
DEADLINE: ROLLING BASIS
This is an annual fellowship for advanced doctoral students
IDN GENERAL GRADUATE FUNDING in the Laney Graduate School, sponsored by the Institute
WORKING WITH CARTER CENTER for Developing Nations, Emory’s Laney Graduate School,
PROGRAMS and The Carter Center’s Democracy Program. The fellow will
be a resource on the ELMO tool for the Emory community;
From time to time, opportunities arise for graduate and coordinate a speaker/discussion series exploring research
professional students to work with Carter Center Programs. on assessing and measuring election quality; and participate
Emory University graduate students may apply for IDN in sessions on the methodological and technological
funding in order to take advantage of these opportunities design of election monitoring tools and data. Fellows work
which might include but are not limited to, short-term approximately 20 hours a week and receive $18,000 stipend
assignments, such as election monitoring, and summer for the academic year.
research work that fulfills a programmatic need. It is
expected that students who receive funding will be able to DEADLINE: MARCH 22, 2018
work and function independently in countries where The
Carter Center programs operate and that they will make a For applications and more information,
demonstrable contribution to the center’s work. please visit www.idn.emory.edu.

DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 1, 2018

24

UPCOMING
WORKSHOP

MEASURING VIOLENCE
AGAINST WOMEN
IN ELECTIONS (VAWE)
WORKSHOP

In February 2018, IDN — in partnership with The
Carter Center Democracy program — will present
a two-day workshop to discuss collaborative
methods for data collection and measurement
of violence against women in elections. Women’s
participation in political processes as voters,
candidates, officials, and civil society leaders is
growing. As the visibility of women in political
processes increases, so too does awareness
of experiences of women in the context of
political processes — including experiences
of intimidation and violence of women in the
political arena. Anecdotal information from
election observation organizations suggests
that violence against women in elections (VAWE)
is on the rise. It is difficult to observe and collect
data on VAWE because it is entangled with
violence against women in politics and in society
more broadly. Several election observation
organizations have recently launched toolkits to
aid observers in identifying and documenting
VAWE. More consistent collection and analysis
of data across organizations and between
scholars and practitioners will help us better
understand the problems and develop sound
policy responses.

IDN NEWSLETTER Fall 2017 25

Join Us!

To learn more about our work, get access to IDN resources,
newsletter, or to contribute, please visit

idn.emory.edu /InstituteforDevelopingNations /idn_emory

We welcome your ideas, interest and support!

Institute for Developing Nations
Emory University

1599 Clifton Road, NE, 6th Floor
Atlanta, GA 30322

P. 404.727.1438 • F. 404.727.6647

1


Click to View FlipBook Version