WFWPI Office for UN Relations New York: Spring 2021 Interns
Arely Valenica
My name is Arely Valencia, and I am completing a double major in Political Science and Philosophy at the University of California, Davis. The area of concern I am currently researching is early childhood development and education to promote gender equity in schools.
I will apply to law school after completing my undergraduate education and be a practicing attorney in the field of constitutional or criminal law. In light of current and ongoing events, I aspire to represent members of marginalized communities to eliminate the negative stigma linked to women and men of color and bring a fair trial to those who are victims of racial discrimination. One of my career goals is to provide resources for human trafficking survivors and prevention measures for women and children in susceptible neighborhoods. A long-term goal of mine is to provide equitable educational resources for children and young adults regardless of their economic background.
Interning at the Women’s Federation for World Peace International–UN Office in New York has introduced me to various women leaders who inculcate peace and unity through their humanitarian work. It has been inspiring to learn about Hak Ja Han Moon, Mother of Peace, which enlightened my understanding of her mission in leading with peaceful culture and a helpful heart. Working alongside intelligent and determined women has affirmed my aspirations in giving back to communities around the world, including my own. I enjoy learning about a new topic that impacts women every week and discussing possible solutions to prevalent issues.
The WFWPI internship opportunity has equipped me with leadership skills in researching the importance of implementing early childhood education to motivate young girls. My key findings demonstrate that incorporating gender equity in a child’s early years can improve the social gender biases in communities long-term by being more inclusive of women in education and
reshaping norms. Teaching children to eliminate biases can be a crucial measure for current and future generations to be supporting women in male-dominant professions. Excluding women and children from access to an education due to their identity and socioeconomic status has affected
them for decades but, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Women and girls are experiencing an increase in gender violence, sexual harassment, and early and forced marriages because of the pandemic. Acknowledging gender biases from a young age will assist children in their future professional goals for both, women, and men through the eradication of gender roles
in a classroom environment.
Ashleen Herrarte
My name is Ashleen Herrarte. I am an undergraduate student at the University of California, Riverside double majoring in Political Science/International Affairs and Philosophy. After receiving my bachelor’s degree, I hope to go to Law School in hopes of becoming a judge.
At the Women’s Federation for World Peace, International (WFWPI), I have had an impactful experience researching the UN’s Women, Peace, and Security agenda. I have been able to research a new topic that has allowed me to learn about different issues around the world, as well as knowing how it is that women can contribute to resolving those issues. I am grateful to have had the chance to develop my researching skills as well as understand how empowering women can be beneficial to peacekeeping and peace negotiations/conferences.
Throughout my time with the WFWPI, I was able to attend different events relating to the Women, Peace, and Security agenda where I was able to learn about the opinion of leaders from different countries on various topics. Furthermore, I was able to learn about effective strategies or policies that have been implemented around the world to empower women as well as provide them more security. Some of my key findings were about how it is very important to get the opinion and perspective of the community being helped, without knowing what changes or opinions they have it is difficult to create/implement new policies/ideas.
Ms. Kellett and Ms. Barlaan were extremely helpful and generous when it came to the advice and guidance they provided throughout my time with their organization. I hope to be able to work with the WFWPI in the future in their support of empowering women.
Athena Kwan
My name is Athena Kwan and I am a History major at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In the Spring quarter 2021, I was accepted into the UCDC study abroad program and received an internship with the Women’s Federation for World Peace International UN Office in Research and Design.
In my research area, which is the Commission on the Status of Women and gender equality (SDG 5), I decided to focus on the Beijing Declaration and the Platform for Action to try and determine whether global progress has been made towards the 12 areas of concern in the last 25 years since the declaration was adopted. What I discovered is that there is a plethora of organizations dedicated to improving the lives of women and children all over the world through education, investments, training, and advocacy.
It is very encouraging to see that serious effort is being made, but organizations are constantly hindered by a lack of funding especially during the pandemic. COVID has reversed some of the gains made towards gender equality, as seen with the rise in domestic violence cases due stay-at-home orders. Many women are struggling for access to health services as programs are being scaled back to deal with the increasing number of victims to the virus. In response, organizations such as WFWPI and the UN continued to hold conferences and forums online to remind nations about the persistent issues in gender equality. There is not much time before the 2030 deadline, so it is imperative that countries do their part in helping build a more sustainable future for women worldwide.
Before joining UCDC, I was not familiar with WFWPI. Now I’m very proud to have the opportunity to be a part of an organization that works tirelessly to protect and improve the quality of womens’ life globally. I learned so much from this research project about the hardships that women still endure specifically in other countries. Being able to work independently on this research paper broadened my academic skills and the flexible hours allowed me to multitask. I enjoy my weekly Zoom meeting with mentors and other interns, but I still wish this internship was in-person.
As for my future plans, I will be moving on to my summer internship with the Law Library of Congress. I am expected to earn my Bachelor’s Degree in Spring 2022, and plan to attend graduate school for a Masters in Museum Studies or Archival Science.
Martha Ochoa
My name is Martha Ochoa, and I'm a fourth-year Political Science student at UC Irvine. In the Spring of 2021, I began working as a research intern for the Women's Federation for World Peace International, where I focused on identifying support for the Culture of Peace. WFWPI is a safe space where I have the opportunity to learn about the Mother of Peace by learning about her biography and discussing inspiring insights with our book club once a week. I am fortunate to work with a refined and innovative community of individuals, where we discuss ways to put opportunities in place to create a peaceful society. During my research, I discovered that in building a peaceful society for future generations, the work starts at home, focusing on children's education and the development of their minds to honor and respect all human beings. Attending law school and practicing immigration or family law is one of my long-term goals. My passion is linking people to opportunities that will help them in accomplishing their goals, and I plan to do so by gaining the requisite skills, understanding, and experience to become a leader in my field.
Michaela Krulee
My name is Michaela Krulee. I am a junior at the University of California, Davis pursuing a double major in Political Science- Public Service and Economics as well as a minor in Human Rights. In addition to my internship with WFWPI, I work as an advocate for the Imani Legal Clinic, as an intern with the IRC’s Human-Trafficking Outreach Prevention and Education Program, and as Commissioner on ASUCD’s Environmental Policy and Planning Commission. Lastly, I work with the UC Davis Department of Human Rights Studies as an intern for Article 26 Backpack that seeks to expand academic mobility among refugees and displaced students. In the future, I hope to become a human rights lawyer.
My area of concern within WFWPI is Giving For Good. What I have enjoyed most about this internship so far is the unending support and encouragement I have received from the team to pursue what I’m truly passionate about. In this way, this internship is so unique because it is tailored specifically to me and my interests. Not only has this opportunity allowed me to explore what I’m curious about, but it has also pushed me to create my own path in supporting the mission of WFWPI. For me, this means that I have been able to explore the broader concepts of sustainability and sustainable development and how they relate to peacebuilding, specifically in regards to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
I have chosen this path because the Global Goals work among the intersection of peace for both people and the planet. This is extremely important to me, and the interconnectedness of each of the SDGs, from eliminating poverty and hunger to promoting climate action and equality, resonates with me deeply. These Global Goals confront deep-rooted, systemic problems and imagine solutions that are “universal, indivisible, and interlinked.”
I believe that through their integrated nature, the SDGs present an opportunity for seemingly unrelated activists, organizations, and movements to draw connections, explore the intersectionality of issues, and act in solidarity with one another. Through the lens of WFWPI’s mission, I have been able to explore the fundamental role that women have in leading the fight against climate change to create a more peaceful and just world.
Emily Ekshian
My name is Emily Ekshian, and I am an undergraduate student at UC Berkeley studying Political Economy and Media Studies, with concentrations in International Development and Media Studies.
At Women's Federation for World Peace International, my area of concern is the Women, Peace and Security sector and particularly how governments around the world are trying to enhance opportunities and safety mechanisms for women around the world. My research focuses on Women, Peace and Security through the lens of human trafficking, and peace building. In specific, I analyze the reconciliation efforts and process between North and South Korea, as well as, the prevalence of Human Trafficking and efficient ways to combat the black market. I also touch upon how COVID - 19 and territorial conflict, like the Israeli - Palestine conflict, have hindered opportunities and development for vulnerable groups, including women.
Throughout the research internship, my favorite part was growing my knowledge in the area of Women, Peace and Security and analyzing the sector through different focuses like reconciliation, conflict and public health. I also really enjoyed learning new research skills, the SWOT analysis, and utilizing the method in my research. I found the research to be intellectually interesting, and I hope to pursue similar research projects in the future and utilize my learned skills from WFWPI.
In the Fall, I will be attending Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where I seek to specialize in investigative journalism, reporting and discussing political phenomena within the international sphere. I am passionate about evaluating the prolonged effects of migration within the context of war time/ territorial conflict, and how it comes to impact vulnerable groups and civil populations including native peoples and women, bringing their struggles and issues to the forefront of journalistic inquiry.