My course week on Humanitarian Assistance and Human Rights was the week before last and it was captivating, enlightening and incredible. There were about 17 of us in the course, from varying backgrounds like med school, law school, public health and public policy. All are well traveled, passionate, and motivated individuals, which made the class intellectually stimulating and the discussions thought provoking.
We were all impressed with the amount and quality of speakers who came to discuss the ins and outs of working in this field and the ethical, moral and practical dilemmas that are faced. Some of our topics included the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, which form the core of IHL (International Humanitarian Law), as well as specific case studies like the genocide in Rwanda where the lines between following the humanitarian imperative and acting in a way that could be viewed as politicized and biased were seemingly blurred.
It was also exciting to see and sit inside the buildings where a lot of major humanitarian decisions and high level meetings take place, like OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) and the US Mission in Geneva. Some of the highlights included the speakers from MSF (Médecins Sans Frontières), UNHCR and visiting the ICRC museum, which is actually one of the best museums I've ever been to - for sure a 'must do' when in Geneva. We also learned about Sérgio Vieira de Mello, a Brazilian UN Diplomat who had a prolific career and made a tremendous impact on the field of humanitarian work - his story is both tragic and inspiring. So, after this insightful course, I feel that I have some new hero's and their incredible work to aspire to, as well as a much deeper understanding of humanitarian assistance and human rights.
After a week spent weighing heavy moral issues, engaging in discussion with top humanitarian experts and completing many readings, I had to decompress...so what better way than head to the French wine country for some vino and relaxing? Bordeaux was simply divine - beautiful, bucolic countryside and a vibrant city full of delicious food fresh from the nearby Atlantic coast. A weekend wasn't quite enough but it was definitely worth it - we went wine tasting (of course!), spent time at a lovely chateau, and met up with some friends for the most succulent mussels, oysters, escargots and other delicacies.
Mascha Davis completed her Master of Public Health degree at UCLA. She is participating in the Humanitarian Track of the Duke Program in Global Policy and Governance and is working as a policy and communications intern at the International AIDS Society.
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