Interview with Human Rights Intern Jason

Jason Noah shares his experience interning with a human rights organization that tackles the issue of human trafficking in Argentina.

Give us a brief summary of the organization where you worked and your role there.
I worked for a non-profit organization that strives to end human trafficking in Argentina. They are partnered with numerous like-minded NGOs around the globe to work together to combat this international issue. My peers and supervisors all petition government for increased criminalization, rally supporters of their cause, and on simpler terms, fight trafficking on a daily basis. My role was a mostly a research based role — I was tasked with investigating trafficking from a high-level, global perspective. Rather than think about the issue within just a domestic or regional silo, I researched the similarities and differences of trafficking in many countries around the globe, i.e., I found examples of human trafficking from each place and then checked how they fight the crime (what are the laws? do they meet international standards?).

Tell us about the first day of your internship.
If I can skip over my real first day when I met with my organization to discuss expectations, my first day of deeper substance was quite eventful. My supervisor invited me to a panel that she was asked to speak on. With my Spanish still quite rusty, I went with a nervous smile that I thought clearly said, “Don’t talk to me yet! I’m not so sure I’ll be able to respond!” Of course, the opposite occurred, and everyone was excited to meet the new American that my supervisor brought along. I quickly let go of my inhibitions and enjoyed mingling with professionals in the human rights arena. I might not have understood everything that was said that day, but I knew the organization would be a good fit. From that day forward, I was consistently invited to events to meet victims of trafficking and their families, Congressmen and women, etc, and I always did my best to attend.

Why is human trafficking an important issue these days in Argentina?
Marita Verón and Susana Trimarco. Their names are front and center within the trafficking scene in Argentina. Marita was abducted 11 years ago, and her mother, Susana, has been passionately fighting trafficking since. Susana’s efforts, in conjunction with the foundation she setup in her daughter’s name, have helped rescue over 900 women in Argentina. Trafficking really is a huge issue in Argentina, especially in low income areas. Victims are persecuted for labor and sexual exploitation and the country needs more people fighting against trafficking to help curb its effects.  Unfortunately, without Marita’s and Susana’s names, I fear that many Argentines would not understand the prevalence of trafficking in their country. Similarly, much of the rest of the world seemingly does not know that Argentina is a big “trafficking country.” In my research while in Buenos Aires, I came across a startling statistic — roughly 88% of trafficking victims found in South America are from South America. When compared to the much lower percentage in areas such as Europe and Southeast Asia, it not surprising that many feel trafficking is a non-issue in South America — they simply do not know about it since few people, comparatively, are funneled in from the outside.

        Jason and Connect-123 Program Coordinator Paula at the Argentine National Congress

What was the highlight of your internship?
Several things stand out when I think back to my internship, but one main thing was my opportunity to speak on national radio. A woman that we worked with had her own hour-long show every Saturday afternoon to discuss the realities of trafficking in the region. When she invited me to come to the show, I assumed I would sit on the other side of a glass wall and watch/listen as the show went on. She, however, had different plans, and immediately set me up with a chair, microphone, and headset. Once the show began, I was quickly introduced and asked to read a report that I had translated from Spanish to English. When the show was over, and I had my token “radio host” photo taken, I, of course, quickly posted it to Facebook. 48 likes and 11 comments later, I’m pretty sure everyone agreed that I had a cooler day than they did.

Tell us about the final presentation you gave.
My final presentation was the culmination of my time spent with my host organization. Hours of research, events, and face-to-face contact with people that have truly been affected by trafficking were condensed into a powerpoint presentation to be delivered to members of my organization, well-respected practitioners in the field, teachers, and even students (they took notes on what I had to say!). Given completely in Spanish (or Castellano!), I was proud of my presentation…from my research to my improved Spanish, I felt that I was able to show all that I had accomplished in just a few months.

What are your plans now that you’re back in the US?
Since returning to the States, I have moved to Washington, D.C. I recently began a summer internship at a highly respected bipartisan think tank doing research for their international development team, and I will begin graduate school in the same field in August.