文／吳宇翔
I decided to pursue an internship at TAHR for two reasons. The first was to continue exploring migrant workers' rights advocacy in Taiwan with Yi-Hsiang, a fellow at TAHR. The second was, because of my upcoming studies in International Migration and Refugees, to get a glimpse of refugee mechanisms in Taiwan--especially given its peculiar international status.
I officially joined TAHR in early June. Throughout my two-month internship, I participated in many events that involve different human rights struggles including political violence against speech, violations against the right to housing, and instances of police brutality in Taiwan. A workshop on asylum seeking procedures and refugees status organized by TAHR stood out to me as its foreign lecturers unpacked the moral duty of immigration officers and tackled myths around immigration and refugees. I also conducted research on human rights violations in Taiwanese distant water fishery, political situation and its historical context in Haiti, and domestic workers' labor conditions in Taiwan for various purposes. Lastly, TAHR organized a fruitful program to train their interns with NGO-visits, board games, and watching documentaries.
My takeaways from this internship will definitely help me grow as an advocate. I have learned how important it is to calmly deal with people with adversary opinions, to have a group of partners in support, and how impactful various means of advocacy (such as board games and documentaries) could be. In addition to the principles of equality and universality, my experience with TAHR has shown me the centrality of human dignity in our discourse on human rights. Last but definitely not least, I need to keep cultivating my skills in holding societal conversations and broaden my skill set for human rights advocacy.
Doing an internship at TAHR will help you get familiar with a wide array of human rights issues in Taiwan and around the globe. You will have the opportunity to work hand in hand with experienced advocates in Taiwan and witness how they make the silenced voices heard and challenge problematic norms in our society. I strongly recommend those who wish to further understand what human rights advocacy looks like in Taiwan to participate in a TAHR internship!
