Sponsored by: Rotary Club of Port Nicholson Areas of Interest: I have a strong interest in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, with a focus on policy and/or prosecution.  My interest for the MA in Conflict Studies is to look at issues related to the protection of IDPs (Internally displaced persons) with a focus on the Great Lakes region of Africa.  I would particularly like to compare the protection of refugees with that of IDPs, with a view to assisting NGOs and International Agencies in formulating more effective policies and structures.  Additionally, I would like to put my advocacy skills to use by documenting the experiences of those affected by conflict in their own countries.

Background: I currently work as a lawyer in the Criminal and Human Rights teams at Crown Law, which is the legal division of the New Zealand Government. I have previously had the invaluable experience of working as a junior barrister in South Auckland which exposed me to in-court advocacy in the civil human rights field.

While studying for my undergraduate degrees at Otago University, I had the privilege to volunteer at a number of NGOs in Thailand working with refugees, aids victims and living at an orphanage.  It was through these experiences that my interest in International Human Rights was cemented and I focused my legal training on this area of work.  More recently I have been helping my father and step-mother arrange charity concerts to raise funds for their orphanage in the Philippines, and have become an avid attendee at Rotary events around Wellington.

I cannot thank Rotary International enough for their support and for giving me this amazing opportunity.  Through my studies at Bradford and my likely life-long affiliation with Rotary, I hope to work towards creating a safe environment which protects women and children from exploitation when they become displaced as a result of conflict.

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