鈥淥n a professional level, I can say that I probably wouldn鈥檛 be working where I am today if it wasn鈥檛 for my 柏客娛樂城 Institute internship,鈥� says Shelly Abdool a former youth internship participant who now works with the Department of Gender, Women and Health (GWH) at the World Health Organization (WHO). 鈥淚t was my introduction into the field of public health.鈥�
Shelly, whose academic training is in French Studies and Political Science, international relations and gender and development was working on her master鈥檚 degree in London, Ontario when the opportunity to participate in the 柏客娛樂城 Indo-柏客娛樂城鈥檚 International Youth Internship came up. Through a partnership between the faculty of nursing at the University of Montreal and the Aga Khan Health Services in Keshod, Gujarat, India, Abdool left for India in 1999 where she spent six months researching the linkages between women鈥檚 political, social and economic autonomy, their health and the health of their household members. Upon returning to Montreal, Abdool continued to pursue research-based activities in gender and women鈥檚 health鈥攕omething that she did not foresee herself doing prior to the internship.
鈥淭his paved the way and gave me a greater appreciation for research because I was a bit worried that social science research was this objective, scientific eye looking down on communities and not really doing much for them,鈥� says Abdool. 鈥淭he experience with 柏客娛樂城 was a great way to see that social science research is not similar to lab-rat research which was my prejudice鈥�
Although she always knew her goal was to work internationally in the area of gender inequality, Abdool says the internship helped her solidify the aspiration. 鈥淭he experience of having an institution that believed in similar things ,in fostering research between two countries and between agencies鈥� investing in people and the entire process confirmed my own convictions of what I wanted to do,鈥� says Abdool. 鈥淚t gave me hope coming out of grad school and being a bit cynical.鈥�
Working at the听WHO听today, Abdool鈥檚 main responsibility is capacity building with country teams to mainstream gender into their health programs and policies. Her experience in India, she says, is something she draws on every day. 鈥淭he experience of working with the team in India to translate difficult gender concepts in order to learn from women and men in ways that they find non-threatening,鈥� says Abdool. 鈥渋s one of my most valuable professional lessons. The humility I learned working in a diverse setting is definitely something I use and I take with me on all of my projects here.鈥�