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Past Events

Forum interns in South Africa, Sri Lanka and Nigeria 2005/2006

The Forum sent three Canadian interns to federal countries in 2005/2006 with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency:

Coel Kirkby worked in South Africa participating in a CIDA assisted internship with the Community Law Centre until March 2006. The objective of the Centre is to protect and promote the human rights and democratic norms that have been enshrined in the 1996 Constitution and in international human rights instruments. It is their belief that social justice will be advanced through the establishment of a legal order based on these human rights and democracy norms. In the pursuit of this objective, the Centre pays special attention to the position of women, children and other vulnerable groups such as persons with disabilities. Coel Kirkby has a bachelor of law from Queen's University, Canada, and worked as a research assistant at the University of Cape Town prior to his internship.

Esther Oh served in Sri Lanka in a CIDA assisted internship with the Centre for Policy Alternatives until March 2006. The organization's mandate derives from a commitment to strengthen institution and capacity building for good governance and conflict transformation in Sri Lanka and that non-partisan civil society groups have an important and constructive contribution to make to this process. The primary role envisaged for the Centre in the field of public policy is a pro-active and interventionary one, aimed at the dissemination and advocacy of policy alternatives for non-violent conflict resolution and democratic governance. The work of the Centre involves a major research component through which the policy alternatives advocated are identified and developed. Esther Oh has a bachelor of laws/juris doctor from the University of Toronto. She was called to the Ontario Bar in July 2005.

Rifah Khan was in Nigeria participating in a CIDA assisted internship with the Institute of Governance and Social Research until November 2005. The non-profit, non-governmental institute was founded in 1994 to promote research on socio-political and economic problems of Africa in general, and of Nigeria more specifically. The main objectives of the Institute on Governance and Social Research are to:

• study and conduct research in government and society as well as maintain data, especially on the Africa region
• encourage and promote cooperation among government and non-governmental agencies by studying the diverse issues of government and society, development, regional integration, inter-state relations and conflict management
• provide forum for exchange of ideas, among scholars, policy makers and
• establish collaborative relations with organizations which have similar objectives.

Rifah Khan has an MA from the University of Westminster (UK) in diplomatic studies.