In 2014, I undertook a six month internship with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) at their field office in Cape Town. The following outlines the various responsibilities and experiences that I had in my role as ‘Protection Intern’.

Throughout my internship I was primarily responsible for the co-ordination and organization of refugee reception sessions held weekly at the Scalabrini Centre.  During these ‘intakes’ I conducted short interviews with the aim of assessing the protection needs of clients and appropriately advising them. This involved referring clients on to partner organization such as the Cape Town Refugee Centre (CTRC) – when the client presented social or financial needs, or to the University of Cape Town (UCT) Law Clinic – when the client presented legal challenges. Where serious protection needs were identified, I scheduled and conducted further Protection Needs Assessment interviews in order to gain a comprehensive understanding of both the client’s refugee claim as well as their protection challenges in South Africa. In May, I joined the UNHCR Cape Town staff on a refugee reception field mission to Strand in order to gain a broader assessment of refugee protection needs outside of the Cape Town metropolitan. I was also responsible for updating the refugee reception database which included tracking and recording any follow-up action that needed to be taken following the weekly sessions.

Through these refugee reception interviews I identified a number of cases that met the criteria for resettlement. As such, I have gained experience writing comprehensive resettlement referrals and witnessing the progress of such cases through the resettlement process.

At the beginning of my internship, I assisted with conducting interviews at the Cape Town Refugee Centre to assess whether individual clients with asylum seeker permits were eligible for financial social assistance offered by the centre. The purpose of these interviews was to establish whether the individual clients had legitimate refugee claims according to the 1951 Refugee Convention and therefore, whether or not they were persons of concern to the UNHCR and qualified for assistance.

Another key area of responsibility was my activity relating to the monitoring and tracking of xenophobic-related incidents in the Western Cape. Along with my protection colleagues, we conducted a number of field missions where we interviewed affected individuals and on some occasions visited the sites of conflict. This required close liaison with community leaders and other community members who alerted us to specific incidents of xenophobic attacks. I was then responsible for updating the xenophobic database that is run from the Cape Town office with the information that was collected on site.

During my internship I acted as the parliamentary liaison representative for the UNHCR Cape Town Office on a number of occasions. This involved attending and observing meetings of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and thereby monitoring governmental discussions on refugee affairs.

Throughout my time spent at the UNHCR I was involved with the organization of a number of different events, training sessions and workshops. In June, I assisted with the organisation of the Cape Town ‘World Refugee Day’ celebrations – an internationally recognized event dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world. In July, I was involved with the planning and coordinating of an ‘Interpreters Training Workshop’ and in August I assisted with the organization of a ‘Resettlement Case Identification Workshop’ for implementing partners, both hosted by the UNHCR. In August and September I was responsible for managing the budget for the RSC Africa circuit ride mission to Cape Town.

Furthermore, I attended and helped to coordinate various meetings held by Cape Town refugee organizations as well as the UNHCR throughout my internship. Some highlights include: the World Humanitarian Summit preparation meeting; a meeting with delegates from the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (BPRM) in the United States; and regular meetings with the Western Cape Refugee and Migrant Forum (WCRMF) and the UNHCR Implementing Partners (IPs). These meetings allowed me to gain knowledge and understanding of what is happening and what type of work is being done in the greater refugee community. I was also able to gain access to a wide network of refugee-related individuals and organisations.

In July I attended the ‘Sustained Advocacy for Empowered Refugees’ (SAFER) training course, hosted by the University of Cape Town’s Refugee Rights Unit. This provided me with a thorough training in Refugee Rights and the various mechanisms available for refugees to access these rights in the Western Cape. In August I also attended a ‘Trafficking in Persons’ seminar hosted by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). This seminar gave me a brief background of the South African Trafficking in Persons Act (2013) as well as information on how to identify and respond to victims of trafficking.

On reflection, this internship provided me with a host of experiences which challenged me in many ways. Highlights included the exposure gained during one-on-one interviews with refugee clients and the broadening of my networks in the field, within the greater Cape Town region. Working with refugees and refugee issues ultimately informed my decision to undertake a masters degree focusing on ‘Migration and Displacement’ and I look forward to continuing my work in this field as I embark upon my career.

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Nayra is a young Egyptian International Law practitioner. She currently works for UNHCR, Cairo as Senior Refugee Status Determination (RSD) Assistant. She holds Diploma of International Law, Ain Shams University. Nayra developed passion for International Law since her university years. She acted as a team member of the first Egyptian team to qualify for the International Rounds of the Price Media Law Moot Court Competition by Oxford University in April 2013. Her team won the Regional Rounds of the competition in Qatar and she won “the Best Oralist in the Finals” award.

Four years have passed since my first moot court experience. While the term “moot court” is quite familiar to many law students in Europe and the U.S it is still relatively unknown in my country and my region. Before I start with outlining my lessons learnt, let me first elaborate what a moot court actually is. In moot court competitions, participants argue and present imaginary cases in front of simulated courts to get a glimpse of how judical proceedings work in practise. For me the journey of experiencing my first MOOT court came with another dimension that changed me personally. I developed a deep passion for research and reading about the relevant cases. Even after I was done with the whole experience, I found myself following moot courts everywhere and even organizing moot courts myself. And finally last year, I earned the best oralist award in the regional rounds of a moot court competition in media law & human rights organized by Oxford University. If you are getting ready for your first mooting experience, here are my top seven tips for you:

Be confident: Confidence is an important attribute, especially if you are responsible for the oral pleadings. Always try to stay calm and make sure that your body language does not reflect stress or anxiety. Even if you are very nervous inside, you can learn how to not show it on the outside. Take your time before answering questions imposed by the judge and if you need time to think, you can simply ask the judge to repeat the question or you could politely request to answer the question during your rebuttal. Do not forget to address the question during the rebuttal if you ask for this, otherwise you might lose marks. Pay attention to the thin fine line between confidence and arrogance. The later would probably leave a bad impression about you. Never attack your opponents personally or show disrespectful attitude or body language.

Know the facts: I cannot think of anything more important than knowing the facts of the case while you are getting prepared for the competition. Summarize the facts of the case and filter the unimportant facts to help you memorize and focus on the important ones. It is also highly recommended to link the facts of the case to any real events, if applicable. This can help you remember the facts and it would widen your knowledge of realistic application of the legal problem.

Have a structure: Keep both your memorials and your oral pleadings structured. Put yourself in the judges’ shoes. In most of the cases, you won’t be the first one to appeal before the judges. It is your task to keep them attentive and following your points. Structured content is the best way to achieve this task. Before you start your oral pleadings, give a quick presentation of the main headings and sub-headings that you will address during your pleadings. Also, during the transitions from point to another, give a reminder of the points that you have addressed and link them with your next point. Structured content is not only helpful for the judges but it is also very helpful to you in case your oral pleading is interrupted by questions.

Don’t fear language barriers: There is no doubt that mooting in your second language is an extra challenge that is not in your favor. I relate to your concerns that it is simply not entirely fair to compete with others in their native language while you are struggling with the foreign language. This is a very valid point; but mooting is not about testing your command of a particular language. Mooting is all about your legal skills and the art of persuasive advocacy. Judges understand that you are not native speaker and they appreciate the fact that you are pleading in a language different from your mother tongue. If you still need more evidence, check the official website of the Price Medial Law Court Competition. Since the competition started in 2008 to 2016, only once a native English speaking team, from USA, won the International Rounds in 2009.

Read: Reading is cruical before the competition. The more you read, the more your mind will be packed with information to support your claims. Do not forget to read the basic materials such as: the scoring sheets that have the scoring criteria, the rules of the competition that include the scope and the jurisdiction of the court, preparation materials often available on the website of the competition and the rules for drafting the memorials and citation. Make sure you digested the case law and other supporting materials from different wide jurisdictions. It is also in your favor to refer to cases that are not mentioned in your written memorials. This will leave the judge with the impression that you are not limited to the information mentioned in your memorials and you keep your sources updated.

Be flexible: Flexibility should be an innate trait of a good lawyer. The decision to renounce a weak argument for a stronger one requires flexibility. If the judge asks you to focus on one or two points of your argument and to ignore the rest of your arguments, do not panic!. This should not be an issue if you are ready with a well-structured pleading. A mind map can help you to quickly navigate in your oral pleadings and address the judges’ questions spontaneously. Flexibility is also a keyword for proper time management. Depending on how frequently the judges interrupt you, manage your time and allocate the minutes according to the importance of each legal argument. Stay flexible also and be prepared to defend any side of the case, whether applicant or respondent. Ultimately, it is very important to liberate yourself from any written statements during the oral pleading. Try your best not to read from papers during your presentation before the judge. Reading from papers, in most of the cases, will lead to monotonous performance.

Remain ethical: Last but not least, your ethics during the competition will leave the impression that will have an impact beyond the competition. Stay motivated and approach the competition in a good spirit. It is all about learning and connecting with a growing network of law professionals and students. Do not hesitate to alert the organizers of the competition if you notice any mistakes in the scoring that would add undeserved marks to your team. I recall that in my year 2013, the spirit of the competition prize was introduced for the first time to value a team member who had the persistence to participate in the competition although the rest of his team members were not issued visas to the UK.

Further links:
The 2015 Ames Moot Court Competition – Final Round

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Refugees have skills, ideas, hopes and dreams… They are also tough, resilient and creative, with the energy and drive to shape their own destinies, given the chance. – UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi

Globally, we are now witnessing the highest levels of displacement on record. Across the world an unbelievable 65.3 million people have had to leave their homes. More than half of them are children under the age of 18. When we look closely at the figures 21.3 million individuals have become refugees and 10 million people are now stateless being denied a nationality and their basic human rights.

The work of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is now more vital than ever before. It is estimated that almost 34,000 people are forcibly displaced everyday! UNHCR are mandated to support and assist displaced persons in various ways such as immediate emergency assistance, legal protection, administration, community services, public affairs and health.

In 2015 alone, over 1 million people – refugees, displaced persons and other migrants – have made their way to the European Union (EU), either escaping conflict in their country or in search of better economic prospects. By June 2016 around 156,000 people had reached Europe, mainly fleeing the war in Syria. Refugees are distinct from economic migrants, insofar as refugees cannot return to ​their country of origin, because they might face serious threats to their life or freedom. ​

Elizabeth Wilson worked as a UNHCR field worker for several years providing emergency assistance and access to basic rights such as education and healthcare in refugee camps across the world. We caught up with Elizabeth to find out what it is like to work in such settings:

How did you first get involved with UNHCR?

I first started out as a junior professional officer working in the UNHCR Kenya country office. I was there for two years implementing our monitoring and evaluation programmes. I was then moved to Kibondo refugee camp in Tanzania and worked as a field associate coordinating required humanitarian relief materials. For the past year I have been on mission in Greece working in refugee camps there (see map below). I was stationed in Cherso refugee in Northern Greece, which housed around 700 Syrian, Iraqi and Kurdish people, mostly families. It can be a very difficult reality for families as they wait to be relocated in another European country. The process itself can take several months with numerous interviews taking place to determine their selected final destination country.

What have been your main responsibilities?

I have mostly worked on protection ensuring adequate shelter in humanitarian emergencies. We distribute tents, plastic sheeting and matting; develop emergency strategies, tools and guidelines. Whilst in Greece I was coordinating the distribution of tents, blankets and solar charged lamps. I was also assisting the coordination of all the respective partner agencies and NGOs in the refugee camp. UNHCR has a long history of collaboration in emergency preparedness and response. In order to provide the crucial aspects of protection and assistance we partner with a variety of actors. This includes operational partners, a wide range of government, UN and NGO partners who contribute expertise and financial resources to the collective response.

What barriers do refugees face accessing their rights?

Fleeing war, conflict, persecution or natural disasters is the most inhumane experience a person can suffer. It is terrifying and can leave entire families with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Therefore, refugees face enormous barriers to accessing their very basic human rights such as food, water and shelter. My work involves a magnitude of patience, resilience and compassion. It is heart breaking to witness children who are refugees, not being allowed to enrol in the local schools of their host countries. For example as they do not yet have official legal status and in some cases cannot leave the refugee camps, they miss out on vital periods of education. This is why the UNHCR supports education programmes in refugee camps so that children can continue to receive a comprehensive education and are not left behind.

What gives you the strength to keep going?

A simple smile across the face of a refugee, it might sound crazy but a smile is what pushes me to keep going. I am inspired to stay focused on my job. When the pressure and stress gets too much and I feel like there is no end to the challenges we encounter on a daily basis I remember those smiles and the hope in their eyes. This winter for example I will remember forever a young Syrian mother came to see me as her baby was sick and had been up all night crying, it was -20 degrees that night with high winds. She came with her baby in her arms and continued to smile and even made jokes. These extraordinary people have taught me to appreciate the little things in life. I really don’t think I have a right to give up.

What has been your most memorable experience?

Listening to the testimonies of refugees and knowing what they have experienced will stay with me forever. Their sheer strength and resilience is overwhelming. I have so many memories, it is very difficult to choose just one.  A major success for me personally happened in Tanzania, when I was able to implement an education programme for young women and girls. Refugee camps can be dangerous places sometimes with lack of security and girls can be very vulnerable. Therefore, I recognised the need to create a safe space for young women and girls to hangout, be themselves, learn, have fun and exchange stories. It was amazing for me to witness the positive impact of creating this girls only safe space. We began to deliver sexual health programmes and also teach girls about menstruation and healthy sanitation. I believe this programme provided these girls with the necessary health information and also helped created positive relationships.

Why do you think the work of UNHCR is so important?

It is essential that the UNHCR exists and continues to function. The world is facing unprecedented conflicts and disasters destroying whole communities and the planet. Now is the time for governments, NGOs, foundations and corporations to work together for the greater good of humanity. UNHCR is a critical instrument for providing the necessary care and support to vulnerable people everywhere. It is a neutral diplomatic agency that can translate across cultures, language and religions.

What advice would you give to a young professional interested in UNHCR?

One of the best ways into any organisation is to apply for an internship. I have many colleagues who started their careers this way. Secondly, just like I did you should take a look at the UN junior professional officer programme. It is highly competitive however if you are successful it is an up hill slope. The work experience, exposure and training you will receive are extremely invaluable. The human rights field is a emotionally charged sphere and can be traumatic, however knowing that you are saving lives and healing emotional scars of people is the greatest reward anyone can experience.

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