About Le Anne Clausen Expertise I can answer questions about human rights work as a vocation, human rights as they pertain to the Middle East and/or Muslim world, particularly Palestine/Israel, Iraq, and Afghanistan. While in Iraq, I helped to investigate prisoner abuses, including those at Abu Ghraib. I can also answer questions on women's rights in the Middle East. I cannot give you legal advice.
Experience I was a human rights worker for four years in the Middle East, including Palestine, Israel, and Iraq. I also participated in a human rights delegation to Afghanistan in summer 2005. I have an MA in Christian-Muslim relations, with special study on women's issues; I also worked one year for an Arab women's grassroots human rights organization. I am currently working to build an interfaith peace-teams based human rights organization
Publications "Be the Healers" (considering next steps for addressing the Abu Ghraib scandal), July 2004 edition, "The Lutheran" magazine.
Also: www.christian-muslim.net; www.young-activist.blogspot.com; additional interviews and articles about me are available via Google search.
Question I have a high school senior very passionate about working with the underprivileged and helping those and fighting for those in need. She is an average student heading off to college and she is unsure as to what type of education/degree would be best in pursuing this type of hands on work. Any type of direction would be appreciated.
Answer Greetings Carol, and thanks for your note. I'm really excited about your student's passion to serve. Any liberal arts education will be useful, but there are some specific classes she can use to improve her specific skills that are especially helpful.
The study of any foreign language (although Spanish is most useful for working in the U.S.) is essential. Learning a second language makes learning any additional languages easier. At least one class each in accounting and statistics is very useful for working in a non-profit. Most high-school students probably have the computer skills needed, but work in Excel and similar databases is good to pick up. Education, english and social work are good majors or minors for a variety of non-profit and helping fields. Psychology and sociology courses and cross-cultural immersions are important. Ethics, even if not required, would be extremely helpful for thinking through difficult situations. She can get involved with a variety of volunteer service opportunities through her campus activity center--and this will give her a better sense of what kinds of issues she might want to work on. If she can afford to do a semester or even a month overseas, this would be really helpful.
If she knows what kinds of organizations she might like to work for now, she can simply look up what they're looking for in candidates, and get the skills she'll need. Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, and church global missions usually put this stuff on their websites. Idealist.org is also a helpful website for anyone wanting to learn about the field.
