What do you study at PSIA?

I am currently enrolled in the Human Rights and Humanitarian Action master in PSIA. I have chosen "Europe" and "Global threat" for my regional and thematic concentrations as I wish to become an analyst specialized on political and security challenges at the european level.

What are you doing during your Gap Year? (describe companies/mission and your activities)

After my first year in PSIA, I had the chance to start directly in May 2019 an 6-months-internship at the International Criminal Court. This internship within the International Cooperation Section of the Office of the Prosecutor allowed me to develop my analytical and research skills especially on topics related to crimes against humanity, genocides, war crimes ... It also helped me understand how dependent are all the actors of the international community (States, International Organizations, NGOs...) when it comes to cooperate for international justice and fight against impunity.

After having experienced the world of international organizations, I decided to continue to work for international humanitarian law but through another lens. Therefore, I started my second Gap Year experiences in October 2019 at the French Red Cross in Lyon. My mission within the International Humanitarian Law Dissemination Unit was to promote all the rules that should be applied and respected during an armed conflict through different tools such as conferences in universities, cine-debate or role play in schools. However, on March 17, my supervisors told me that my mission would be suspended until the end of the lockdown.

How the COVID-19 has impacted your plan and how did you adjust to the situation?

The current coronavirus outbreak has caused a public health emergency that hits vulnerable groups particularly hard (the elderly, the handicapped, the homeless..).Therefore the French Red Cross is working daily to  ensure the continuity of its essential activities in view of those economically or socially isolated because of their age, gender, physical abilities or social status.
Disseminate International Humanitarian Law in these times of crisis seems not the top priority of the organisation, so that, I was asked to join the Social Inclusion Unit  of the French Red Cross in Lyon. This unit had to strengthen its actions especially the social and health marauds for homeless and poorly housed people, but also had to set up new measures such as a platform for listening and solidarity actions and the organization of emergency food distribution in squats. It is more particularly on this specific action that I am currently working. Four days a week, I will go to the headquarters of the organization and ensure the good coordination of the food distribution with the logistic team so that the needs and expectations of people are met.

What is the most fascinating and/or surprising aspect at your role?

The food distribution in the squats was not an action carried out before by the French Red Cross so there was a huge work of information gathering with the social partners in Lyon in order to adapt our interventions to the different sites (eating habits, installations, ...).
Since the beginning of the crisis, we have distributed food items and hygiene kits to more than 700 persons and I am very proud of what has been achieved by the whole Social Inclusion team and the volunteers mobilized.
However, our action does not end here because there are always new needs identified or new people in needs declared.
Being able to intervene directly with vulnerable groups in order to meet their needs has always been a personal call to action. Last year, I followed a course at Sciences Po on precariousness in wish I had carried out a maraud with the Samu Social. This experience in this very particular period allows me to strengthen my knowledge and is extremely enriching!

What are the main challenges of your role?

The only challenge I encountered was having to work within a team when I had been very autonomous within the IHL Dissemination unit. This forced me to change my work habits, but I also discovered the benefits of sharing opinions and perspectives on the same work.