We have weekly meetings where everyone shares their progress and gets feedback. These are helpful because they give you a chance to reflect on your work and hear how others are approaching theirs. It makes the whole thing feel more collaborative, even if you’re mostly working independently.

The team is great—very friendly and open. I felt welcome from the beginning, and even though everyone is focused on their own tasks, there’s always someone you can ask if you’re stuck. The atmosphere in the office is calm and focused, which makes it easy to concentrate without distractions. One thing I’ve really noticed is that you can learn a lot just by doing.

There’s space to develop new skills or find working methods that suit you best. Of course, not everything runs perfectly all the time—sometimes communication could be a bit smoother or processes more structured—but nothing major that gets in the way of the work.

All in all, HRAC is a place where you can work independently, be part of a kind team, and grow as you go. I’m glad to be here and curious to see where the next few months will take me.

One of the things I appreciated most about working at HRAC was the friendly and welcoming team. There is a lot of freedom to express your ideas, and you are encouraged to take part in discussions and decision-making processes. Over time, I was given more responsibility and could take the lead on tasks that aligned with my interests and strengths.

At the beginning, it was a bit difficult to find my role and get used to the workflow. However, with time, I adapted and grew into the responsibilities that were given to me. Another challenge was working with people from a different cultural background who had other ways of thinking and living. But this also turned out to be one of the most enriching aspects of my experience.

Through these encounters, I learned how to work and communicate with people from Ghana, how to listen, understand, and respect different perspectives, and how to navigate cultural differences in a constructive and open-minded way.

All in all, it was a very educational and dynamic time that introduced me to NGO work and gave me many valuable insights for my personal and professional future.

He is particularly interested in working with NGOs in ensuring African states’ compliance with their international human rights obligations and raising awareness about the plight of male victims of sexual violence, especially during armed conflict – an area that is significantly underexplored and often left to the periphery. 

Reflecting on his experience at the Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC), James said, “Interning at the HRAC was an enlightening and delightful experience. The friendly and close-knit team welcomed me with open arms and made me feel right at home.

I had the opportunity to work on remarkable projects including sensitisation workshops on various thematic issues, research on topical human rights areas in Ghana – such as the situation of sexual and gender minorities and statelessness – assisting in the human rights clinic, gaining insights into project management, and collaborating with civil society organisations and various stakeholders. This internship has granted me the invaluable experience of applying my theoretical legal knowledge honed throughout my legal education into practical, hands-on work.

I was also immensely honoured to have worked closely with Hon. Nana Oye Bampoe Addo – a staunch human rights lawyer, former Minister and founder of HRAC. Working with her and the NDC Manifesto Committee allowed me to witness firsthand the dynamics and intricate procedures involved with policymaking across various sectors, the rationale behind such policies, and how they impact our everyday lives.