2006 Castan Centre Intern

Jessie Taylor, Australian Delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Geneva (March-April 2006)

Jessie Taylor came to the Castan Centre Global Internship program from a background of activism and advocacy, particularly on behalf of refugees in the community and in detention.

In 2004 Jessie completed her Arts degree with Honours in Jewish Civilisation.  She was awarded a High Distinction for her thesis entitled 'Theresienstadt: Deception, and the Inadequacy of the Traditional Holocaust Discourse', which included an examination of bureaucracy involved in governance of international Human Rights issues in the context of the Holocaust.

Jessie has published a number of articles on her experiences with refugees, their stories, and her observations following visits to the Baxter and Maribyrnong Immigration Detention Centres over the past 3 years.  As well as weekly visits to Maribyrnong, Jessie has taken around 130 visitors through the gates of the centres and into face-to-face contact with the realities of detention.

She is a regular speaker to school, church and community groups, on various topics relating to Human Rights and Refugee Policy.  She has co-ordinated public awareness events and letter-writing campaigns (both to politicians and detainees), liaised between asylum seekers and their lawyers, supported asylum seekers during RRT and Federal Court proceedings, and assisted detainees to understand correspondence, procedure and the law on refugees in Australia.

Jessie sits on the board of The Justice Project, with Julian Burnside QC, The Hon Malcolm Fraser and Hugh Evans (Young Australian of the Year 2004).  Since early 2004 Jessie has been the Director of the Local Response team of the Oaktree Foundation, Australia's first youth-run international aid and development agency.  Jessie has worked for 12 months at the Springvale Monash Legal Service, where in early 2005 she undertook Professional Practice and Advanced Professional Practise in the Joint Clinical Legal Service with the South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault.

Jessie is a committed and active member of her local church.  Advocacy and activism are a fundamental aspect of her faith.

Weblog: http://funatthechr.blogspot.com/

Australian Delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Commission, Geneva