Public Policy Students Reflect on Their Internships: Ursula Sanchez at the Global Drug Policy Program, Open Society Foundations

Ursula Sanchez, Mexico
MPA candidate, Class of 2016
Intern, Global Drug Policy Program, Open Society Foundations

Sanchez interned this summer with the Open Society Foundations’ (OSF) Global Drug Policy Program (GDPP), which works with policymakers and grassroots organizations to promote drug policies that are “rooted in human rights, social justice, and public health.” In addition to assisting with assessments and evaluations of organizations requesting funding, Sanchez also identified groups in Latin America that are seeking to improve the rights of women that GDPP might partner with in the future.

Growing up in Mexico, Sanchez saw the “devastating” effects of the war on drugs firsthand. “We really need policies that offer a more holistic approach, not only in terms of security but also in terms of development and peace building to rebuild the social fabric and governance that does not exist in parts of countries like Mexico,” she says. During her internship, Sanchez got a very different perspective on the global drug problem. “I was immersed in discussions about the actors, strategies, and expectations related to the UN General Assembly Special Session on Drugs (UNGASS) that will take place in April 2016,” she says. “As a result, I now have a much greater appreciation for the complexity of this process.”

Sanchez also had the opportunity to work in two very different places – Budapest and New York. “I got the chance to be a part of a very dynamic and engaged team, and now have a much better understanding of what is involved in coordinating the work of large international organizations,” she says.

Thanks to the opportunity she had to participate in a preparatory meeting with leading civil society organizations in Europe, Sanchez says she also has a much deeper understanding of the role and strategies that civil society can play in efforts to reform drug policies. The purpose of the meeting she attended was to develop a strategy and recommendations for progressive drug policy reform. “These recommendations were addressed to the European Commission and to policymakers and will hopefully inform the position they take towards UNGASS,” Sanchez explains.