Nazifa Tasnim

Fighting Child Poverty through Research: Purpose and process of policy research at UNICEF Headquarters

How do you work to save malnourished children in Tanzania from an air-conditioned cubicle on the 12th floor of a concrete tower in New York City? You participate in creating informed social policy.  As an intern at the UNICEF Headquarters for the child poverty research team in the Division of Social Policy, Inclusion and Budgeting, my work consisted of diverse, dynamic and challenging social policy research with the primary goal of assisting regional and country UNICEF offices around the world to alleviate monetary and non-monetary child poverty and disparities. The work required data and statistical analysis skills, along with a healthy curiosity to learn. I was also able to engage with the broader UN organization, like the General Assembly and Security Council. The experience gave me a healthy appreciation for the process of producing authoritative social policy guidance as an international non-governmental institution vested with the broader purpose of assisting children.