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“A Deep Sense of Direction”: Prachi Lalwani’s Journey to Freedom House [1]

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Date: 2024-07

After serving as an intern at Freedom House in 2022, Prachi Lalwani was hired as a development associate in February 2023. As an Indian-Venezuelan woman who has experienced deprivation and witnessed injustice, Lalwani decided her career would be devoted to making the world a freer place. We spoke with Lalwani recently to learn more about her journey to Freedom House.

Q. As you were growing up, what was it that influenced you to want to work in the democracy/human rights field?

A. “A defining moment in my life came when I was just 12 years-old, and I went to Rajasthan, India. Even as a little girl, I could see and understand the oppression that the women in the town were forced to live under. I knew deep down inside that this was completely and utterly wrong. They did not have some of the most basic human rights that we are privileged to have in the United States. These freedoms included freedom of expression, the ability to receive an education, and even have a seat at the dinner table. Having known what these freedoms felt like, I made it my mission in life to one day be able to give women across the world the opportunity to break free from the shackles of oppression.”

Q. Who inspired or encouraged you to pursue a career in this field?

A. “When I was 15 years old, I met a former student from my high school who was in college and working on his thesis about the work that the United Nations does around the world. He came to our classroom and gave an overview of the UN Human Rights Council and how it works. After conversing with him, I knew I was on a path to understanding this complex subject area. That inspired me to join the Model United Nations club and meet people who were studying international relations and human rights.

“In college, I picked international relations as my major and started exploring the resources and opportunities my university offered in that field. I started doing research on human rights organizations, and Freedom House immediately became one of interest.”

Q. You’ve been at Freedom House since the middle of 2022—how has your experience here aligned with that long-held vision to expand freedom and basic human rights?

A. “I have found a deep sense of direction knowing that every report, executive briefing, and research project that we undertake brings us one step closer to achieving freedom and advocating for democracy worldwide. It is one thing to possess knowledge, but it is another to apply it in practice.

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[1] Url: https://freedomhouse.org/article/deep-sense-direction-prachi-lalwanis-journey-freedom-house

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