Topics and Questions We Can Help You To Answer:
Paper Instructions:

Students will be required to write a Policy Brief on a topic of their choice. This assignment will

contribute to building Competency 3 – helping students to present the knowledge that leads to

action, on critical policy issues. In the process, students will also strengthen their policy analysis

skills, learning how to analyze current policies and their contribution to addressing specific

issues, how to present their analysis, and how to use it to develop effective changes.

The policy brief will be 4-5 pages long (excluding references), and will address the following:

(1) Identification of policy issue addressed – magnitude, scope, population affected;

(2) Identification of the human rights violated by this issue;

(3) Brief analysis of past and current policies in relation to the identified issue – students will

discuss the contribution of such policy responses to addressing the issue;

(4) Proposed changes – students will conclude with recommendations that will improve current

policy responses, and contribute to address the identified issue.

In preparation for this assignment, students will be provided with several examples of policy

briefs, and specific structures they can follow in developing their own briefs.