Work Location

The internship is based in Geneva, Switzerland

Expected duration

The internship is offered for an initial period of three (3) months, with the possibility of extension up to a maximum of six (6) months, subject to performance and organizational needs.

Duties and Responsibilities

This internship assignment is located with MLPP, situated in the Global Operations Division. MLPP teams provide policy advice and technical support on United Nations human rights frameworks to OHCHR colleagues and UN system entities, including on the integration of human rights into UN policies and procedures. They also support the integration of human rights into all types of engagement with security forces, mandatory training programmes for United Nations military, police and civilian personnel, and deliver courses to police- and troop-contributing countries. Under the supervision of the relevant staff, the intern will support work on the areas of global human rights policies and security forces. Priority activities include: 1. Supporting the organization and delivery of training on security forces, including assistance with logistical arrangements, background research, preparation of training materials, preparation of communication products; management of training platform and intranet site; coordination with participants; and supporting post training documentation and reporting. 2. Creating a library of videos and photographs representing law enforcement practices to be used in exercises and training sessions. 3. Supporting the automation of screening processes. 4. Assisting in the production of knowledge sharing materials, briefings and internal guidance documents; supporting the update and maintenance of intranet or internal knowledge management platforms; assisting with the digitization, organization and management of documents and datasets; supporting the organization and implementation of outreach or learning activities; and assisting with other tasks as required, such as document processing, data management or event organization.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for the United Nations Secretariat Internship Programme, applicants must, at the time of application, be enrolled in a graduate school programme (i.e. Master's degree or equivalent degree, or higher) or in the final academic year of a first-level university degree programme (i.e. Bachelor's degree or equivalent degree) in the areas of information management, knowledge management, digital studies or related disciplines; human rights, international law, international relations, political science, or related fields; public policy, governance, or security sector-related studies. Applicants are not required to have prior professional work experience to participate in the United Nations Internship Programme. However, relevant academic, research and/or practical experience is considered an asset. In particular, the following would be advantageous: • Academic coursework or research related to digitization trends and technologies, including an understanding of concepts, theories and approaches relevant to information, data or knowledge management and data ethics; • Experience acquired through academic projects, internships or research assistance involving data organization, document management, database research or basic analysis; • Experience conducting qualitative or desk based research, including the use of research tools, databases, library resources or open source materials; and • Familiarity with human rights issues, UN related work, or policy oriented research, gained through academic studies or practical exposure.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another United Nations official language - Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish – is an asset.

Additional Information

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is part of the UN Secretariat and is responsible for strengthening International Human Rights mechanisms; enhancing equality and countering discrimination; combating impunity and strengthening accountability and the rule of law; integrating human rights in development and in the economic sphere; widening the democratic space; and early warning and protection of human rights in situations of conflict, violence and insecurity. The Methodology, Learning, Policy and Practice Section (MLPP) provides specialized support across core areas of OHCHR’s mandate and responds to emerging needs for methodological guidance, policy development and the strengthening of practices informed by continuous learning. MLPP promotes innovative and adaptive approaches to support operational work, address emerging challenges and advance the effective implementation of human rights. Its functions include leading the development and implementation of human rights policies and methodologies; facilitating knowledge management and exchange; and designing and coordinating learning and training activities, with a strong focus on operational practice and the consistent application of quality standards.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.