Human Rights – Intern (Hybrid)

Position description

The United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the Secretariat Department 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 intern, under the general guidance of a primary supervisor, will be assigned to the Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section (IPMS), located in the Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch (ENDB), based in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Indigenous Peoples and Minorities Section works to improve human rights protection for Indigenous Peoples and minorities at the international and national levels through strategies such as:

• Strengthening relevant legislation, policies and practices;
• Undertaking capacity building activities;
• Promoting the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities and other key human rights standards.

At the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the recruitment and employment of staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity, with due regard to geographic diversity. All employment decisions are made on the basis of qualifications and organizational needs.

The United Nations is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The United Nations recruits and employs staff regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, race, religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds or disabilities. Reasonable accommodation for applicants with disabilities may be provided to support participation in the recruitment process when requested and indicated in the application.

This internship is an unpaid and full-time engagement that provides a framework through which individuals from diverse academic backgrounds gain exposure to the work of the United Nations by way of their service within Secretariat entities.

Applicants should have:

• A demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations with a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter;
• The demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs – which includes willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for the United Nations Secretariat Internship Programme, applicants must, at the time of submission, be:

• A graduate or enrolled in a graduate school programme (i.e. Master’s degree or equivalent degree, or higher); or
• A graduate or enrolled in the final academic year of a first-level university degree programme (i.e. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree) preferably in the area of law, political science, international relations, social sciences or a related field; or
• Have graduated with a university degree as defined above AND, if selected, must commence the internship on the date specified in the Acceptance letter.

Additional qualifications include:

• Excellent communication and drafting skills;
• Strong analytical and research skills;
• Knowledge of human rights principles and international human rights mechanisms.

No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Secretariat Internship Programme. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.

Applicant must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (Bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. Programme. Please explain how you meet this criterion. Please note that you may be requested to provide a proof of enrolment and/or graduation at a later stage.

Good understanding of the human rights issues faced by the Indigenous Peoples and/or persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities is required. Exposure to addressing discrimination, including its intersectional aspects, is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship fluency in English is required (both oral and written), knowledge of French is an asset.

Knowledge of another United Nations official language would be an advantage (i.e. Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish). Knowledge of a minority or indigenous language would also be an advantage.

Application instructions

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