Background
Internships for graduate students are available at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). These internships are intended to:
- increase the intern's understanding of current human rights issues at the international level and give them an insight into the work of the
United Nations and OHCHR in particular;
- provide OHCHR and the United Nations Human Rights mechanisms with the assistance and contribution of outstanding young students or graduates.
The relationship between the Organization and the intern is one of mutual benefit. Interns are assigned to an organizational unit of OHCHR according to the needs of the Office and their own areas of interest. They are involved, inter alia, in: researching human rights issues, drafting analytical papers and reports, providing substantive and technical servicing of meetings, backstopping fact-finding and technical cooperation activities as well as field operations and supporting other OHCHR activities, depending on the exigencies of the Office. As part of the internship programme, OHCHR endeavours to brief interns through a series of information sessions on human rights issues conducted by staff of the Office.
Eligibility
- graduate students and holders of graduate level degrees in disciplines related to the work of the United Nations, e.g. International Law,
Political Science, History, Social Sciences. Preference will be given to those, within these disciplines, who have specialized in human rights
issues.
- interns do not have previous working experience of this nature
- applicants must be sponsored by an academic institution
- must have a good command of at least two of the six official languages of the United Nations, i.e. English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
and Chinese. Drafting ability in either English or French is required
- you are currently enrolled in a Master or PhD (or similar programme) and will be during the entire internship, or
you are pursuing studies in a country where higher education is not divided into undergraduate and graduate stages, and you are currently
enrolled in your fifth year (or higher) at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a degree
- you are able to obtain the necessary visa and to arrange your travel to the United Nations
- you are able to cover the costs of travel, accommodation, as well as living expenses of the internship (approx. 1.800 chf/month)
- if selected, you will be able to prove valid medical insurance coverage for your stay in Switzerland, provide a medical certificate stating that
you are in good health and prove your enrollment in graduate studies.
Deadline: 30 April 2013
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