Human Rights Affairs

Work Location

This internship is designed to be in person and remote but can be adjusted based on request by the successful candidate.

Expected duration

from 3 to 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

This announcement broadcasts international internship assignments with the Human Rights Treaties Branch (HRTB). As established by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 68/268, the Human Rights Treaties Branch supports the activities of the human rights treaty-bodies. The human rights treaty bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor implementation of the core international human rights treaties. Each State party to a treaty has an obligation to take steps to ensure that everyone in the State can enjoy the rights set out in the treaty. The treaty bodies perform a number of functions in accordance with the provisions of the treaties that established them. These might include consideration of States parties’ reports and individual complaints; conducting of country inquiries; adopting general comments and organizing thematic discussions to interpret the provisions of their treaty; attending the annual meeting of Chairpersons; and contributing to the treaty body strengthening process. The Treaty Body Capacity Building Programme carries out a variety of capacity building activities – online and in person – supporting the engagement of States and other stakeholders with UN human rights mechanisms. The Funds, with the advice of a Board of Trustees, award grants to civil society organizations worldwide to deliver medical, psychological, legal, social and other assistance to the victims of torture and victims of contemporary forms of slavery. All the treaty bodies, capacity building programme and both Funds receive support from the Secretariats of OHCHR based in Geneva. The internship is located in the Human Rights Treaties Branch. Daily responsibilities of the intern will depend on the area of assignment within the Section and the respective Secretariat supporting the Treaty Bodies, Treaty Body Capacity Building Program or the Funds, as well as on the individual’s background. Duties of the intern may include but are not limited to the following to helping service meetings of the human rights treaty bodies and their respective working groups or the meetings of the Board of Trustees of the Funds. In particular, the intern may: Prepare country and legal analysis and draft legal background papers for human rights treaty bodies, related to the State party reporting procedure and treaty body-based individual complaints procedure; Conduct research into and draft reports on the jurisprudence of the treaty bodies concerned; Assist with the handling of individual communications received under the different treaty body complaints procedures; Provide support in relation to inter-state communications submitted to the treaty bodies; Assist in the preparation of the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) country visits; Take notes during the sessions/pre-sessions, and provide support with administrative duties such as the preparation of documentation and reference files in advance of and during the session; Provide input to outreach and information tasks, including the Branch newsletter; Support the work of the Universal Human Rights Index (UHRI) and the treaty body documentation databases; Conduct research and develop training exercises for use in capacity building activities on reporting by States to the treaty bodies; Prepare the Weekly Human Rights Treaties Branch Update; Assist with preparation of reports and background papers for the General Assembly, the Human Rights Council (HRC) and the annual meeting of Chairpersons of the human rights treaty bodies; Support the organization of training activities and development of relevant training material; and Assist with evaluation of project proposals for funding; and Perform other duties as requested by the supervisor, as appropriate.

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, be 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. APPLICANTS ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE FOR PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAMME.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship fluency in English or French is required, knowledge of the other is an asset. Knowledge of another United Nations official language would be an advantage (i.e. Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Additional Information

Not available.

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.