Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, is committed to promoting gender equality and empowering women globally, working to eliminate discrimination and achieve equality between women and men in all areas of life. The organization leads and coordinates efforts within the United Nations system to ensure that gender equality commitments are realized, providing strong leadership and fostering partnerships with civil society and other stakeholders. 

Women’s Economic Empowerment Unit 

Women’s Economic Empowerment (WEE) is central to UN Women’s Strategic Plan 2026-2029, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that focus on gender equality, decent work, poverty reduction, and inclusive growth. In the Asia-Pacific region, UN Women’s initiatives aim to advance gender-responsive business practices, transform the care economy, support women entrepreneurs, and promote gender-responsive markets for climate action. These efforts are integrated with broader work in sectors such as climate change, ending violence against women, and humanitarian action. 

One of the major private sector initiatives in the WEE unit is the Gender Action Lab: Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia-Pacific, powered by the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). Established by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), in partnership with the Government of Australia through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), the UN Women Gender Action Lab (GAL): Innovation and Impact for Gender Equality in Asia-Pacific aims to foster private sector innovations and concrete actions that advance gender equality and women’s empowerment and build more inclusive economies across the region. In collaboration with the private sector, GAL identifies, pilots and scales up multi-stakeholder partnership initiatives aligned with, and harnessing the WEPs. This includes thematic innovation labs, on country and regional level, incubators and accelerators, policy labs, applied research initiatives and other partnership support initiatives. GAL also generates new data and evidence and provides technical assistance to advance policy, investment and ecosystem development for gender transformative innovations. Implemented in Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, with additional activities across the Asia-Pacific for an initial period of 2024-2028, GAL is envisioned to grow in a long-term, multi-stakeholder and multi-donor platform.

Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards

A key activity within the Gender Action Lab is organizing and delivering the biannual Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards. UN Women drives private sector action for gender equality and WEE by promoting commitment to and implementation of the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs), the key framework through which UN Women engages with businesses and key ecosystem players, including chambers of commerce, business associations and government bodies, to accelerate progress on gender equality. Launched in 2010 by UN Women and UN Global Compact, the WEPs are a set of 7 principles guiding private sector action for gender equality across the value chain, beginning with leadership and providing guidance for the workplace, marketplace and community, underpinned by a strong emphasis on accountability and transparent reporting of progress. To date, more than 12,500 companies have signed the WEPs globally, of which over 3,200 are in Asia-Pacific.

Aiming to showcase the best practices of these companies and mobilize further action, in alignment with the WEPs, the Awards recognize exemplary business action for gender equality and women’s empowerment. As the only regional awards initiative recognizing private sector action for gender equality aligned to the WEPs, the Awards offer a unique opportunity for organizations to showcase their work in a diverse range of areas relevant to women’s empowerment. Over four cycles between 2020 and 2024, the Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards has received over 2,100 applications from 1500+ organisations across 20 Asia-Pacific countries. The actions of more than 300 leaders, business associations, companies, and SMEs have been recognized. The full suite of past Awardees can be found at https://www.asiapacificwepsawards.org/. 

The 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards launched on April 21, 2026 and will run through December 2026. Managed from the Regional Office, the Awards engages UN Women Country offices across the region. In parallel to the Regional process, National Awards processes will take place in 2026 in Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The full process includes calling for applications, application review and shortlisting, judging, final recognition at an Awards ceremony, and post-Awards communications. 

The ROAP WEE unit is seeking a proactive, driven and energetic intern to join the growing team and provide support primarily for the 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards but also across a range of programme activities under the Gender Action Lab, under the overall supervision of the Programme Management Specialist, WEE.

Description of Responsibilities

  • Support review of applications and due diligence for the 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards
  • Provide support for the UN Women 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards in the lead up to the Regional Ceremony (expected in early December) including drafting invitations letters, contributing to meetings with the event organizing agency, notifying Awardees and supporting the coordination of ceremony logistics
  • Contribute to GAL communications activities, including drafting of newsletters, impact stories and WEPs Case studies, and support development of posts and visual assets (using Canva) for social media campaigns showcasing GAL’s work at regional and country level
  • Contribute to outreach efforts by documenting key highlights, success stories, and event summaries for internal and external communication purposes, in line with UN Women guidance.
  • Develop presentation decks and inputs to briefing materials and talking points for GAL events
  • Compile and organize information generated through workshops, consultations, meetings, briefings and partner engagements to support institutional memory and programme follow-up 
  • Liaise with and provide support to GAL country teams and other partners as assigned by supervisor, especially to provide technical guidance for WEPs Awards application review and scoring
  • Support the planning, coordination and implementation of GAL activities, especially the 2026 Asia-Pacific WEPs Awards Regional Ceremony. This may include Drafting invitations letters, contributing to meetings with the event organizing agency, notifying Awardees and supporting the coordination of ceremony logistics and assisting in managing participant registration, invitations, scheduling, confirmations and routine logistical communication with partners, speakers and service providers.
  • Actively participate in and contribute to team meetings
  • Perform other tasks as assigned by supervisor

Learning Objectives

  • Increase understanding of UN Women’s work and the UN system
  • Gain knowledge and understanding of issues related to WEE and private sector action for gender equality
  • Build and develop professional relationships with UN Women colleagues and colleagues from other UN agencies
  • Work as a team member in a multicultural setting and develop professional relationships with UN Women colleagues and colleagues from other UN agencies
  • Develop skills in communications and multi-stakeholder partnership and event management

Competencies

Core Values:

  • Respect for Diversity
  • Integrity
  • Professionalism

Core Competencies:

  • Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
  • Accountability
  • Creative Problem Solving
  • Effective Communication
  • Inclusive Collaboration
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies: 

  • Knowledge of the subject of women’s economic empowerment;
  • Excellent organizational and time management skills;
  • Ability to work with different actors, including through remote contact;
  • Ability to multi-task and address competing priorities;
  • Ability to work effectively in independent and collaborative settings;
  • Ability to take initiatives, ask questions, and contribute substantively;
  • Strong computer skills, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Ability to use basic functions of Excel to analyze and visualize data and findings
  • Strong research, writing and critical analysis skills
  • Excellent communications skills, with ability to communicate with diverse stakeholders and especially the private sector;
  • Ability and willingness to work as part of a team to meet tight deadlines and produce high-quality work.
  • Proficiency in using Canva for digital design is an asset.

Qualifications

Education:

  • University studies in one of the following disciplines: gender studies, development studies, international affairs, business, economics or other related fields. 
  • Applicants must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

a) Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);

b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);

c) Be enrolled in a mandatory national service programme of which the internship may form a part;

d) Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within two-years of graduation.

Language:

  • Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English are required; 
  • Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Renumeration: 

Interns who are not in receipt of financial support from other sources such as universities or other institutions will receive a stipend from UN Women to partially subsidize their basic living costs for the duration of the internship.

Application Information: 

  • All applicants must complete their application online;
  • Due to the high volume of applications received, we can ONLY contact successful candidates;
  • Successful candidate will be required to provide proof of enrollment in a valid health insurance plan at the duty station of the internship, proof of school enrollment or degree, a scanned copy of their passport/national ID and a copy of a valid visa (as applicable).

Statements:

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion: 

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process

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Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.