OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control (DPC) supports Member States of the WHO Western Pacific Region in achieving healthier populations and in the prevention and control of disease through integrated, evidence-based and equity-focused public health action. The Division’s strategic objective is to reduce the burden of communicable diseases (including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, sexually transmitted infections, malaria and other vector-borne diseases, and neglected tropical diseases), vaccine-preventable diseases (such as polio and measles), noncommunicable diseases (such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, and oral and sensory health conditions) and mental health conditions, to improve maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, and to address the broader determinants of health through multisectoral collaboration and life-course approaches. This work is aligned with WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14) and the Western Pacific Region’s strategic vision, “Weaving Health for Families, Communities and Societies in the Western Pacific Region (2025–2029)”.

To deliver on this mandate, the Division works to promote health and prevent disease through effective policies, health promotion and community engagement; to strengthen national capacities for the surveillance, prevention, control and elimination of communicable and noncommunicable diseases; to advance maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and well-being through integrated continuum-of-care interventions across the life course; to ensure food safety and improved nutrition; to promote mental health and address substance use through integrated and culturally appropriate interventions; to tackle the social, economic and commercial determinants of health and promote healthy settings; and to support countries in achieving universal health coverage and resilient health systems through integrated service delivery and primary health care.

The Division brings together multidisciplinary technical units and cross-cutting teams working across health promotion and policy, nutrition and food safety, social determinants and healthy settings, noncommunicable diseases, mental health and substance use, communicable disease prevention and control, vaccine-preventable diseases and immunization, and maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health, supported by integrated surveillance, laboratory strengthening and communication for health. This internship is a division-wide opportunity: candidates are selected into a shared applicant pool and may be assigned to one of the Division’s technical units, in accordance with organizational priorities and the intern’s academic background, interests and learning objectives.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Terms of reference

Under the supervision of a technical expert in the relevant area of work, and in alignment with the priorities and research agenda of the Division, the intern is assigned the agreed terms of reference and may focus on some or all of the following responsibilities, based on their interests and learning objectives and in consultation with their supervisor:

1. Research and Analysis

  • Conduct in-depth research on prioritized topics aligned with the Division’s mandate and research agenda.
  • Undertake literature reviews and structured literature surveys to synthesize existing evidence.
  • Apply appropriate research methodologies, including literature review, secondary data analysis, and, where applicable, qualitative approaches such as stakeholder consultations or interviews.
  • Collect, organize, manage and quality-assure data and related documentation to ensure accuracy and usability for analysis and reporting.

2. Technical Material Development

  • Contribute to the development of technical tools, guidelines, standards, and other knowledge products relevant to the Division’s work.
  • Support drafting, formatting, and editing of technical and policy outputs, including briefs, toolkits, guides, manuals, reports, and communication materials, ensuring consistency with WHO standards and style.

3. Knowledge Dissemination and Communication

  • Prepare and present findings in various formats and contribute to outputs for wider dissemination, including reports and publications.
  • Translate technical information into clear, accessible content to support communication and outreach.

4. Participation in Projects and Meetings

  • Contribute to ongoing projects within the unit and support the organization and documentation of meetings and events.
  • Actively engage in meetings as both a learner and contributor, gaining exposure and providing inputs where appropriate.

5. Professional Development and Learning

  • Engage in continuous learning through participation in training sessions, technical briefings, and workshops relevant to the assigned area of work.
  • Network with professionals within the organization and the broader community to enhance understanding and professional development.

6. Reporting, Monitoring and Evaluation

  • Report regularly on progress and outputs to the assigned supervisor.
  • Participate in periodic reviews to assess progress toward learning objectives and contributions to the Division’s work.

Learning objectives

The purpose of the WHO Internship Programme is to provide an enriching learning experience for students and recent graduates. The Learning Objectives outlined within each internship vacancy are a key component of the programme.

Within this internship, the intern will:

  • Understand the objectives of the Division and of the assigned area of work

  • Communicate clearly about the programme and area of work

  • Understand the difference of work between headquarters, regional offices and country offices

  • Know how to conduct and review literature surveys

  • Know how to assemble data and prepare a comprehensive analysis

  • Prepare background documents for meetings

  • Develop the outline of a document

DURATION OF INTERNSHIP
12 to 24 weeks, on a full-time basis. The tentative start date will be agreed with the selected candidate in consultation with the receiving technical unit and is expected to be after September 2026.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education
Have completed the equivalent of three years of full-time studies at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; AND in a course of study at a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification (applicants who have already graduated may also qualify for consideration provided that they apply to the internship within six months after completion of their formal qualification) in the area of public health, medicine, nursing, epidemiology, health policy and systems, social and behavioural sciences, nutrition and food safety, environmental health, or health communications .

Skills
Core competencies

  • Team work
  • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
  • Communication

All interns should be able to demonstrate the following skills in line with the WHO core competencies:

  • Communicating effectively orally and in writing
  • Showing willingness to learn from mistakes
  • Producing and delivering quality results
  • Working collaboratively with team members

In addition, interns need to be familiar with commonly used computer programmes, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint. Knowledge of specialized computer programmes, for example, statistical software such as XLStat may be an advantage.

Experience

  • Experience in research and/or in drafting reports
  • Experience in the subject area through academic work or research
  • Field and/or developing country experience
  • Experience with data analysis, statistical packages and interest in the design of graphical display and analysis of health information in an international comparative perspective, such as for health system performance assessment
  • More specific experience such as specialized computer programmes

Languages
Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of other UN language.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Interns do not receive a salary. They do however receive a living allowance. The allowance depends on the duty station and other external support (grant, scholarships, etc.) received by the intern. In Manila, the maximum amount of the allowance provided by WHO is USD 35.80 per day to be paid in local currency (PHP). The exact amount of the living allowance will be calculated for each intern, after selection, based on a legal financial disclosure form that the individual will complete. In addition, all interns in Manila will receive a lumpsum amount of USD 5 for each working day to buy lunch at the WHO Campus or elsewhere. WHO also provides all interns with accident and medical insurance coverage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Please note that internships at WHO are very competitive and only a small number of applicants will be accepted every year. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
  • Living abroad is expensive and finding accommodation can be challenging. All intern candidates should be aware of these factors before they consider applying for a WHO Internship.
  • If selected for a WHO Internship, candidates will be required to provide certified copies of proof of enrolment in an eligible course of studies, a completed WHO medical certificate of fitness for work, and the contact details for reference checks.
  • Interns are not eligible to take up a consultant or other non-staff contract in WHO for a period of three months following the end of the internship. However, no such restriction applies to temporary or longer-term staff positions if the vacancy has been advertised and a competitive process completed.

  • WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to putthe WHO Values Charterinto practice.

  • WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

  • The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

  • The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply.

  • Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

  • WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

  • Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int

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