Internship with Social Policy and Governance Section, UNICEF Viet Nam (For Vietnamese Nationals only)

Under the direct supervision Parliamentarian Governance Specialist and overall guidance by Chief of Social Policy and Governance Section, the intern will provide support to roll out of the U-report and other programme activities in contribution to roll out of the child rights monitoring project.

Organizational Context  

UNICEF is a UN agency specialized in child rights promotion and protection. Across all its programmes, UNICEF Viet Nam is providing support to policy development, legal reform, and improving social services. Building the country’s capacity in child-sensitive law making, quality service delivery and improving the data quality and how it is used are important strategies for UNICEF to help children in Viet Nam. In the context of a Middle-Income Viet Nam, UNICEF’s role, and the UN’s, is shifting away from service delivery and substitution for Government actions, to more of a technical assistance role, helping Government develop its capacity, its systems and its institutions to design, implement, monitor and evaluate equity-based interventions to improve the lives of children. 

The UNICEF Viet Nam Country Programme for 2017-2021 will support the achievement of selected SEDP priorities, related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets, and it will complement the One Strategic Plan between the Government and UN system agencies that will continue with a delivering-as-one (DaO) approach for the period 2017-2021 and is aligned to UNICEF Strategic Plan 2014-2017. With equity as the fundamental principle, social policies and governance programme serve as an overarching umbrella for the country programme strategic intent. The Social Policy and Governance (SPG) programme supports the implementation of programme component one focusing on Accountability and System Building for Child Rights and Protection which responds to a fragmented enabling environment and limited accountability of state actors resulting in weak institutional capacity to promote and protect child rights and in particularly the absence of a functioning child protection system. Three core results areas of the SPG programme are: (1) Improved national capacity to monitor and oversee child rights related legislations, policies and programmes in line with CRC and other international treaties related to child rights; (2) Enhanced national capacity for child rights focused, inclusive and equitable cross-sectoral planning and public finance management; and (3) inclusive and equitable child focused social protection policies and programmes are established and coordinated to respond to multi-dimensional child poverty and vulnerabilities. 

Efforts to improve national capacity to monitor and oversee child rights related legislations, policies and programmes in line with CRC and other international treaties related to child rights with be made under the frameworks of two important projects including: (1) Strengthening elected officials’ capacity in protecting and promoting children’s rights in Việt Nam and (2) Strengthening the capacity of MOLISA and line ministries to protect and Promote Children’s Rights in Việt Nam. UNICEF works with various National Assembly‘s committees to build their capacity to develop, adopt, amend the constitution, to make and amend laws, and to oversee all activities of the State, with a focus on child rights promotion and protection at legislative level. UNICEF also works with MOLISA and relating line ministries to effectively address their institutional gaps on child rights such as lack of systematic and institutionalised mechanisms for monitoring and reporting child rights issues which hinders child rights implementation.  Especially, UNICEF will also seek partnership with the Youth Union to strengthen their capacity to undertake a newly assigned role which is to represent children and follow up government’s actions on addressing children’s raised concerns and proposed recommendations. UNICEF is currently facilitating the application of U-report, a web based program designed to empower young people to speak out on issues that they care about in their communities, encourage citizen-led development and create positive change.

Purpose of the internship

Under the direct supervision Parliamentarian Governance Specialist and overall guidance by Chief of Social Policy and Governance Section, the intern will provide support to roll out of the U-report and other programme activities in contribution to roll out of the child rights monitoring project. Detailed description of tasks are as follows:

1. Systematic programme support provided for smooth implementation of programme activities

• Support data collection and analysis, preparation of policy briefs and correspondence with U-reporters
• Assists formatting, illustration and reproduction of documents, reports, presentations, briefings, speeches and letters.
• Support to monitor project implementation progress
• Provide support to counterparts to organise activities in meeting UNICEF standards
• Respond to internal and external request for information.

 2. Information and discussions well recorded; and translation and interpretation provided to support communication with partners

• Provides logistical arrangements at meetings, workshops and take minutes.
• Translates documents, and provides translation service at meetings and workshops as required.
• Provides financial inputs in project implementation progress reports.

 3. Correspondence drafted and communication with partners efficiently assisted to support programme implementation

• Assists in preparing correspondences ensuring the right format, attachments and addresses for sending out to external audiences;
• Drafts routine memos and letters as requested by the direct supervisor;
• Types and provides brief translation on incoming letters, documents as required.
• Provide support as per guidance of the supervisor to roll out U-report.

Start date: 24 July – 23 November 2017

Duration: 4 months

Qualifications: 

• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree programme in business or public administration, social sciences, education or related field.
• Have excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records
• Have a communication academic background is an advantage
• Fluency in English and Vietnamese is required.
• Vietnamese National.
• Knowledge of relevant computer systems and applications; excellent knowledge of MS Office is required.

Salary/Payment: UNICEF will not pay for services provided by an intern and all the expenses connected with these services must be borne by the intern. There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

How to apply? 

The candidates for internship should send the Personal History Form (UN Personal History Form), a letter of interest, and two letters of recommendation (can be from employers, internships, university professor, etc.), proof of excellent academic performance/transcript through recent university or institution records. They will also need to provide proof of medical and life insurance.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Our core values are Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and our Core Competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.