Internship - Policy and Legal Unit, Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific in Geneva

Organizational Unit: Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Policy and Legal unit

Duty station: Geneva, Switzerland

Duration of the internship: 3 - 6 months

Expected start date: 1 January 2019


Background information/Organizational Context

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. UNHCR¿s primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of these persons of concern and strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State.
The operational context of the Asia and Pacific region is characterized by large-scale displacement, mixed migration, long-term refugee situations, and conditions of statelessness. The Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific is responsible for providing strategic direction, coordination and oversight to Regional and Country Offices, managing the range of technical, logistical, legal, administrative, human resources and communications tools in the effective delivery of UNHCR¿s operational mandate, in order to mobilize and maintain support for persons of concern to the Organization.

Under the direct supervision of the Sr Policy Advisor heading the Policy and Legal unit, the incumbent will assist with the tasks listed below. On-the-job learning opportunities will be pursued where possible, as part the Internship.

Duties and Responsibilities

- Assist with the day-to-day work relating to the Asia and Pacific region (incl: policy, international protection, statelessness, Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment, Global Compact on Refugees)

- Attend meetings and take records thereof

- Ensure follow-up on specific issues

- Conduct research and support on topics to be agreed upon at the onset of the internship

- Prepare inputs into analytical documents on policy and operational topics

What the intern will learn

- A wide range of refugee issues
- Internal processes and inter-divisional collaboration in a large humanitarian organisation
- Inter-agency and cross-sectoral collaboration in a humanitarian context
- How to work with different UN organisations and partners
- Working in a multicultural, multilingual team.


Criteria for selection

- Completed University degree in International Law, Political Science, International Relations, Communications or a related field. Knowledge of refugee law, international protection and human rights is desirable.

- Fluency in English (written and spoken) essential


- Excellent communication and drafting skills

- Computer skills, particularly good command of Excel and PowerPoint

- Positive inter-personal skills, ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-functional team and environment

- Commitment to the mandate of UNHCR


Conditions

- The internship is full time (40 hours per week). Working hours are 8.30 am to 5.30 pm, Monday to Friday
- The intern will report to the Senior Policy Advisor Officer
- Applicants must be entitled to work in Switzerland

Eligibility

In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

- Recent graduate (those persons who completed their studies within one year of applying) or current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by UNESCO; and
- Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of the Organization.

Please note that candidates who have immediate relatives (father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister) working as staff members of UNHCR are not eligible.

Allowance

Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will receive an allowance to partially help to cover the cost of food, local transportation and living expenses.

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity. Please note that the closing date for applications to this internship is Monday 17 December 2018 (mid-night Geneva time).