Internship with the HIV Health and Development

Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan and help countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.? BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. The HIV, Health and Development Group is part of BPPS and supports UNDP’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan and countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda and making sure no one is left behind.

UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. UNDP’s work on HIV, health and development, as described in the HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: Connecting the Dots, leverages UNDP’s core strengths and mandates in human development, governance and capacity development to complement the efforts of specialist health-focused UN agencies. UNDP delivers three types of support to countries in HIV, health and development.

First, UNDP helps countries to mainstream attention to HIV and health into action on gender, poverty and the broader effort to achieve and sustain the Sustainable Development Goals.? For example, UNDP works with countries to understand the social and economic factors that play a crucial role in driving health and disease, and to respond to such dynamics with appropriate policies and programmes outside the health sector. UNDP also promotes specific action on the needs and rights of women and girls as they relate to HIV.

Second, UNDP works with partners to address the interactions between governance, human rights and health responses. Sometimes this is done through focused or specialized programmes, such as promoting attention to the role of the law and legal environments in facilitating stronger HIV responses, including the use of flexibilities in intellectual property law to lower the cost of drugs and diagnostics. UNDP also works to empower and include marginalized populations who are disproportionately affected by HIV, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and people living with HIV. Beyond these focused efforts, UNDP plays a key role in ensuring attention to HIV and health within broader governance and rights initiatives, including support to municipal action on SDGs, sustainable responses for Health and HIV such as improving sustainability of AIDS financing, sustainable health procurement, strengthening of national human rights institutions and increasing access to justice for key populations.

Third, as a trusted, long-term partner with extensive operational experience, UNDP supports countries in effective implementation of complex, multilateral and multisectoral health projects, while simultaneously investing in capacity development so that national and local partners can assume these responsibilities over time. The UNDP/Global Fund partnership is an important part of this work, facilitating access to resources for action on SDG 3 by countries that face constraints in directly receiving and managing such funding.? UNDP partners with countries in crisis/post-crisis situations, those with weak institutional capacity or governance challenges, and countries under sanctions. When requested, UNDP acts as temporary Principal Recipient in these settings, working with national partners and the Global Fund to improve management, implementation and oversight of Global Fund grants, while simultaneously developing national capacity to be able to assume the Principal Recipient role over time.

Objective of the assignment: Provide support to the HIV Health and Development Team, specifically in two or more of these areas:

1. Promoting gender equality and empowerment of women and girls for better health outcomes;
2. Inclusion of key populations at risk of HIV and other excluded groups including LGBTI people;
3. Enabling legal, policy and regulatory environments for HIV and health;
4. Strengthening governance to address NCDs and accelerate tobacco control;
5. Sustainable financing for HIV and health;
6. Implementation support and capacity development for large-scale health programmes; and
7. Planetary health (looking at the nexus of environmental degradation and health).

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the Direct Supervisor, the intern(s) will undertake the following:

• Provide support for development of briefing notes, speeches, and communication materials.
• Contribute to the preparation of articles for UNDP publications, website, newsletters, power point presentations and press releases.
• Provide support for the organization of workshops, seminars and brown-bags to disseminate knowledge across various organizations and within UNDP.
• Research and writing to support the development of knowledge products being developed by the cluster including, guidance notes, discussion papers, fast facts, FAQs, briefing notes, country case studies and related presentation and policy materials on HIV and the law, with a focus on the range of substantive issues under the HIV Health and Development Team (see areas mentioned above):

Evaluation:

The successful candidate(s) will be advised of his/her selection within 2 weeks of being interviewed.

Competencies

Competencies:

• Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards;
• Advocates and promotes the vision, mission and strategic goals of UNDP;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Treats all people fairly without favoritism;
• Able to communicate clearly verbally and through email;
• Computer literate with a working knowledge of data analysis and info-graphic tools and a willingness to learn new applications.
• Strong research and writing skills;
• Knowledge of gender, human rights, sexual minorities issues;
• Editing skills are helpful; and
• Knowledge in HIV, Health and development issues.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Qualified candidates must be:

1. Currently enrolled in a graduate school programme as a full-time student in Public Health, Law or Development Studies or another relevant and other related topics) (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or
2. Enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent);
3. Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
4. Available to work for a period of 3-6 months. Applicants available for a minimum of three months and up to six months are preferred;
5. Applicants must state their availability. Some flexibility will be allowed in the starting date and days worked per week.

Experience:

• Some experience working in HIV, health, and/or development with extensive academic training in related areas;
• Experience in the development and conduct of research and writing assignments;
• Experience in data analysis and presentation;
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in both written and spoken English.
• Knowledge of other UN language, an asset.

Internship conditions:

1. UNDP internship programme does not provide a salary or remuneration for the internship;
2. All the expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern, sponsoring Government or institution;
3. UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
4. The intern is responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed;
5. Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship;
6. The intern must provide proof of enrollment in health insurance plan;
7. Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.

GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION:

All the required documents should be compiled into one file and should contain the following:

• A completed UNDP internship application form;
• A copy of the applicant’s most recent resume or curriculum vitae;
• A letter from his/her university confirming current enrollment and graduation date;
• A copy of his/her school transcript;
• A letter of recommendation from a professor;
• A signed UNDP Internship Agreement;
• A Medical Certificate of Good Health;
• A proof of medical insurance including provision for medical evacuation and removal of mortal remains or life insurance; and
• A copy of passport and US Visa.