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Intern – Nutrition for Health and Development

Geneva

  • Organization: WHO - World Health Organization
  • Location: Geneva
  • Grade: Internship - Internship
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • Nutrition
    • HQ/NHD Nutrition for Health and Development
  • Closing Date: Closed

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

In April 2016, the UN General Assembly, through its Resolution 70/259, endorsed the outcomes of the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) and proclaimed the period from 2016 to 2025 the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition. WHO has a strategic role in co-leading the Decade, and in fostering and strengthening nutrition in international forums and processes.

The objective of the Nutrition Decade is to accelerate implementation of the ICN2 commitments, achieve the Global Nutrition and diet-related noncommunicable disease targets by 2025, and contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Terms of reference

Under direct supervision, the intern will support the delivery of activities related to the area of work as follows\:

  1. Support the Office of the Director in the implementation of the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition which reaches its mid-term in 2020. The mid-term review (MTR) will assess and evaluate the achievements in individual policy areas of the ICN2 Framework for Action as reflected in the Work Programme of the Decade. Several tasks will be supported, including\:

    1. the preparatory processes of the mid-term review

    2. preparation of background documents

    3. the convening of consultations with various stakeholders

    4. the organization of online consultation

    5. regular updating the Nutrition Decade website

    6. the development of infographics and other communication tools.

  1. Support the Office of the Director in fostering and strengthening nutrition in international forums and processes, including the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition (UNSCN), the partnership with FAO on the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, and the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). Several tasks will be supported, including\:

    1. preparing contributions to the CFS Advisory Group

    2. supporting WHO contributions to the process of developing CFS Voluntary Guidelines for nutrition and food systems based on the expert and normative work of WHO on effective policies and programmes shaping food environments and food systems supporting healthy diets that are sustainably produced.

These terms of references include the following responsibilities\:

  • review literature and conduct literature surveys
  • undertake web research on the six action areas of the work programme of the Nutrition Decade
  • organize related information in documents
  • assist in drafting, formatting and editing policy briefs, tool kits, guides/manuals, hand-outs, brochures and reports
  • assist in organizing workshops, meetings, conferences, events and online consultations
  • participate in telephone and video conferences, draft meeting notes
  • participate in on-going departmental projects

Learning objectives

The internship will provide the following learning objectives\:

  • To understand the objectives of the work of nutrition in the World Health Organization

  • To gain an understanding of the WHO Global Nutrition data bases, including the e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA) and the Global database on the Implementation of Nutrition Action (GINA).

  • To be able to communicate clearly about the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition

  • To understand the difference of work between WHO headquarters, regional offices and country offices

  • To understand the difference in mandate in nutrition between the main UN agencies, and the relevance of WHO nutrition work to food system transformation for sustainable healthy diets

  • To learn how to conduct and review literature surveys

  • To learn how to prepare a project plan for an event, or for an online consultation

  • To learn how to update website content

  • To learn how to prepare background documents for meetings

INTERNSHIP PERIOD\:

20 January – 17 April 2020(13 weeks)

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Have completed at least three years of full-time studies (bachelor's level or equivalent) at a university or equivalent institution prior to commencing the assignment; AND be enrolled in a course of study at a university or equivalent institution leading to a formal qualification at master-level in global nutrition or public health nutrition, with a focus on nutrition and food security or a related area (applicants who have already graduated may also qualify for consideration provided that they apply the internship within six months after completion of their formal qualification).

Skills
Core competencies

  • Team work
  • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural difference
  • 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 in drafting reports
  • Experience in the subject area of nutrition and sustainable food systems through academic work or research
  • Experience in multisectoral approaches to nutrition
  • Field and/or developing country experience may be an advantage

Languages

Essential\: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable\: Intermediate knowledge of French or Spanish. Intermediate knowledge of Other UN language.

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Interns do not receive a salary. They do however receive a stipend. The stipend depends on the duty station and other external support (grant, scholarships, etc.) received by the intern. In Geneva, the maximum amount of the stipend provided by WHO is 1728 USD per month. The exact amount of the stipend will be calculated for each intern, after selection, based on a financial disclosure form that they will complete. In addition, all interns in Geneva will receive a daily lunch voucher of a value of CHF15 to be used on WHO campus during the working days. WHO is also providing all interns with an 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 successful candidates 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 a course of studies and a medical certificate of fitness for work.
  • Interns are not eligible for appointment to consultants position in WHO for a period of three months following the end of the internship. However, no such restriction apply to temporary or longer term staff positions if the vacancy has been advertised and a competitive process completed.
This vacancy is now closed.
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