Internship-Disability/Eye care/SDR/NCD/UCN

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

To advance health equity for persons with disabilities as part of the implementation of the WHA 74.8 resolution on the highest attainable standard of care for persons with disabilities and to contribute to the realization of the WHO SPECS Initiative on eye care.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Terms of reference
Under the supervision of a technical expert in the respective area, the intern is assigned the agreed terms of reference:

• undertake a review of the literature on existing research frameworks on disability,
• analyze data collected through the WHO Model Disability Survey in Chile and Georgia
• assist in drafting, formatting and editing documents related to the implementation of the WHO Guide for Action on disability inclusion in two countries,
• assist in reviewing the literature and drafting documents related to the WHO SPECS Initiative

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 WHO programmes for disability and eye care,
• Communicate clearly about eye care, disability and health equity for persons with disabilities,
• Understand the difference of work between headquarters, regional offices and country offices,
• Improve skills in conducting literature reviews,
• Prepare documents such as concept notes and meeting minutes in the context of WHO country work on disability and eye care

DURATION OF INTERNSHIP

2 months

Tentative start date: July 2023

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Have completed the equivalent of three years of full-time studies in any field related to medicine, public health, disability studies, statistics or international development 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 (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).

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 R may be an advantage.

Experience

• Experience in research and at least 2 published peer-reviewed manuscripts
• Experience in disability through research, academic work or volunteer activities
• Experience in conduct of online meetings through use of video-conferencing software
• Experience in development of social media content

Languages

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French. 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 Geneva, the maximum amount of the allowance provided by WHO is CHF 1620 per month. 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 Geneva will receive a lumpsum of CHF 15 for each working day to buy lunch at 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 details
• 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 put the WHO Values Charter into 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.