Org. Setting and Reporting

The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) provides political and executive direction to United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world and maintains contact with the Security Council, troop and financial contributors, and parties to the conflict in the implementation of Security Council mandates. The Department works to integrate the efforts of United Nations, governmental and non-governmental entities in the context of peace operations. The Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI), within DPO deploys peacekeepers who, as early peacebuilders, assist conflict-affected countries in re-establishing the rule of law and security institutions necessary to build and sustain peace. It includes five components: Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Section; Justice and Corrections Service; Police Division; Security Sector Reform Unit; and the UN Mine Action Service. This position is located in the DPO OROLSI Justice and Corrections Service (JCS) and is based in Geneva.

JCS serves as a centre of expertise on justice, corrections and related rule of law areas within the United Nations Secretariat and supports the work of justice and corrections components in United Nations peace operations and other United Nations entities. It assists host countries to deliver essential justice and prison services, strengthen criminal justice systems, and facilitate rule of law reforms. Find more at https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/justice-and-corrections.

The objective of an internship at the United Nations is to give a first-hand impression of the day-to-day working environment of the United Nations. The intern will be given opportunities to work directly with UN DPO staff and be exposed to consultations and meetings and contribute to initiatives of the United Nations. In this internship at DPO/OROLSI/JCS in Geneva, you will also be exposed to briefings on the work of the UN, DPO and components of OROLSI.

The internship is for a minimum period of three months up to six months. The internship is UNPAID and may be either full-time or part-time. It should be noted that full-time internship working hours are 35 hours per week, while part-time internship working hours are 20 hours per week. The internship will be undertaken either remotely outside the duty station or in a hybrid working arrangement at the UN Premise, New York, United States.

Responsibilities

Within delegated authority, the Intern will support the substantive work of the Justice and Corrections Service, with a focus on communications to support its work within peace operations and non-mission settings.

The Intern may have the following duties and functions:
• Assist in advocacy and outreach activities to internal and external audiences.
• Research, compile, draft and edit basic information for use in the preparation and production of communications and public information materials, including with graphic design and for social media.
• Assist with monitoring of media coverage of DPO Justice and Corrections and international relations issues.
• Assist with projects related to justice and corrections including conducting research, analysis and drafting of project proposals, case studies and background papers and administrative coordination.
• Support staff and attend meetings with donors, Permanent Missions, UN Secretariat entities, Agencies, Funds and Programmes, NGOs, civil society and other multilateral meetings; this includes planning, developing, producing agendas, briefing papers, summary notes, etc;
• Conduct research and prepare analysis on other issues and current developments related to the work of DPO, OROLSI and JCS, including those related to the Secretary-General’s Action for Peacekeeping (A4P) initiative and Women, Peace and Security (WPS).
• Support initiatives related to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and in particular those related to the UN Geneva Working Group on Addressing Racism in the Workplace and the Report of the Secretary-General’s Task Force on Addressing Racism and Promoting Dignity for All in the United Nations Secretariat.
• Perform any other functions as requested by the supervisor.

Competencies

Professionalism:
– Shows pride in work and in achievements
– Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter
– Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results
– Motivated by professional rather than personal concerns
– Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems or challenges
– Remains calm in stressful situations.

Communication
-Speaks and writes clearly and effectively.
-Listens to others, correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately.
-Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
-Asks questions to clarify and exhibits interest in having two-way communication.
-Tailors’ language, tone, style, and format to match the audience.

Teamwork
-Solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others.
-Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals.
-Places team agenda before personal agenda.
-Supports and acts in accordance with final group decision, even when such decisions may not entirely reflect own position.
-Shares credit for team accomplishments and accepts joint responsibility for team shortcomings.

Education

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship
Programme, the following conditions must be met:
• Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
(a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree
or equivalent, or higher); or,
(b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree
programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent)

• Be computer literate in standard software applications;
• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and
• Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Work Experience

No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of French is an advantage. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Assessment

Evaluation of qualified candidates may include an assessment exercise which may be followed by competency-based interview.

Special Notice

The United Nations Secretariat is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance and geographical diversity in its staff. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

The United Nations does not financially remunerate interns. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. For internships in the United States of America, interns who are not United States citizens, permanent residents, or not currently in the United States on a non-immigrant visa status will be required to obtain a G-4 visa. If already in the United States of America on another non-immigrant visa status other than G-4, interns will be responsible for ensuring that they have a valid visa and, if required, employment authorization, allowing them to undertake the internship. For internships outside the United States, interns who are not citizens of the country, permanent residents, or not currently in the country’s non-immigrant visa status will be required to obtain a valid visa and work permit, allowing them to undertake the internship.

Applicants who are children or siblings (including stepchildren, half-siblings, or stepsiblings) of a staff member and sons or daughters-in-law may not be engaged as an intern.

In your Motivational Statement, please indicate when you would like to start your internship. Please note that start and end dates are flexible.
A completed online application is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Motivational Statement must also include:
• Title of degree you are currently pursuing.
• Graduation Date (When will you be graduating/have graduated from the programme?)
• Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship
• Explain your interest in the United Nations Internship Programme

In your online Personal History Profile, be sure to include all past work experiences, IT skills, and three references.

Due to the high volume of applications received, we can ONLY contact successful candidates.

United Nations Considerations

According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The United Nations places no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs. The United Nations Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.

Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

Applicants are urged to follow carefully all instructions available in the online recruitment platform, inspira. For more detailed guidance, applicants may refer to the Manual for the Applicant, which can be accessed by clicking on “Manuals” hyper-link on the upper right side of the inspira account-holder homepage.

The evaluation of applicants will be conducted on the basis of the information submitted in the application according to the evaluation criteria of the job opening and the applicable internal legislations of the United Nations including the Charter of the United Nations, resolutions of the General Assembly, the Staff Regulations and Rules, administrative issuances and guidelines. Applicants must provide complete and accurate information pertaining to their personal profile and qualifications according to the instructions provided in inspira to be considered for the current job opening. No amendment, addition, deletion, revision or modification shall be made to applications that have been submitted. Candidates under serious consideration for selection will be subject to reference checks to verify the information provided in the application.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.