Work Location

UN-House ESCWA

Expected duration

2 Months

Background: Each year, 1.35 million people lose their lives and an estimated 50 million persons are injured in road crashes worldwide. Road crashes are considered the leading cause of death in the 5–29 years age group. Around 93 per cent of these fatalities occur in low-income and middle-income countries, thus increasing by their high cost the development burden of these countries, averaging $1.7 trillion per year, or about 6 per cent of their gross domestic product (GDP), according to the World Bank estimates. Recognizing the importance of the issue of road crashes, Governments worldwide unanimously declared, through General Assembly resolution 74/299 of 2 September 2020, a second decade of action for road safety, 2021–2030, aimed at decreasing the number of fatalities and injuries by at least 50 per cent during this period. The five United Nations regional commissions collaborated with the World Health Organization to prepare the Global Plan for the Decade of Action for Road Safety 2021–2030 as a frame of reference to inspire national and local governments and other stakeholders who can influence road safety issues (such as civil society, academia, the private sector, donors, and community and youth leaders), as they develop action plans and national and local goals for the Decade of Action. General Assembly resolution 74/299 invites Member States to further invest in road safety at all levels, including by allocating appropriate dedicated budgets for institutional and infrastructural improvements for road safety. Within ESCWA program of work 3, it is necessary to carry regular updates on the status of road safety in the Arab region, and the lessons learned from its comparison with the rest of the world in view of preparing a parliamentary document on the subject to the meeting of ESCWA committee on Transport and Logistics. The present internship is required to support ESCWA staff in collecting information and data on the evolution of road safety in the Arab countries to analyse this evolution in comparison with the advanced countries and the rest of the world. Duties and Responsibilities: The Intern shall: – Extract information and data on the evolution of road safety in the Arab countries between 2000 and 2021. – Produce excel files, tables and figures, addressing the evolution of road safety in the Arab countries individually and enabling the comparison with the rest of the world. – Shed highlights on the main features of the evolution of road safety in the Arab region compared to the rest of the world. – Prepare a draft report in English with the main findings, in less than 30 pages. The duration of a United Nations internship is for a minimum of two months on a full-time basis – this may be exceptionally extended for a maximum period of six months.

Qualifications/special skills

To qualify for an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met: 1. Applicants must: (a) be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent); or (c) have graduated with a university degree (as defined above); 2. Applicants must: (a) be computer literate in standard software applications. (b) have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter; and (c) 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. No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Knowledge in road safety is required. Knowledge in Transport is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required, and fluency in Arabic is desirable. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

A completed online application must include, beside the mandatory Personal History Profile, a Cover Note mentioning the following: • Degree Programme (what are you currently studying?). • Graduation Date (when will you graduate or when did you graduate from the programme?). • List of the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in. • List of your top three areas of interest. • Explanation of why you are the best candidate for this specific internship. • Explanation of 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. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for the medical insurance of the intern or costs arising from injury, illness or death that may occur during an internship. Therefore, upon awarding an internship, candidates will be required to sign a statement confirming their understanding and acceptance of the conditions of service. Applicants for internship must show proof of valid medical insurance coverage to cover the full period of the internship at the duty station and provide a medical certificate of good health prior to the commencement of the internship. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to personal effects that may occur during the internship. This position allows for flexible working arrangements, contingent upon written agreement by the receiving entity. Interns under these arrangements must commit to an equivalent of at least two months full-time work and complete their internship within six months.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

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.