Application Deadline: Saturday, 2 May 2020
Internship – Human Rights (Regional), Pretoria, South Africa
Organization: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Country: South Africa
City: Pretoria, South Africa
Office: OHCHR Pretoria, South Africa
Grade: I-1
Organisational Setting and Reporting
The Office of the United Nations (UN) High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is the Secretariat department responsible for strengthening international human rights mechanisms; enhancing equality and countering discrimination; combating impunity and strengthening accountability and the rule of law; integrating human rights in development and in the economic sphere; widening the democratic space; and early warning and protection of human rights in situations of conflict, violence and insecurity.
This announcement broadcasts international internship assignments based with the OHCHR Southern Africa Regional Office (SARO). Established in 1998, the Southern Africa Regional Office assists States (i.e. government ministries, Parliaments, the judiciary and law enforcement agencies), United Nations agencies, national human rights institutions, and civil society organizations with the goal of achieving the full realization of human rights in the region. The Regional Office provides training, advisory and capacity-building services to stakeholders and covers fourteen (14) countries in the region, specifically: Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Eswatini (formerly Swaziland)), Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Further, the Office works closely with regional mechanisms, such as the African Union (AU) and sub-regional mechanisms, such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).
Based in Pretoria, South Africa, under the overall direction of the Regional Representative/Head of Office, the intern reports to the Human Rights Officer in the assigned work unit. The assignment shall be for an initial period of three (3) months, renewable for a combined period of six (6) months, upon further approval by the supervisor, and a scheduled commencement date during the first quarter of the coming year, ranging/starting from January 2020 to February 2020.
This internship is an UNPAID and full-time engagement that provides a framework through which students from diverse academic backgrounds gain exposure to the work of the United Nations by way of their service within Secretariat entities. Applicants should have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations with a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter, and have the demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs – which includes willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
APPLICANTS SHOULD INDICATE THEIR PRESENT MATRICULATION STATUS AND PERIOD OF AVAILABILITY IN THE APPLICATION COVER LETTER.
Responsibilities
The intern shall support OHCHR in fulfilling its mission: to work for the protection of all human rights for all people; to help empower people to realize their rights; and to assist those responsible for upholding such rights in ensuring that they are implemented.
Daily responsibilities of OHCHR SARO Human Rights interns will depend on the individual’s background and specific duties may include but are not limited to assisting with the preparation and organization of activities related to specific thematic and country aspects of the human rights situation in the sub-region, including from a gender perspective, and in particular, the intern may: Conduct substantive research and analysis and prepare analytical briefs and updates on specific thematic and/or country aspects of the human rights situation in the sub-region; Collect and analyze human rights data and indicators in the sub-region, including gender-specific data and indicators; Support activities to promote State party, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) engagement with human rights mechanisms and strengthening national mechanisms for reporting and follow up; Support engagement with UN country teams in the sub-region on human rights; Support engagement on early warning and humanitarian action in the sub-region; Provide support to engagement on human rights with relevant national and regional stakeholders in the sub-region, including follow-up on implementation of decisions rendered by policy-making, human rights and other relevant entities; Help promote human rights issues, including their gender equality dimensions considerations, and help ensure that they are integrated into political, humanitarian and economic efforts and programmes; Assist in the development and implementation of training programs in the field of human rights, international humanitarian law, democracy and the rule of law, with attention to gender perspectives, including follow-up on different cases and situations verified by the Regional Office; Serve as note-taker at meetings, drafting a variety of reports, communications, briefings, statements, et cetera, including to policy-making bodies; and Perform other duties requested by supervisor, as appropriate.
Competencies
PROFESSIONALISM: Shows pride in work and in achievements; Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of subject matter; Is conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results; Is 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; asks questions to clarify, and exhibits interest in having two-way communication; tailors language, tone, style and format to match the audience; demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed.
TEAMWORK: Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals; solicits input by genuinely valuing others’ ideas and expertise; is willing to learn from others; 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.
CLIENT ORIENTATION: Considers all those to whom services are provided to be ‘clients’ and seeks to see things from clients’ point of view; establishes and maintains productive partnerships with clients by gaining their trust and respect; identifies clients’ needs and matches them to appropriate solutions; monitors ongoing developments inside and outside the clients’ environment to keep informed and anticipate problems; keeps clients informed of progress or setbacks in projects; meets timeline for delivery of products or services to client.
Education
To qualify for the United Nations Secretariat internship programme applicants MUST, at the time of their submission, be enrolled in a graduate school programme (i.e. Master’s degree or equivalent degree, or higher) or in the final academic year of a first-level university degree programme (i.e. Bachelor’s degree or equivalent degree), preferably in the area of law, political science, international relations, social sciences or a related field, OR have graduated with a university degree as defined above AND, if selected, must commence the internship within a one-year period from the date of graduation.
Work Experience Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese is an asset.
Assessment
The respective OHCHR hiring office will directly contact short-listed candidates for an informal interview. Incomplete Personal History Profiles (PHPs) will not be reviewed. Furthermore, it is important that the cover letter You:
Specify your general interest in OHCHR, including in the work of the Southern Africa Regional Office (SARO);
Indicate recently obtained academic degree or the scheduled graduation for university study currently underway;
Specify your period of availability and earliest commencement date; and
Indicate information technology (IT) skills and programs in which you are proficient.
IN ADDITION TO SPECIFYING THREE REFERENCES IN THE SUBMISSION, APPLICANTS ARE ADVISED TO SUMMARIZE THEIR PRIMARY THEMATIC AND/OR GEOGRAPHICAL PILLARS AREA(S) OF INTEREST IN THE APPLICATION COVER LETTER.
Special Notice
FAMILY RELATIONS | A person who is the child or sibling of a staff member shall not be eligible to apply for an internship at the United Nations Secretariat. An applicant who bears to a staff member any other family relationship may be engaged as an intern, provided that he or she shall not be assigned to the same work unit of the staff member nor placed under the direct or indirect supervision of the staff member. For purposes of this advertisement, ‘child’ means (i) the child of a staff member; (ii) the child of the spouse of a staff member (e.g. stepchild); and (iii) the spouse of a child of a staff member or a staff member’s spouse (e.g. son- or daughter-in-law). ‘Sibling’ includes the child of both or either parent of a staff member and the child.
WORKING HOURS | Interns must adhere to the established weekly working hours of the duty station where the assignment is located though not exceeding five days per week (35 hours).
TERMS AND CONDITIONS | Download the terms and conditions of the Internship programme in either of the United Nations’ official working languages (English and French) at: http://undocs.org/ST/AI/2014/1
APPLICATION PROCESS | Qualified individuals who have already establish an Inspira account may apply directly to this and other opportunities with the United Nations Secretariat at: https://careers.un.org
United Nations Considerations
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.
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.
For application details: https://careers.un.org/lbw/jobdetail.aspx?id=126803
