Child and Youth Rights Intern

Assist the Child and Youth Rights Team with research and organizational tasks.

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OHCHR - Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

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Application deadline 1 month ago: Monday 4 May 2026 at 03:59 UTC

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Overview

Assist the Child and Youth Rights Team with research and organizational tasks.

You have:

  • Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme in Law, International relations, Political Science, Development or related subject.
  • Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme in Law, International relations, Political Science, Development or related subject (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
  • Knowledge in the field of human rights and/or child and youth rights is desirable.
  • Excellent organizational and coordination skills to manage a heavy workload and meet tight deadlines.
  • Good capacity to collect, synthesize and analyze information from various sources and to draft documents in a clear and concise manner.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English.
  • Working level knowledge of French and/or Spanish is an advantage.

Contract

This is a I-1 contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about I-1 contracts.

Work Location

Geneva, Switzerland

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

As the leading UN entity on human rights, OHCHR has an independent mandate to promote and protect human rights across the world and to mainstream human rights, including child and youth rights, throughout the UN system. OHCHR works with rights holders and duty bearers via our country presences to improve the level of respect for the rights of children and youth. We focus on reporting and activities for the Human Rights Council on the rights of the child and youth, as well as developing and advancing policy, and facilitating the participation of children and youth in UN processes. The internship will take place within the Child and Youth Rights Team and the intern will report to the Unit Coordinator and responsible Human Rights Officer. The intern will provide the Child and Youth Rights Team with assistance in both substantive and organizational areas of its work. Tasks will include, to: - Conduct substantive research on child and youth rights issues and draft different types of documents, including talking points and reports. - Support the development of key messages on child and youth rights issues related to the work of the Team. - Support the organization of events and other activities organized by the team, including assisting with notetaking. - Contribute to improving human rights outreach, including through the development of child-friendly communication materials, as well as with web and content management. - Other activities as required by the Team.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme in Law, International relations, Political Science, Development or related subject (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme in Law, International relations, Political Science, Development or related subject (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent). Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work. experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. Knowledge in the field of human rights and/or child and youth rights is desirable. Applicants should have a good capacity to collect, synthesize and analyze information from various sources and to draft documents in a clear and concise manner. Applicants are required to have excellent organizational and coordination skills to manage a heavy workload and to meet tight deadlines.

Languages

Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Working level knowledge of French and/or Spanish, is an advantage.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.

Potential interview questions

Can you explain a situation where you had to conduct research to solve a problem? This assesses your research skills and practical application in real-world scenarios. Provide a specific example where your research had a significant impact.
Describe a time you had to manage multiple deadlines. How did you prioritize your tasks? This evaluates your organizational and time management skills. Pro members can see the explanation.
How would you approach drafting a document for a diverse audience? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What interests you about child and youth rights? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
How do you handle feedback on your work? Can you give an example? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
What skills do you bring to this internship that would benefit the Child and Youth Rights Team? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Describe a project where you collaborated with others. What was your role? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges facing child and youth rights today? Pro members can see the explanation. Pro members can see the explanation.
Added 1 month ago - Updated 1 month ago - Source: careers.un.org