Humanitarian Affairs Intern

Internship

Overview

Support humanitarian affairs and policy development at UN OCHA.

You have:

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) or be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
• Strong writing and communication skills are desirable.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship.
• Knowledge of an additional official UN language 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

This internship is based in New York and may be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis, and the preferred modality is in-person. However, remote or hybrid arrangements (partly in-person, partly remote) may be discussed and mutually agreed upon by the managers and the selected candidate(s).

Expected duration

3-6 months from March 2026.

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the UN Secretariat department responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to complex emergencies and natural disasters. OCHA also ensures that there is a framework within which each actor can contribute to the overall response effort. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principles humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. The Norms and Principles Section (NPS) of OCHA works to support the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs / Emergency Relief Coordinator (USG/ERC), OCHA leadership and operations, Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) and the wider humanitarian system in defending, reinforcing and advancing humanitarian principles and norms, in a strategic, coherent, systematic and coordinated way. NPS supports the United Nations General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Security Council and Member States to strengthen the normative framework and mandates for humanitarian assistance, including through inclusive dialogue and partnerships with and policy support to Member States in these intergovernmental legislative and governance bodies and related humanitarian processes. NPS also provides policy development and support on principled humanitarian assistance and on the protection of civilians, access, protection of humanitarian personnel and other thematic priorities. The work of NPS is central to providing essential policy guidance on applicable normative, institutional and legal frameworks and political insight and strategic foresight for principled humanitarian assistance, enabling effective positioning and decision-making in humanitarian operations and intergovernmental processes. This provides a key opportunity for NPS and OCHA to advocate for strong humanitarian coordination and international humanitarian system and to build awareness, understanding and support for the normative framework for principled humanitarian assistance in support of field operations. All this includes, inter alia, preparing the annual reports of the Secretary-General on humanitarian assistance and on protection of civilians; providing policy advice and Secretariat support for negotiations on humanitarian resolutions; organizing the annual ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment, ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development, and the Protection of Civilians Week; monitoring and promoting humanitarian priorities in relevant intergovernmental processes; developing policy notes on key issues affecting humanitarian principles and norms; supporting policy initiatives that strengthen principles and norms; providing policy advice and support to operations; briefings to Security Council sanctions committees. The intern, under the general guidance of the Section Chief and Humanitarian Affairs Officers, performs a variety of tasks, including but not limited to: - Engages in United Nations intergovernmental processes and related meetings and with Member States on humanitarian affairs and in support of principled humanitarian action; - Contributes to technical policy advice and Secretariat support provided by NPS to Member States in the negotiations on humanitarian resolutions in the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Security Council, including with research, note-taking and other support; - Contributes to the research and drafting of the annual reports of the Secretary General on humanitarian assistance and on protection of civilians. - Supports planning and organization of meetings and events, including the ECOSOC Humanitarian Affairs Segment, its high-level panel discussions and side events organized on the margins of the Segment; the ECOSOC Meeting on the Transition from Relief to Development; and the Protection of Civilians Week; - Attends and reports back on intergovernmental meetings, events and informal consultations; - Supports the work of the Informal Expert Group on Protection of Civilians and the meetings of the OCHA Community of Practice on Access and the OCHA monthly Access Webinars, as well as briefings to Security Council sanctions committees; - Assists in drafting and preparing background documents, reports, issue briefs, talking points, presentations etc. on humanitarian issues; - Researches, analyses and presents information gathered from diverse sources on assigned topics/issues related to humanitarian and other relevant policy issues; - Maintains awareness of current humanitarian affairs and related issues, to include relevant political, policy, gender considerations or other developments in specific subject area, country or region concerned; - Assists in responding to a variety of internal and external inquiries and information requests, and prepares draft correspondence related to these inquiries.; - Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications/special skills

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); (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (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 Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent or in the final year of the first university degree (Bachelor 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. Strong writing and communication skills are desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat.

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.

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Potential interview questions

Added 6 months ago - Updated 6 months ago - Source: careers.un.org