Humanitarian Negotiations Section (HNS) Intern

Internship

Overview

Support research and analytical activities in humanitarian negotiations.

You have:

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) or be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
• No professional work experience required, but a field of study closely related to the internship is required.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
• Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.
• Good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.

Contract

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

Work Location

Remote/Hybrid/In-person (in Geneva) - Full time

Expected duration

6 months - 05.01.2026

Duties and Responsibilities

The internship is located in the Humanitarian Negotiations Section (HNS), of the Humanitarian Sector Division. The intern reports to the Chief of the Section. This internship is designed to be full-time and to be conducted in-person and/or remote and/or hybrid. The modality may be adjusted based on request of the successful candidate. The intern will support the Humanitarian Negotiations Section (HNS) within OCHA’s Humanitarian Sector Division in Geneva. HNS leads OCHA’s work on humanitarian diplomacy, negotiation support, and engagement with complex crisis stakeholders. The intern will contribute to the Section’s analytical and research activities underpinning these efforts. The intern’s main tasks will include: 1.Assisting with background research on conflict dynamics and humanitarian access trends; 2.Supporting stakeholder mapping exercises to identify key actors influencing humanitarian operations; 3.Helping prepare summaries, briefs, and background notes for internal use

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). Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. 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. Applicants should have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.

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, 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