INTERN - ECONOMIC AFFAIRS (2 Interns)

Contract

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

Org. Setting and Reporting ECA's mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063. The mission will be guided by ECA's five new strategic directions which are: advancing ECA's position as a premier knowledge institution that builds on its unique position and privilege to bring global solutions to the continent's problems and take local solution to the continent; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, and for human, physical and social assets for a transforming Africa; contributing solutions to regional and trans-boundary challenges, with a focus on peace security and social inclusion as an important development nexus; advocating Africa's position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.

The internship is located in the African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC) of the Regional Integration and Trade Division (RITD) at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).

The internship is for four (4) months with an opportunity for extension, pending on the needs of the section.

The internship is UNPAID, full-time, and home-based.

Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

The ultimate objective of ATPC is to promote trade among African countries to reduce poverty, support gender-sensitive outcomes, generate economic growth, create jobs and increase food security, to strengthen the human and institutional capacities of African Governments to formulate and implement sound trade policies and participate more effectively in trade negotiations at the bilateral, regional and multilateral levels.

African women play a significant role in trade and will be essential to the continent’s success in exploiting its trade potential under the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement. Up to 70% of informal cross-border traders on the continent are women, who are facing particular constraints to trading as a result of COVID-19. Typically, women trade more in lower value-added food items than manufactured goods when compared to men. Improved, digital, and harmonized trade facilitation measures can address barriers and constraints faced by cross-border traders.

ATPC’s gender portfolio activities contribute to effective gender mainstreaming in trade agreements and policies; raising awareness and building capacity of policy makers, women’s entrepreneurs and traders, and business associations; and generating and sharing evidence on the relationship between gender and trade. ATPC Gender Strategy provides a framework for the institutionalization of gender analysis in all technical work and building of capacity of the Centre staff in gender mainstreaming. At the same time, ATPC is conducting research on and improving the measurement of informal cross-border trade and of women in trade. Finally, ATPC is supporting the design of continental guidelines to support cross-border trade during COVID-19.

The focus of this internship will be to support these areas of work across the gender, cross-border trade, and trade facilitation portfolios.

Responsibilities Under the general guidance of the Director of the Division, and the direct supervision of the Coordinator and assigned staff of ATPC, the incumbent will carry out the following functions:

• Advise on the mainstreaming of gender considerations in guidelines and interventions for facilitating cross-border trade amid COVID-19.
• Develop reference sheets and tools to operationalise ATPC’s Gender Strategy to support staff capacity for mainstreaming of gender in ATPC’s workstreams.
• Review ATPC studies under a project to build capacity of public and private sector stakeholders to better use preferential trade agreements and ensure inclusive trade, and provide guidance on how to fully mainstream issues of relevance to gender, youth, and MSMEs within the studies.
• Contribute to research and knowledge products to inform ATPC’s gender and trade week, and present knowledge as accessible outputs for various stakeholder groups including policy makers, private sector, and professional associations. Topics may include: the intersection between gender, trade, and Phase 2 and 3 issues of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement, including intellectual property, investment, competition, and e-commerce; entrepreneurship, innovation, and the digital divide; financial inclusion; simplified trade regimes and mechanisms for formalisation of small-scale cross-border trade; and lessons learned from gender mainstreaming in national AfCFTA strategies.
• Carry-out desk research to identify entry points for applying a gender lens to measuring informal cross-border trade in Africa and designing gender-responsive cross-border interventions
• Advise on a methodology for measuring women’s involvement in and contributions to trade, bringing together the methodologies being developed at ATPC on measuring informal cross-border trade and on gender-responsive trade statistics, as well as additional data points to achieve the wider measure of the contribution of women to trade.
• Identify and compile partners and stakeholders for gender and trade, including business associations, and document success stories of entrepreneurs and traders.

The deliverables from this assignment may include:

•Gender section of continental common guidelines for facilitating trade amid COVID-19 •Reference sheets and tools to operationalise ATPC’s gender strategy •Contributions to research and knowledge products on gender and trade in areas of interest, and improvements to ATPC studies in terms of mainstreaming cross-cutting issues •List of gender and trade partners and stakeholders, and documented success stories

Competencies 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 an internship with the United Nations Internship Programme, the following conditions must be met:

• Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (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) and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one year period of graduation;

• Be computer literate in standard software applications;

• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and
• 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.

Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

This is an ongoing advertisement. The successful candidates may be contacted at any time within the posting period or shortly thereafter.

Work Experience No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme. Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship. Experience in research in the African context, preferably regarding trade, gender, women’s economic empowerment, or cross-border issues, is desirable. Understanding of Africa's regional integration agenda, especially the AfCFTA, is desirable. Knowledge of gender mainstreaming is 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 Programme. Knowledge of a second United Nations official language is an asset.

Assessment Potential candidates will be contacted by hiring manager directly for further consideration.

Special Notice A completed online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.

The Cover Note must include: - Degree Programme (What are you currently studying?) - Graduation Date (When will you graduate or when did you graduate from the programme?) - List the IT skills and programmes that you are proficient in. - List your top three areas of interest. - Explain why you are the best candidate for this specific internship. - Explain 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.

Due to the high volume of applications received, ONLY successful candidates will be contacted.

This is an ongoing advertisement. The successful candidates may be contacted at any time within the posting period or shortly thereafter.

United Nations Considerations According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Candidates will not be considered for employment with the United Nations if they have committed violations of international human rights law, violations of international humanitarian law, sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment, or if there are reasonable grounds to believe that they have been involved in the commission of any of these acts. The term “sexual exploitation” means any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power, or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another. The term “sexual abuse” means the actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. The term “sexual harassment” means any unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature that might reasonably be expected or be perceived to cause offence or humiliation, when such conduct interferes with work, is made a condition of employment or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment, and when the gravity of the conduct warrants the termination of the perpetrator’s working relationship. Candidates who have committed crimes other than minor traffic offences may not be considered for employment.

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.

The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer, or promotion of staff shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. By accepting an offer of appointment, United Nations staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and assignment by him or her to any activities or offices of the United Nations in accordance with staff regulation 1.2 (c). In this context, all internationally recruited staff members shall be required to move periodically to discharge new functions within or across duty stations under conditions established by the Secretary-General.

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.

Job openings advertised on the Careers Portal will be removed at 11:59 p.m. (New York time) on the deadline date.

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.