Internship: Access to Medicines with the HIV, Health and Development Team
Contract
This is a Internship contract. It usually requires 0 years of experience, depending on education. More about Internship contracts.
Background
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life, as envisaged by 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We are on the ground in more than 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners that can bring about results.
The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP’s Strategic Plan and help countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. BPPS’s staff provides technical advice to Country Offices; advocates for UNDP corporate messages, represents UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engages in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. The HIV, Health and Development Group is part of BPPS and supports UNDP’s 2018-2021 Strategic Plan and countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda and making sure no one is left behind.
UNDP is a founding cosponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. UNDP’s work on HIV, health and development, as described in the HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: Connecting the Dots, leverages UNDP’s core strengths and mandates in human development, governance and capacity development to complement the efforts of specialist health-focused UN agencies. UNDP delivers three types of support to countries in HIV, health and development.
First, UNDP helps countries to mainstream attention to HIV and health into action on gender, poverty and the broader effort to achieve and sustain the Sustainable Development Goals. For example, UNDP works with countries to understand the social and economic factors that play a crucial role in driving health and disease, and to respond to such dynamics with appropriate policies and programmes outside the health sector. UNDP also promotes specific action on the needs and rights of women and girls as they relate to HIV.
Second, UNDP works with partners to address the interactions between governance, human rights and health responses. Sometimes this is done through focused or specialized programmes, such as promoting attention to the role of the law and legal environments in facilitating stronger HIV responses, including the use of flexibilities in intellectual property law to lower the cost of drugs and diagnostics. UNDP also works to empower and include marginalized populations who are disproportionately affected by HIV, such as sex workers, men who have sex with men and people living with HIV. Beyond these focused efforts, UNDP plays a key role in ensuring attention to HIV and health within broader governance and rights initiatives, including support to municipal action on SDGs, sustainable responses for Health and HIV such as improving sustainability of AIDS financing, sustainable health procurement, strengthening of national human rights institutions and increasing access to justice for key populations.
Third, as a trusted, long-term partner with extensive operational experience, UNDP supports countries in effective implementation of complex, multilateral and multisectoral health projects, while simultaneously investing in capacity development so that national and local partners can assume these responsibilities over time. The UNDP/Global Fund partnership is an important part of this work, facilitating access to resources for action on SDG 3 by countries that face constraints in directly receiving and managing such funding. UNDP partners with countries in crisis/post-crisis situations, those with weak institutional capacity or governance challenges, and countries under sanctions. When requested, UNDP acts as temporary Principal Recipient in these settings, working with national partners and the Global Fund to improve management, implementation and oversight of Global Fund grants, while simultaneously developing national capacity to be able to assume the Principal Recipient role over time.
Objective of the assignment: Provide support to the HIV Health and Development Team, specifically in the following areas:
- Supporting UNDP work to improve access to treatment in LMICs, including Competition Law and Policy and the Access and Delivery Partnership (ADP)
- Support UNDP deliverables as part of the Uniting Efforts for Innovation, Access and Delivery Partnerships
- Supporting UNDP work to promote Human Rights, including of Key Populations and LGBTI
Duties and Responsibilities
Under the Direct Supervisor, the intern will undertake the following:
- Provide support in technical research and writing, including legal strategies related to strategies to increase access to health technologies and other health and development outcomes.
- Provide support to the development of briefing notes, research and technical materials, issue briefs, power point and presentations.
Provide support for the organization of meetings, workshops, seminars and brown-bags to disseminate knowledge across countries, within UNDP and various partners.Evaluation:
Evaluation will happen through a desk review. The successful candidate(s) will be advised of his/her selection within 2 weeks.
Competencies
Competencies:
- Able to communicate clearly and through email;
- Computer literate with a working knowledge of data analysis and info-graphic tools and a willingness to learn new applications.
- Strong research and writing skills;
- Editing skills are helpful; and
- Knowledge in HIV, Health and Development issues.
Required Skills and Experience
Education:
Qualified candidates must be:
- Currently enrolled in a graduate school programme as a student in Law, Development Studies or another relevant and other related topics) (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or
- Have graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a)) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
- Applicants must state their availability in application. Some flexibility will be allowed in the starting date and days /hours worked per week.
Experience:
- Experience working in HIV, health, and development and areas covered under this internship;
- Extensive academic training in related areas;
- Experience in the development and conduct of research and writing assignments;
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in both written and spoken English.
- Knowledge of other UN language in an advantage
Internship conditions:
a) Status: Although not considered a staff member of UNDP, interns shall be subject to the authority of the Administrator and the authority delegated by Administrator to the Heads of Bureaus and Offices. Interns are not entitled to the privileges and immunities accorded by member states to UNDP, its officials and staff members.
b) Financial Support: UNDP will not pay interns but will provide a monthly stipend in accordance with the provisions of the UNDP Internship policy; all other expenses connected with it will be borne by the intern or by the sponsoring Government or institution;
c) Medical Health and Life Coverage: UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs or fatality arising from illness or accidents incurred during the internship; therefore, the intern must carry adequate and regular medical and life insurance. The intern must provide proof of enrollment in health insurance plan.
d) Passports and Visas: Interns are responsible for obtaining necessary passport and visas when required. UNDP will issue only a letter stating acceptance of an individual as an intern and the conditions governing the internship.
e) Confidentiality and Publication of Information: As an intern, I will respect the confidentiality of information that I collect or am exposed to at UNDP. No reports or papers may be published based on information obtained from UNDP without the explicit written authorization of the Head of Bureaux or Office.
f) Employment Prospects: The UNDP Internship Programme is not connected with employment and there is no expectancy of such. Interns cannot apply for posts advertised internally to UNDP staff during the period of internship.
GUIDELINES FOR APPLICATION:
All the required documents should be compiled into one file and should contain the following:
- A copy of the applicant’s most recent resume or curriculum vitae;
- A letter from university confirming current enrollment, degree being pursued, and graduation date;
- A copy of school transcript;
- A letter of recommendation from a professor;
- A Medical Certificate of Good Health from a Physician;
- A proof of medical insurance including provision for medical evacuation and removal of mortal remains or life insurance; and
- A copy of passport