The Position:
Aligned with its mission to fulfill youth potentials, UNFPA is channeling its efforts into enhancing youth participation within the context of the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda. The organization recognizes the pivotal role young people play in fostering peace and ensuring social cohesion in their communities. In 2024, UNFPA is proud to collaborate with the UN Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) and the Italian government in a strategic partnership aimed at promoting and amplifying the role and participation of youth in peacebuilding and social cohesion efforts.
This partnership is anchored in capacity building efforts, aimed at enhancing the skills and capabilities of youth to actively engage in peacebuilding processes. By equipping them with the necessary tools and knowledge, UNFPA ensures that young people are prepared to make meaningful contributions to peace efforts.
Central to this mission is the creation and support of inclusive platforms that encourage dialogue among youth from diverse backgrounds. These platforms serve as vital spaces for the exchange of experiences, ideas, and strategies, fostering an environment where young people can collaborate on promoting peace and understanding across communities. In addition, UNFPA champions policy advocacy, pushing for the integration of youth perspectives into policy-making at all levels. This advocacy ensures that policies not only reflect the needs and aspirations of young people but also contribute effectively to the establishment of sustainable peace
Recognizing the barriers that socio-economic challenges pose to youth participation, UNFPA also focuses on socio-economic support. By improving access to education and vocational training and promoting economic opportunities, UNFPA aims to remove obstacles that hinder the active involvement of young people in societal development.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody defined international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; the successful candidate has to be transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.
Tasks and responsibilities
UNFPA is seeking candidates keen on learning and working in a team environment to deliver sustainable results.
In detail, the intern will:
Provide logistics support to organizing and holding meetings, workshops, events - draft invitation letters, sign-up sheets, meeting reports, prepare conference packages and maintain the databases of invitees, confirmed participants and speakers
Assist in taking meeting minutes, preparation of presentations; translation
Support events setup in UN House or other venues (conference rooms booking, technical equipment checkup, organizing refreshment, registration of participants, print agenda, signup sheets, name tags etc.)
Draft basic information on current and upcoming activities for the communications team and media/social media engagement
Support with basic desk research and draft initial sketches of project ideas, activity descriptions and event summaries
Assist the Youth team in designing programmatic events and activities
Support to any ad hoc activities related to the Youth programme agenda.
To ensure that this process is smooth, a work plan with achievements for the duration of the Internship and learning opportunities will be agreed upon between the Intern and the supervisor/team. Regular meetings between the supervisor, team and the Intern (in person, but also via via email), and discussing processes and work related outcomes will ensure that the Intern is provided with necessary information and guidance needed for them to perform tasks.
Internship assignments vary in length according to the academic requirements of the intern, as well as the needs of the organization. This internship assignment lasts three months, but may be extended up to a maximum of nine months if the intern can demonstrate that it will award them an educational credit for a course.
Qualifications and Experience
Applicants to the internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:
- Be enrolled in a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and have completed one full academic year;
- Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as master’s programme or higher);
- Have recently graduated with a university degree as defined above and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation; or
- Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional trainee programme and undertake the internship as part of this programme.
Additional qualifications and experiences requested for the internship position include:
- University Degree preferred in the area of economics, business / public administration, international relations or equivalent.
- Previous experience on topics relating to youth highly desirable
- Fluency in English and local language (B/H/S) is mandatory requirement
- Ability to think and work logically and work precisely with attention to detail
- Ability to write clearly and concisely
- Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members of different national and cultural backgrounds.
Learning Elements
Upon completion of the assignment, and depending on its duration, the Intern should have gained:
- Increased understanding of the UN system;
- Understanding of the UNFPA core mandate and policies;
- Understanding of the dynamics of collaboration with Government and stakeholders;
- Stronger organizational skills for high level conversations/meetings/events;
- Improved writing and communication skills;
- Networking with colleagues and public health actors collaborating on UNFPA mandate;
- Work as a team member in a dynamic environment.
Financial Aspects
If you are not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation or scholarship programme, a stipend intended to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, such as meals and transportation at the duty station will be paid. The amount of the stipend is determined for each duty station and will be paid on a monthly basis.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.