Background

CORPORATE BACKGROUND:

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. We help countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.

UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. We support countries' efforts to achieve the new Sustainable Development Goals, which will guide global development priorities through 2030. The key 2030 Agenda principle of leaving no one behind and stamping out inequality is at the core of everything we do.

UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:

• Sustainable development
• Democratic governance and peacebuilding
• Climate and disaster resilience

In all our activities, we encourage the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable.

INTERNSHIP OFFICE BACKGROUND:

Communities and countries are witnessing increased frequency and intensity of disaster events. Climate change and extreme weather events are impacting development at a pace not experienced in the past. Asia-Pacific region is known to be the worst affected region in the world, representing 72 percent of all disaster fatalities during 1970 to 2011 globally. Seventy-six per cent of tsunamis that have occurred took place in the Pacific Ocean and its marginal seas. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) tsunami were two of the worst tsunamis in recent years. Despite progress make in seismological and tsunami science in the last 50 years, these tsunamis caused devastating damage in the countries they hit.

Since 2005, UNDP has been working with national governments in 163 disaster-prone countries on disaster risk management, including disaster risk assessment, disaster risk governance and mainstreaming, disaster preparedness and early warning, and disaster recovery. Since mid-2017, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub is implementing a project ‘Strengthening School Preparedness for Tsunamis in the Asia Pacific Region’. The main objective of this project is to mitigate the impact of tsunamis by enhancing school preparedness in high risk communities in 18 countries in the Asia Pacific region.

The Disaster Risk Reduction Team in UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub is helping countries collect data on disaster loss and damage; conducting risk assessments; collecting tsunami risk data and working with Tohoku University and Fujitsu to standardize, streamline and develop a data eco-system under the Global Centre for Disaster Statistics (GCDS).

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the overall supervision of the Regional Team Leader, Disaster Risk Reduction, the intern will help the team to conceptualize the data ecosystem to collect, store, analyse, visualize and disseminate data that contributes to relevant targets of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. The specific tasks for this assignment are listed below:

Competencies

• Interest and motivation in working in an international organization;
• Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical implementation;
• Outgoing and initiative-taking person with a goal oriented mind-set;
• Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently;
• Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities;
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability;
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Candidates must meet one of the following educational requirements:

• currently in the final year of a Bachelor’s degree; or
• currently enrolled in a Master’s degree; or
• have graduated no longer than 1 year ago from a bachelor’s degree or master’s degree or equivalent studies.

Field of study: in Statistics, Social Sciences, Political Sciences, Development Studies or equivalent.

• Knowledgeable about disaster management and climate change issues;
• Proven track record in planning and coordinating various stakeholders and data management;
• Aware of the UN’s work in this field;

IT skills:

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools;

Language skills:

• English required;
• Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.

INTERNSHIP CONDITIONS

• UNDP internships are not remunerated. All expenses connected with the internship will be borne by the intern or her/his sponsoring entity;
• UNDP accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness or death incurred during the internship;
• Interns are responsible for obtaining necessary visas and arranging travel to and from the duty station where the internship will be performed;
• Interns are not eligible to apply for, or be appointed to, any post in UNDP during the period of the internship;
• Interns must provide proof of enrolment in health insurance plan;
• Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity;
• Interns are expected to work full time but flexibility is allowed for education programmes;
• Interns need to obtain financing for subsistence and make own arrangements for internship, travel, VISA, accommodation, etc.