Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The Strategic Partnerships Division (SPD) works to strengthen UN Women’s position as a partner of choice for gender equality and the empowerment of women (GEWE) among governments and private sector actors around the world. The Division does this by positioning GEWE in the intergovernmental and multilateral fora, and engaging with governments and private sector corporations, foundations and individuals as policy, programme and resource partners. A key premise for SPD is that engagement with partners should be holistic based on multiple aspects of partnerships, including policy advocacy and resource mobilization. 

Duties and Responsibilities

The internship will start 1 July 2023 and end 31 December 2023.

Under the supervision of the Partnerships Focal Point, the main duties are:

  • Carry out national political surveillance on issues related to the work and mandate of UN Women and report on relevant developments in government policies in the respective countries under the portfolio;
  • Support in the preparation and coordination of high-level visits of relevant government partners, including in drafting of briefing notes, background materials, notes taking, and logistical support for such events;
  • Support the preparation of partner intelligence for the donors in the portfolio, including Partner Engagement Strategies;
  • Support in the planning and implementation of high-level annual consultations with the government partners under the portfolio;
  • Provide all background support and analysis for partner visibility, in particular to Partner Visibility Weeks;
  • Any other duties as required.

Learning objectives:

In addition to the above the intern will have the following learning objectives for the duration of the internship: Gain insight on strategies and approaches for establishing and maintaining partnerships with governments of member states, civil society and private sector entities, and UN Women’s role and mandate in this regard. Gain experience and understanding of the work of the UN system and UN Women.

Competencies

Core Values:

  • Respect for Diversity
  • Integrity
  • Professionalism

Core Competencies:

  • Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues
  • Accountability
  • Creative Problem Solving
  • Effective Communication
  • Inclusive Collaboration
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Leading by Example

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Core Values and Competencies: https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/About%20Us/Employment/UN-Women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf

Functional Competencies:

  • Interest in the work of UN Women and to the ideals of the UN Charter.
  • Energetic self-starter with multi-tasking abilities and discipline with deadlines.
  • 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.
  • Strong computer skills (i.e., MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Teams, Zoom);
  • Excellent analytical skills.
  • Ability to create, edit and present information in clear and presentable formats: online and offline
  • Knowledge of social media and communication strategies and methods
  • Strong multimedia skills
  • Detail oriented

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • University studies in one of the following disciplines: political science, development studies, gender studies, international relations or other relevant subjects is required.
  • Meet one of the following:
  1. Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
  2. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
  3. Be enrolled in a mandatory national service programme of which the internship may form a part;
  4. Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within two-years of graduation.

Language:

  • Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English are required;
  • Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in German and French an advantage;

Renumeration:

Interns who are not in receipt of financial support from other sources such as universities or other institutions will receive a stipend from UN Women to partially subsidize their basic living costs for the duration of the internship.

Application Information:

  • Please include a CV and a cover letter in your application in English
  • All applicants must submit a completed and signed P.11 form with their application.
  • Due to the high volume of applications received, UN Women can ONLY contact successful candidates.
  • The successful candidate will be required to provide proof of enrollment in a valid health insurance plan at the duty station of the internship, proof of school enrollment or degree, a scanned copy of their passport/national ID and a copy of a valid visa (as applicable).  
  • The internship is full time.

Note:

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.  

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.  

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination.  All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. (Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.)