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Int'l Organizations & UN News #4/2024

Akmaral Bekbossynova - Tuesday, February 13, 2024
 Events   IO/UNS Newsletter 

 International Organizations and UN News #4/2024 - February 13, 2024

Dear IO/UNS Community, 

This week, the news covered the dire situation in Rafah, celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, pre-election terrorist attack in Pakistan, signing of the ground-breaking agreement by the leading tech companies and the urgent meeting on the new banking regulations in Serbia.

Please also note two applications for paid SIPA IO fellowships, one with UNHCR and a stipend for self-organized internships that you find in the opportunities section below. 

In this newsletter, you will find: 

  • International Organizations News
  • What We're Listening To: Rebuilding Lives in Ukraine
  • IO/UNS Student Spotlight
  • Event Re-cap: The “Third UN”: Impacts, Access & Barriers of NGOs at the United Nations
  • Events at SIPA and Beyond
  • Internship Opportunities

Daniel, Laura, Amy & Akmaral
IO/UNS Specialization Team

**Please note this message is clipped. You can open the message in a new browser to see full event and internship listings.

  • The unprecedented population density in Rafah in southern Gaza makes it nearly impossible to protect civilians in the event of ground attacks, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, warned on Friday. More than half of Gaza’s population of over two million is now crammed into the city, which is located on the border with Egypt and originally home to some 250,000 people.Congestion has reached a point where normal routes are blocked by tents set up by families seeking any flat, clean space available, OCHA said. The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Jamie McGoldrick, said that fuel, generators and spare parts are urgently needed to improve people’s access to clean water, noting that the southern Gaza desalination plant is only working at up to 15 per cent of its original capacity.

  • On the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, celebrated on 11 February, UN Secretary-General António Guterres stressed that gender equality in science is essential to building a better future for all.The theme chosen for this year’s International Day by UNESCO and UN Women, the two UN agencies leading on the celebrations, is “Closing the gender gap in science”. UNESCO’s Call for Action provides recommendations aimed at tackling the root causes of gender-based inequalities in science.

  • The UN Security Council has condemned in the strongest terms the deadly “heinous and cowardly terrorist attacks” in Pakistan on Wednesday. At least 26 people were killed, and dozens more wounded, in twin bombings in Pishin and Qila Saifullah, Balochistan, on the eve of the country’s parliamentary elections. 

  • Some of the world’s leading tech companies have signed a ground-breaking agreement with the UN to build more ethical artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Lenovo Group, LG AI Research, Mastercard, Microsoft, Salesforce, Telefonica, GSMA network of mobile phone operators and INNIT have pledged to “integrate the values and principles” of UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of AI when designing and deploying AI systems.The announcement came at the UN education, science and culture agency’s Global Forum on AI, taking place in Slovenia on Monday and Tuesday.UNESCO forged a consensus between all its member States in November 2021 to adopt the first global ethical framework for the use of AI. 

  • Trust building, not unilateral actions, are the linchpin in forging a peaceful path forward for Belgrade and Pristina, the UN’s top official in Kosovo told the Security Council on Thursday, as the body called an urgent meeting at Serbia’s request to debate new banking regulations that have triggered fresh tensions.The Prime Minister of Kosovo and Serbia’s President joined Council members in a heated discussion centred on new rules, which came into force on 1 February. Briefing the Council, Caroline Ziadeh, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), said the new regulations will affect tens of thousands of Kosovo-Serbs living in four northern municipalities and, more broadly, the economy, which depends on their purchasing power.
You can follow UN news on the issues in real time on the UN website.

Rebuilding Lives in Ukraine - Karolina Lindholm Billing - UNHCR Representative in Ukraine, Interview by Melissa Fleming 

Karolina Lindholm Billing was posted to Ukraine less than a year before the full-scale Russian invasion. As the UNHCR Representative in the country, she draws hope from witnessing the power of community volunteer networks in supporting displaced people in their hour of need.“Volunteers from all areas of society have helped people who have been directly impacted by the war. They're cooking meals, giving clothing, giving money, opening their homes.”
War has forced around one-third of Ukrainians from their homes, in what is currently one of the world’s largest human displacement crises. UNHCR is assisting them with housing, cash, and legal assistance. In this episode, Karolina Lindholm Billing reflects on Ukrainian resilience, the drive to rebuild, and why people long to stay in their own homes, even in a war zone.

Find the podcast here, SoundCloud, or on  PodBean, Apple Podcasts and Audible.  

IO/UNS Student Spotlight

This week we are excited to introduce  Aaliyah Khwaja (MIA, EPD 2026). 

The shifting global strategic competition and increasingly unpredictable environment is what interests Aaliyah in multilateralism and global governance. She wrote her undergraduate honors thesis on how China uses its Belt and Road Initiative to solidify strategic partnerships to strengthen its hegemony and position itself as an emerging global power, as she was interested in analyzing the implications of this ambitious initiative. Aaliyah is especially inclined toward globalization and international development, and seeing how the climate crisis impacts the most vulnerable populations and produces millions of climate migrants. Bringing sustainable development to lower income countries is important to Aaliyah, and this is why she wishes to use her MIA to work in an international organization for finding solutions to the extreme challenges in the global environment. She also believes that our generation plays an important role as future representatives of the international community, to bring our globally connected and culturally rich knowledge to the forefront of our work in global governance.

Aaliyah grew up in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates for a decade and traveled to at least 22 countries in that time. She is joining SIPA a year after completing her undergraduate studies; in this time Aaliyah worked in Washington DC and also was a World History high school teacher.

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We'd like to shine a light on each amazing member of our IO/UNS family. Please fill out our questionnaire here to be in next week's student spotlight. 
Events at SIPA & Beyond
Third UN event at SIPA

Event Re-cap: The “Third UN”: Impacts, Access & Barriers of NGOs at the United Nations

On February 12, SIPA hosted a panel discussion on The “Third UN”: Impacts, Access & Barriers of NGOs at the United Nations.

Wook-Jin Chang, Chief of the NGO Branch at the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and Maithili Pai, UN Advocate at International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) shared their insights into how NGOs access UN processes, what determines their impact, and what barriers continue to exist that hamper their influence. SIPA Professor Daniel Naujoks, who moderated the event, referred to UN Secretary-General António Guterres’s ideas for networked multilateralism that links global institutions across sectors and geographies, including civil society, businesses, foundations, academic and scientific institutions.

Chang provided insights into the steep increase of NGOs that are accredited with the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). From 41 NGOs in 1946, there are currently almost 6,500 NGOs with accreditation. And this year, DESA expects an all-time high of 1,000 new applications this year.

Pai, who leads ISHR's work to promote NGO participation at the UN human rights bodies and mechanisms, highlighted the increasing politicization of the accreditation process. In the early 2000s, about half of the NGOs applying were accredited, while this year only a quarter of all applications were granted. Overall, Pai pointed to the challenges of NGOs to have a meaningful voice in multilateral discussions. Chang stressed that there is a significant regional imbalance in NGOs. NGOs in five countries alone account for almost half all accredited NGOs, starting with US-based organizations. On the other hand, many countries have as good as no NGO participation in these global fora.

The panel discussed the need to consider differences in NGOs, drawing attention to civic and faith-based organizations, community-based organizations, local NGOs, INGOs, transnational networks and coalitions but also to Government-sponsored NGOs – so-called GONGOs and others. Panelists also stressed the need to devise participatory systems that are meaningful and that avoid tokenism.

If you missed the talk you can watch the recording here.

Spotlighted Events

16 February | 13:00 PM - 14:00 PM 
What To Do If You Can't Even Agree in The Facts: Two Field-Tested Solutions

IAB 1512

RSVP | EVENT INFO

23 February | 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM
International Organizations & United Nations Roundtable Conversations (Networking Event)

IAB 1501

RSVP | EVENT INFO

29 February- 1 March | 13:00 PM -
14:00 PM Hybrid  (UNHQ and Online)
UNIDIR's 2024 Cyber Stability Conference (CS24) on "Unpacking Cyber Threats to International Peace and Security".

 

RSVP | EVENT INFO

What if the Economy Worked for Democracy?
13 February, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM today
The Forum at Columbia University, 601 W. 125th St., New York, NY 10027
Room/Area: Auditorium

Columbia’s Center for Political Economy invites you to a discussion by leading scholars who bring their expertise in law, economics, classics, and political science to bear on this pressing question during a time of great uncertainty. Bridging traditional divisions that separate academic disciplines, this vital conversation will explore structural forces undermining shared prosperity, tradeoffs inherent in economic policymaking, and pathways to a more just and inclusive economy, focusing on preserving and promoting political economy for democracy.
Speakers include Columbia University President Minouche Shafik and Professors Ira Katznelson (Columbia), Amy Kapczynski (Yale), Josiah Ober (Stanford), and James Robinson (University of Chicago).All who are interested in the connection between scholarly innovation, equitable growth, and constitutional government are encouraged to attend.

RSVP here.

Professor Jeffrey Sachs + SIPA: The Global Economy and Geopolitics
14 February, 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Online

Professor Sachs will meet online with interested SIPA students on February 14, 3:00 - 4:30pm, to discuss the global economy and the geopolitical situation, with topics to include the world economy, the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, US-China tensions, and the imprisonment of former Pakistan PM Imran Khan and others raised by the participants.

RSVP here.

What To Do If You Can’t Even Agree in the Facts: Two Field-Tested Solutions
16 February, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
IAB 1512

It can seem impossible to find common ground if you and someone you’re talking with can’t even agree on the facts. It isn’t. In this surprising and actionable interactive talk, conflict management expert Prof. Seth Freeman will help you learn two ways to turn the problem into a bracing opportunity to turn impasse into something much better. The first: Adversarial Collaboration, a way for scholars, students and civilians who disagree to jointly research the question. The second: Bold Humility, a seemingly paradoxical method that has produced Nobel Peace Prizes and stunning public policy successes

RSVP here.

UN Association of the USA's Global Engagement Summit 
16 February
UN Headquarters

The United Nations Association of the USA’s Global Engagement Summit, held at UN Headquarters in New York City, is the largest annual gathering of UN supporters in the country, bringing together U.S. and UN officials, community leaders, young professionals, and subject matter experts from across the country to delve into the mission and lifesaving work of the United Nations.
This full-day summit is one of many educational and inspirational programs that UNA-USA coordinates to help make Americans aware of the strong connection between the U.S. and the UN.The theme for GES 2024 is “Pushing Forward >>> For People & Planet”. The summit will take place on February 16 from 10am-6pm at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City

RSVP here.

Climate Change, Science Based Targets, and the Role of Business
20 February, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
IAB 402

Lila Karbassi is the UN Permanent Advisor to the SBTi Executive Board, and Senior Programme Officer of Science-Based Target Setting at the United Nations Global Compact. Her work supports the UN’s agenda to deliver a resilient net-zero future and drive business ambition towards the achievement of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Currently serving as the UN Permanent Advisor to the Executive Board of the Science-based Target Initiative (SBTi), she acts as a liaison between the SBTi and the UN Global Compact. Ms. Karbassi has been instrumental to the work of the UN Global Compact since 2005 and lead numerous successful programmes to position leading businesses on the UN agenda. Between 2017 and 2022, she served as the Chief of Programmes overseeing the initiative’s work on human rights, labour rights, the environment, anti-corruption, reporting and finance.
In 2016, Ms. Karbassi was seconded to the Office of the UN Secretary-General supporting business engagement on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Karbassi held various senior positions on policy regulation at Sanofi-Aventis in France.
Ms. Karbassi holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the Bocconi School of Management, Italy. She also holds Masters and Doctorate degrees in Biology from the Universities of Grenoble and Paris, France. Ms. Karbassi is a French and Iranian national.

RSVP here.

International Organizations & United Nations Roundtable Conversations (Networking Event) 
23 February, 4:00 PM - 7:30 PM
IAB 1501

Building on the success of the previous years' event, this year's International Organizations & United Nations Roundtable Conversations gives students the opportunity to speak with 20+ staff members from a range of international organizations in intimate small group discussions. Unlike other networking events, the roundtable conversation format will ensure that students have significant facetime with three IO officials, opening the door for meaningful relationship building. About 6-8 students will share a roundtable with one of our featured experts to discuss their work and experiences on the role of international organizations to foster development, cooperation, peace, human rights, climate change, and prosperity. Students will spend 30min each at three roundtables to enable them to have a range of conversations. After 3 rounds of structured roundtables, all participants are invited to join the reception on the 15th floor that allows participants to connect with other experts.

***Please ensure you only register for 1 ticket. Also note that the roundtable tickets count toward the reception; therefore, please do not register for a reception ticket if you have registered for a roundtable ticket. Thank you**

RSVP here.

Sports and Diplomacy Roundtable
28 February- 1 March 2024, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
NYU SPS Fairchild Building, 7 East 12th Street, 5th floor lounge, New York, NY 10003

This roundtable will introduce the audience to sports diplomacy and how it can be used both through governments (states, United Nations) as well as informally through citizen-to-citizen exchanges. It will reflect on key lessons learned and best practices, as well as what leadership within the sports diplomacy framework can look like.

RSVP here.

The UNIDIR's 2024 Cyber Stability Conference (CS24) Cyber Stability Conference
29 February- 1 March 2024
UN Headquarters - In person and Online 

The UNIDIR's 2024 Cyber Stability Conference (CS24) on "Unpacking Cyber Threats to International Peace and Security". CS24 will focus on three key threat dimensions: technology, type of attacks and threat actors. Each dimension will be discussed in-depth from a technical perspective as well as in relation to how it may impact the implementation of the framework of responsible State behaviour in cyberspace.

RSVP here.

Most SIPA students are not only required to participate in a specialization-related internship, UN-related internships are often critical to further develop skills and knowledge, build a hireable CV, and create or expand a meaningful professional network. Feel free to consult this document for tips and tricks for Sourcing Internships.

Paid SIPA Fellowship with UNHCR: Refugees, IDPs & Development
Deadline: March 4

Please apply for the SIPA fellowship with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). From June 1st through November 30, 2023, the SIPA Fellow will support UNHCR's engagement and cooperation with development agencies in forced displacement contexts. The fellow will receive a modest stipend. The fellowship will be full-time during the summer months and part-time during the fall semester. During the summer, the fellowship will be in-person at UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, while it will continue remotely during the Fall. Due to funding requirements, the fellowship is limited to SIPA students enrolled in the summer and fall of 2024

More information and apply here

SIPA International Organizations Internship Stipend
Deadline: April 15

Please apply for a SIPA International Organizations Internship Stipend. We will support a few self-organized internships at international organizations that take place (or begin) in the summer of 2024. Internships must be unpaid, and in-principle should be full-time. To apply, you must have an official acceptance letter. Due to funding requirements, the fellowship is limited to SIPA students enrolled in the summer and fall of 2024. 

Apply here

Strategic Communications Intern - Public Advocacy on Gender and Conduct
Application Deadline: 15 February 2024
Location: New York

The internship is unpaid and may be either full-time or part-time. This position is located in the Strategic Communications Section of the Office of the Director for Coordination and Shared Services (ODCSS) serving the Departments of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) and Peace Operations (DPO). The incumbent will report to the Digital Communications Manager, Strategic Communications Section. The Office of the Director for Coordination and Shared Services enables, directs and coordinates departmental efforts to ensure the effective integration and management of both Departments.

Apply Here

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) is seeking for qualified interns for a maximum internship of 6 months, depending on the needs of UNODA and the willingness of applicant. UNODA advises and assists the Secretary-General in the discharge of his responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations and the implements mandates given by the General Assembly, the Security Council and other organs of the United Nations system, in the area of disarmament and related security. For more information, please refer to: .https://disarmament.unoda.org/ This internship is unpaid and is designed to be full-time and in-person at the New York duty station. The manager may allow part-time, remote or hybrid internships at the request of the successful candidate. The Intern, under the supervision of a primary supervisor, shall be assigned to the Regional Disarmament, Information and Outreach Branch and must adhere to the established official working hours five days per week with one hour for lunch break. Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual's background; the intern's assigned Branch within UNODA as well as the internship period. Interns shall undertake the following duties which may include, but are not limited to: • Assistance in drafting and preparing official documents, summaries, talking points, speeches, remarks and web content. • Document, media and internet research. • Assistance during conferences and meetings.

Internship- Regional Bureau for Arab States New York and Regional Hub in Amman
Application Deadline: 22 February 2024
Location: New York

The Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) serves as the headquarters for UNDP regional programme and country programmes in 17 countries in the region. The Bureau proactively engages with internal units and external partners/stakeholders such as the UN Secretariat, the Permanent Missions, donors and the Executive Board, to discuss and facilitate the work of UNDP in the region. The Regional Bureau conducts strategic analysis and monitors development trends to inform the  forward-looking directions of the bureau and to support policies and programmes at regional, and country level in alignment with the SDGs, the UNDP Strategic Plan 2022-2025, and the RBAS Regional Programme Document 2022-2025.  The Regional Bureau conducts strategic oversight of the regional and country programmes, and focuses on positioning and programmatic and operational oversight to enhance country office, sub-regional and regional programming results and performance. It develops and implements partnership strategies for the region in addition to shaping the definition and implementation of the regional communications strategy and advocacy, as a means of positioning development issues and UNDP as a trusted development partner across the region.

RBAS is establishing a roster from which to pool qualified interns during the course of the year for a maximum period of 6 months, subject to the needs of the following Teams in New York and Amman.

Apply Here

Programme Management Intern: Supporting programme management and policy matters related to counter-terrorism and prevention of violent extremism
Application Deadline: 22 February 2024
Location: New York

This internship is located in the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) at United Nations Headquarters in New York. This internship is UNPAID and is designed to be in person and full-time (35 hours per week). It can be adapted for remote and/or part-time (20 hours per week) upon request. A full-time internship is for an initial period of two months and a part-time internship is for an initial of four months. Internships may be extended up to maximum six months depending on the needs of the Division. The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) was established by the General Assembly in June 2017. The Office has five main functions: (a) provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates across the United Nations System; (b) enhance coordination and coherence across the 45 Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global CounterTerrorism Strategy; (c) strengthen the delivery of UN counter-terrorism capacity building assistance to Member States; (d) improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for UN counterterrorism efforts; and (e) ensure that due priority is given to counter-terrorism across the UN System and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the UN Global Strategy.

Apply Here

Political Affairs Intern- Prevention and response to CRSV
Application Deadline: 29 February 2024
Location: New York

This internship is located in the Conflict-Related Sexual Violence Team in the Policy and Best Practices Service (PBPS), Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training (DEPT) in the Department of Peace Operations (DPO).The Policy, Evaluation and Training Division (DPET) is mandated to develop and disseminate the policy and doctrine guiding the work of Peacekeeping Operations. In addition, the division has the responsibility to evaluate, at the request of the heads of the departments, how those policies are being applied, gather lessons learned and best practices, and use that information to guide the development, coordination and delivery of standardized training, so as to complete the learning cycle. DPET is also responsible for developing and maintaining strategic cooperation with various UN and external partners. Assist in conducting research on issues related to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence • Conduct Social media monitoring on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Peacekeeping settings • Monitor and report on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence developments at global level • Note taking, analysis and reporting on relevant events (mandate renewals, country specific discussions, etc.) • Support to event planning- online and in-person • Contribute to social media materials on Conflict-Related Sexual Violence for awareness raising • Support to training development and delivery • Assist in the review of various policies, papers and other documents/materials as they relate the to the team • Assist in preparing reports, concept papers, policy documents, talking points, articles and other materials related to the work of the team • Attend and support taking notes at conferences and meetings as required • Assist in editing, content creation, design and layout for (digital) learning products or translation.

Apply Here

Internship Opportunity with the Partnerships, Policy and Communications Unit (UNCDF)
Application Deadline: 30 March 2024
Location: New York

UNCDF is seeking an intern to be part of the Partnerships, Policy and Communications Unit (PPC) in its Headquarters located in New York, United States. Working under the guidance and supervision of the Head of PPC, and working closely with PPC staff, the intern will support the ongoing workplan and goals of the unit, including but not limited to expanding partnerships; preparing policy briefs for high level meetings; supporting the launch of major initiatives on blended finance and enterprises in Africa; and building and maintaining a base of knowledge about Member States.
Summary of Key Functions: 1)Support to Strategic advocacy and partnership development; 2) Support for creation of new innovative finance vehicles and instruments; 3) Support to mobilization of core and non-core resources; 4)Support to effective Internal and External Donor Relations; 5) Support to facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing.


Apply Here

PAID Doctors Without Borders Internship Scheme 
Application Deadline: 31 May 2024
Location: New York

MSF offers an internship program through the New York office that takes place three times a year. Interns are paid an hourly salary and can apply to work in a variety of positions, including advocacy, marketing and multimedia, finance, access campaigns, research, and more. Interns must be eligible to work in the US without sponsorship and are responsible for obtaining their own accommodation.

Apply Here

Follow the IO/UNS Specialization on
CampusGroups, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp.

Feel free to reach out to us:
Daniel Naujoks, IO/UNS Director, daniel.naujoks@columbia.edu
You can book office hours here.

Laura Mercado, IO/UNS Coordinator, ld3071@sipa.columbia.edu
Amy Younger, Program Assistant, ay2564@columbia.edu
Akmaral Bekbossynova, Program Assistant, ab5420@columbia.edu