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Int'l Organizations & UN News #6/2023

Asha Richards - Tuesday, February 21, 2023
 Events   IO/UNS Newsletter 

 International Organizations and UN News #6/2023 - February 21, 2023

Dear IO/UNS Community, 

The IO/UNS team would like to wish everyone a Happy Carnival and Mardi Gras. As the semester ramps up and it becomes easy to get stressed, in the spirit of carnival, remember to find time for fun and to celebrate!

Yesterday, February 20, we also celebrated World Day of Social Justice. This year's official theme is Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice. How do you use your time at SIPA (and afterwards) to collectively unleash social justice opportunties?

And today, you can celebrate International Mother Language Day. As the world's most international policy school, how many mother tongues do you think are represented at SIPA? How many are there in your circle of friends? Languages are key for international communication and for getting a job at international organizations. Here's to linguistic diversity! 

In this newsletter, you will find: 
  • Special Anouncement from SIPA Black Student Union
  • News from the UN
  • What We're Listening To: Digital Ambition - How one Afghan Student Plans to Get Girls Back to School
  • Events at SIPA and Beyond
  • Internship Opportunities
  • Internship Guide: How to Identify Summer Internships
Daniel, Laura, Asha & Aurelian
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.

ATTENTION CLASS OF 2023: Annually, the Black Student Union in partnership with OSA and the DEICE committee hosts Black Graduation to honor and celebrate Black graduates. Along with this, BSU provides personalized graduation stoles, that are hand-woven in Ghana. If you identify as Black, are anticipated to graduate in May or December of 2023, and would like to purchase a stole for graduation, please complete this form by noon February 22nd. Congratulations!

  • “Carnivals like the one held in Tobago are the ideal setting to reach a large number of people with the messages of the Verified campaign,” said Liliana Garavito Canon, the Director of the United Nations Information Centre for the Caribbean Area. “Among the many positive messages is one which says that healthfulness and celebration can co-exist,” she added. In Trinidad and Tobago, some performers have been tapping into traditional art forms ahead of the carnival on February 20-21 to encourage their communities to continue following COVID-19 health protocols as the country lifts restrictions on public gatherings. Read More here.

  • The United Nations on Thursday launched a $1 billion appeal for Türkiye to assist more than five million people affected by the cataclysmic earthquakes last week, the largest to hit the country in a century. The funding, which covers a three-month-period, will allow aid organizations to swiftly ramp up their operations to support Government-led response efforts in areas that include food security, protection, education, water and shelter. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged the international community to step up and fully fund the response effort. Read more here.

  • World Bank President David Malpass will step down as the head of the anti-poverty lender in June, nearly a year before the end of his term, accelerating the search for a new leader of the Washington-based institution just as it is plotting a massive reform effort. Malpass, who was often in the hot seat over climate, informed the bank’s board of his decision on Wednesday and sent a note to staff saying he would be pursuing unspecified “new challenges.” He also issued a warning: “Developing countries around the world are facing unprecedented crises.” Read more here.

  • "There is extensive damage; some towns in this area are 80 to 90 per cent damaged, some even more. So actually, you could say they don't even exist anymore. Even on the way to Kurakhove a missile strike occurred in a nearby city, which killed three people and injured 12" said Johannes Fromholt, a humanitarian worker for the UN Migration Agency, IOM. Almost a year into the war in Ukraine, some communities are having to cope with the total destruction of their way of life and the towns where they used to live. Read more here.

  • On the heels of recent news reports about Canada and the United States shooting down several flying objects, including an alleged Chinese ‘spy balloon’, inside their borders, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) points out that weather balloons provide just a tiny fraction of the millions of observations gathered worldwide daily. Weather balloons play an important part of a vast, intricate global observation system, providing vital information for climate monitoring and forecasters. Read more here.

Digital Ambition: How one Afghan Student Plans to Get Girls Back to School

Somaya Faruqi is one of the lucky ones. She managed to escape from Afghanistan in August 2021, just as the Taliban overran the country’s capital. Today, while the 20-year-old engineering student pursues a degree at Missouri S&T university in the US, her former classmates back home have been banned from the classroom by the de facto authorities.

In support of last week’s Education Cannot Wait conference in Geneva and its call for learning support in emergencies, Somaya has been speaking to UN News’s Daniel Johnson. She strongly believes education can help change discriminatory views about girls, women and their place in society.
Listen to the interview here.

IO/UNS Student Spotlight

We are proud of the critical views and relevant experiences of our IO/UNS specializers. To give each other a platform and a better appreciation of our goals and ideas, we are looking for volunteers to shed a spotlight on in our weekly newsletter communications and post on our Twitter account (@UNatColumbia). We hope these spotlights will help foster an even better understanding of our IO/UNS community and to share your inspirations for pursuing an education in multilateralism and global governance. We know that each of you has something to offer. Don't be shy and please fill out our questionnaire here - we'd love to shine a light on you!
Events at SIPA & Beyond


Thursday, Feb 23, 2023, 1 PM – 2 PM EST 
What Now? Perspectives from the Ground from post-Earthquake Gaziantep and Aleppo
IAB 407

RSVP | EVENT INFO


Fri, Mar 3, 2023, 12 PM – 1 PM EST 
A Culture of Evidence and Data in Organizations with Jyotsna Puri
IAB 409

RSVP | EVENT INFO


Mon, Mar 22, 2023, 4 PM – 7:30 PM EST 
International Organizations & United Nations Roundtable Conversations (Networking Event)
IAB 1501

RSVP | EVENT INFO
Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST
Online Event
Experience Columbia: United Nations & Human Rights

Join us for a lecture preview with David Marshall, Lecturer of United Nations Studies at the School of International and Public Affairs, to learn more about how the United Nations works to address human rights violations across the globe. In addition, we will be highlighting upcoming Columbia Summer Session courses, including the summer-only Certifications in United Nations Studies, Human Rights, and Critical Issues in International Relations. Learn how you can apply and enroll as a visiting or current Columbia student.

Click here to register

Wednesday, February 22, 2023, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM EST
Online
Gross Human Rights Violations due to the Aggression Against Ukraine

The Gross Human Rights Violations due to the Aggression Against Ukraine event will provide an opportunity to address numerous violations and abuses of human rights law committed by the Russian Federation in Ukraine, including in the territories temporarily occupied by Russia. The event will aim to contribute to victims’ right to truth and accountability, as well as to deter future violations of international human rights, humanitarian and criminal law in the context of the continuing war of Russia against Ukraine. It will also advocate for enhanced efforts to bring the perpetrators to justice and to provide victims with remedy and reparations.

The event will bring together government officials, UN representatives, human rights defenders, non-governmental organizations and experts to provide an overview and first-hand information on the grave violations of the human rights situation by the Russian Federation during its war against Ukraine since 2014 and particularly during the year of full-scale invasion."

Watch live on UN Web TV

Thursday, February 23, 2023, 1:15 PM - 2:30 PM EST
Online
Settlement of International Disputes & Role of Tribunals (Special Committee on the UN charter side event)

In addressing the procedures and means that the United Nations Charter provides for the peaceful settlement of disputes, the Manila Declaration, it has been said, looks at the 'machinery from States' point of view and considers how they should best make use of it in order to ensure that disputes are resolved, or at least that they do not escalate to a point at which force is threatened or used. This interactive dialogue brings together international law experts for a candid exchange on how States have made best use of this machinery, particularly through recourse to international tribunals, such at the ICJ and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in keeping the peace.

The event also aims to highlight the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes in the discussion on the contribution of international tribunals, such as the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, in the peaceful settlement of international disputes.

Watch live on UN Live TV

Thursday, February 23, 2023, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM EST
Faculty House, 64 Morningside Dr, New York, NY 10027
Ways of Knowing, Feeling, and being Indigenous within the United Nations System: Indigenous Peruvian Participation

This talk is motivated and inspired by multiple encounters, embodied resistances, and situated experiences. Dr. Urpi Saco will be sharing some reflections on the indigenous peoples' participation within specific United Nations mechanisms. These ongoing insights are being crafted from her doctoral research on how indigenous participation becomes concrete and can advance indigenous peoples' rights within the United Nations system and in their territories. Throughout her research, she has tried to grasp personal and intimate past/current/future indigenous resistances. These exist in indigenous peoples' bodies and territories and in created spaces for the pursuit of recognition of their human rights, knowledges, and justice. One of the many international platforms is the United Nations, particularly the mechanisms in which indigenous peoples actively participate. Dr. Saco focuses her research on the Peruvian indigenous participation within a specific United Nations (UN) mechanism, the Indigenous Fellowship Programme. Concretely, on how their identities are co-constituted by their UN experiences and their everyday lives. She explores how they mobilize the UN indigenous peoples' rights discourses and mechanisms after participating in the UN realm.

To RSVP, email Sara Pan (smp2253@tc.columbia.edu) 

Friday, March 3, 2023, 09:30 AM - 6:00 PM EST
United Nations Headquarters (Conference Room 3, 405 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017, United States) and online
UNIDIR Invitation: The 2023 Cyber Stability Conference

The United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) is pleased to invite you to the 2023 Cyber Stability Conference (CS23), titled “Use of ICTs by States: rights and responsibilities under the UN Charter”. Nearly a decade ago, States agreed that international law is applicable and essential for a secure, stable, peaceful information and communications technology (ICT) environment. The remaining question is how international law applies to the use of ICTs by States. To facilitate focused future deliberations and therefore meaningfully contribute to the advancement of multilateral negotiations, CS23 will focus on the first source of international law that States agreed on as being applicable in cyberspace – the Charter of the United Nations (UN). Specifically, CS23 will investigate the rights and obligations of the UN Charter applicable to cyberspace, including legal principles and thresholds related to the topics such as the use of armed force; armed attack and self-defence; role and powers of the UN Security Council; and peaceful settlement of disputes.

You are kindly requested to specify if you will be attending in person or connecting remotely. Early registrations are encouraged. The link to access the online broadcast of the conference will be provided by email to the registered participants one day prior to the event. Please contact sectec-unidir@un.org if you have any questions.

Click here to register.
Internship Opportunities
African Development Bank Internship Program
Application Deadline: 22 February 2023

The African Development Bank’s internship program aims to deliver on the strategic focus of the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy. These priority areas are commonly referred to as the High 5s:

  1. Light Up and Power Africa
  2. Feed Africa
  3. Integrate Africa
  4. Industrialize Africa
  5. Improve the Lives of the People of Africa

Objectives of the Internship Program

The Bank’s Internship program aims to:

  • Provide students with the ability to work in an international environment;

  • Provide the Bank with a pool of potential candidates in the future; and

  • Enhance the visibility of the Bank and its development activities.

Apply Here

UN Office for Partnerships - Program Management Intern
Application Deadline: 28 February, 2023

The United Nations Office for Partnerships (UNOP) is seeking client oriented interns with strong communication skills to support in program management. The UNOP serves as a gateway for catalyzing and building partnership initiatives between civil society actors and the United Nations in furtherance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). UNOP oversees the UN Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP), the UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF), the SDG Advocates programme and the SDG Strategy Hub. The incumbent will predominantly support initiatives of UNDEF.

The internship in the UN Office for Partnerships/UN Democracy Fund is for six months, with a starting date in February 2023 onwards. This internship opportunity is designed to be full-time and in person.

Apply Here

UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean - Environmental Affairs Intern
Application Deadline:  28 February 2023
The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is seeking an intern to support the Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division at the Santiago de Chile Duty Station. The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean is one of the five regional Commissions of the United Nations. It was founded in 1948 with the purpose of contributing to the region's economic and social development. Its mission includes the design, monitoring, and evaluation of public policies and the provision of advisory services, expertise, and training to Governments, as well as support for regional and international cooperation and coordination activities. Please visit our website at www.eclac.org for further information.

The internship will last 2 to 6 (2 min/6 max) months, depending on the needs of the Office. Candidates may be selected throughout the posting period, on an "as-needed" basis.

Apply Here

Executive Office of the Secretary-General - Interns
Application Deadline: 11 April 2023

The United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs (UNODA) is seeking  motivated interns to support the work of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General. The interns can take up assignments with any team in the Office, including the Strategic Planning and Monitoring Unit; the Political, Peacekeeping, Humanitarian and Human Rights Unit; the Rule of Law Unit; the Sustainable Development Unit; the Policy Advisor’s Office; or other units.

Interns report to full-time professional staff and focus on one of the three tracks set out under Responsibilities.

Apply Here

Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Economic Affairs Interns
Application Deadline: 04 June 2023

The internship with the Inter-organizational and Inter-institutional Support Branch (IISB) of the Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development (OISC) of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA) is for two months, with an opportunity for extension, pending on the needs of the Department.

The internship is UNPAID and full time.

Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in IISB to which they are assigned.

Apply Here

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - Human Rights Intern
Application Deadline: 29 June 2023

The intern shall support OHCHR in fulfilling its mission: to work for the protection of all human rights for all people; to help empower people to realize their rights; and to assist those responsible for upholding such rights in ensuring that they are implemented.

This internship is an UNPAID and full-time engagement that provides a framework through which students from diverse academic backgrounds gain exposure to the work of the United Nations by way of their service within Secretariat entities. 

Based in New York, United States of America, under the overall leadership of the High Commissioner, the intern reports to the respective Chief of Section or Human Rights Officer in the area of assignment. This internship will be offered for an initial period of two (2) months, renewable for a combined period of six (6) months.

Apply 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. 

Each week, this newsletter, as well as resources from SIPA's Career Advancement Center, list key internships. However, our listings cannot be comprehensive. For this reason, we are happy to share a short guide on identifying UN-related internships.

Tips & Tricks

  • We strongly recommend doing a significant amount of research before starting any official application process. The following list can represent a valuable starting point, but it is not exhaustive: multilateral organizations usually provide myriads of internship opportunities, and - in some cases - they accept applications on a rolling basis.

  • Internships are usually highly competitive and even if you have a strong profile for a certain position, it's hard to be sure that it will work out.  For this reason, we recommend applying to multiple internships at various organizations. 

  • It's generally advisable to plan ahead and start searching and applying for positions about three or four months before the intended starting date. However, in some cases, internship opportunities open up at short notice and not all internship vacancies for the summer have been published yet. Thus, there is no need to despair. 

  • While certain entities have specialized platforms that bring together internship opportunities from all over their component or partner organizations (e.g., UN Careers), many multilateral institutions prefer to disseminate positions only through their own online/virtual spaces (e.g., official websites and partner websites). We have collected several websites below so be sure to check multiple platforms in your area of interest.

  • Before applying, please make sure that you are familiar with (a) all the requirements of the internship (including visa requirements), (b) the length of the internship, (c) prospective responsibilities, and (d) financial arrangements of the position (i.e., some internship positions offer a small stipend (usually around US$1,000/month), while most at the UN Secretariat in New York are unpaid).

  • When you apply for an internship, treat your application as a job application: Find out what are the key tasks the intern is asked to do. Is this about writing & research? Conference & event management? Social media? In your cover letter, highlight what you have done in the past on this and emphasize how you can support and help the team. The more you can weave in actual work experience, the better it is. The ideal cover letter for an internship is one where the hiring manager says: "We could hire this candidate as a staff member."

Resources

United Nations

  • UN Careers - Various positions across the UN System.

  • UNDP - UNDP ensures inclusive and effective democratic governance by advocating, advising, fostering impartial spaces for dialogue, achieving consensus and building institutions.

  • UNICEF - UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, UNICEF does whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

  • UNFPA Internship Programme -  UNFPA offers a small group of outstanding students the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to UNFPA operations. It is designed to complement development-oriented studies with practical experience in various aspects of UNFPA work.

  • UNOPS - They offer exciting internship opportunities in many countries around the world. 

  • UNHCR - UNHCR is looking for talented, motivated and passionate individuals from around the world who bring knowledge, innovative thinking and different ideas to enhance our capacity to support people forced to flee.

  • UN Women - Positions at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
  • IOM Internship Programme 
    • General information
    • For internships in IOM Country Offices, please send your application directly to the specific office in which you are interested in working.
    • For advertised internships at IOM Geneva (Headquarters), please click here for the list of current internships available. Internship vacancies start with “INT”.
    • In addition, please feel free to register your interest for an upcoming internship with IOM by submitting your profile here. Please do not forget to “release” your profile within the system for our review. We review profiles on a needs basis.

  • UNEP - This link is for all jobs and opportunies. You need to search for "intern" on the site to get to internship offers.

  • ILO

    • ILO (Washington D.C.) - The objective of the ILO Office for the United States is to forge excellent relationships and collaboration with government representatives, and workers’ and employers’ organizations, as well as with relevant United States based international organizations in building partnerships for a sustainable and equitable future of work and more generally to promote knowledge and awareness of the ILO and its mandate.
    • ILO (International) - If you want to work within an internationally diverse, globally challenging, highly principled environment and you have a proven track record of high performance, then the ILO is the right place for you.
World Bank and Regional Development Banks 
INGOs
Some international NGOs can be considered "UN-adjacent". The below is not a comprehensive list of such organizations.
Best of luck for your search! And please do let us know if you know of additional resources that we can include in future iterations of this guide.

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 Dankowski Mercado, IO/UNS Coordinator, ld3071@sipa.columbia.edu
Asha Jhanay Richards, Program Assistant, ajr2264@columbia.edu
Aurelian Dragos Mohan, Program Assistant, aurelian.d.mohan@columbia.edu