Back
No image description provided

Int'l Organizations & UN News #6/2024

Amy Younger - Tuesday, February 27, 2024
 Events   IO/UNS Newsletter 

 International Organizations and UN News #6/2024 - February 27, 2024

Dear IO/UNS Community, 

Thank you to everyone who came to the annual UN Roundtable Conversations on Friday, we hope that you had insightful and inspiring discussions! This week, the international world has been busy with the opening of the 55th session of the Human Rights Council and the bi-annual UN Environment Assembly. You can read more on both of these events below. 

In this newsletter, you will find: 

  • International Organizations News
  • What We're Listening To:  UDHR @ 75: Can our human rights system ever fulfil its promise?
  • IO/UNS Student Spotlight
  • Event Recap: UN Roundtable Event 
  • 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.

  • Human Rights Council opens its 55th session titled “Human Rights: A Path for Solutions”. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk unveiled a roadmap to “address today’s and tomorrow’s challenges”, including climate change, conflict, inequality and new technologies. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched a rights protection pledge in the context of Palestine and Ukraine, calling on the international community to fulful its primary responsibility to promote and protect human rights. Read more here.

  • The bi-annual UN Environment Assembly began yesterday in Nairobi. This event is an opportunity for member states to collectively address critical environmental issues facing the planet. It is seen as the “world parliament on the environment” and defines environmental policies and international legislation on the matter. This particular session will focus on how multilateralism can help tackle the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Read more here.

  • US vetoes draft UN Security Council resolution on the Israel-Hamas war, blocking a demand for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. Instead, the member state pushed for a temporary ceasefire linked to the release of hostages held by Hamas. Thirteen council members voted in favor of the Algerian-drafted text, while Britain abstained.

  • Member states address the ICJ on Israeli practices and policies in Palestine. This case, filed before the ongoing war in Gaza, is based on the UN General Assembly’s request for an advisory opinion on the “legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestine people to self-determination”. 52 member states and three international organizations have provided comment before the court so far.

UDHR @ 75 : Can our human rights system ever fulfil its promise?

Following the opening of the 55th Human Rights Council, we would recommend this podcast which gives a good overview on the future of human rights:

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) turned 75 on the 10 December 2023. Passed by the UN General Assembly in the wake of two brutal world wars, it expresses an aspiration for a new world. Disregard and contempt for human rights, it says, have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind. If people are not to be forced to rebel against tyranny and oppression, human rights have to be protected by the rule of law.  That vision is as powerful today as it was then and it has sometimes, and in some places, been realized. But the failures are many. Despite their pledge, governments have repeatedly abandoned principle to pursue their own interests, leaving ordinary people – sometimes an individual, sometimes millions – without protection from cruel mistreatment or immiseration, and lacking any recourse. So why does the global human rights system fail this way? And can it be made to work? A group of moderators from the Symposium on Strength and Solidarity for Human Rights sit down together to argue it out.     

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

IO/UNS Student Spotlight

This week we are excited to introduce: 
Omotola Aishat Bamidele (MPA, IFEP 2026). 

Omotola believes that multilateral organizations can serve as powerful catalysts, bringing together diverse stakeholders to pool resources, exchange expertise, and drive inclusive, innovative growth. She is particularly interested in the mechanisms by which these organizations facilitate cross-border cooperation, ensuring equitable access to opportunities. Her core belief is that sustainable development hinges on collaborative efforts, where multilateral platforms serve as catalysts for innovation and inclusive growth. The challenges of infrastructure gaps, economic disparities, and the need for tailored industrial strategies in West Africa are key areas where I seek to contribute. She is driven by the vision of a West Africa thriving through strategic private-public partnerships, empowered local economies, and effective governance.

Over the last 5 years, Omotola specialized in Risk and ESG consulting within the public and private spheres, supporting banks and organizations in implementing impactful market interventions. Outside of work, she has collaborated with leading beauty and lifestyle brands as a content creator, blending financial expertise with creative partnerships.

You can find Omotola on instagram at: @aishatam
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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. 

Event Recap: 5th International Organizations & United Nations Roundtable Conversations

During our annual flagship event, last Friday, 17 experts from a range of international organizations such as UNDP, OHCHR, UNHCR, World Bank, IFAD and many others, met with 135 students to speak about their experience in the UN and share advice and insights about their careers. This event provided students a platform to get first-hand information, network and ask questions in small group discussions. The topics ranged from peace and security, to climate change, to energy, migration, and economic development, to advice for women in the field. After the roundtable conversations, the reception provided an opportunity for 180 students, SIPA faculty, and experts to mingle in a more informal setting. In fact, this year we had the biggest turn-out yet with more than 200 attendees over the 3.5 hour event. 

You can access the photos from the event here (Part 1) and here (Part 2)

Events at SIPA & Beyond

Spotlighted Events

5 March | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
The UN's Work on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse

IAB 407

RSVP | EVENT INFO

29 February | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
HRHP Professional Development : Research and Reporting

IAB 801

RSVP | EVENT INFO

1 March | 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
SIPA Speaks! Navigating the Complexities of Asylum and Migration: An Insider's Perspective

IAB 1512

RSVP | EVENT INFO

HRHP Professional Development Series - Research and Reporting
29 February, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
IAB 801

The HRHP PD Series continues with a workshop led by Professor Andrew Heinrich, who will provide students with an overview on how to propose a research design; describe and implement various human rights research methodologies; compare and contrast the different kinds of human rights research and reporting; and write about human rights findings in a clear, concise and compelling manner.

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.

SIPA Speaks! Navigating the Complexities of Asylum and Migration: An Insider's Perspective
1 March, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1512 IAB

Maria Thornton (MPA), a seasoned expert in asylum and migration policy, will share her frontline experiences from her tenure as an EU asylum officer. Her work, spanning across critical cases in Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, and Eritrea, offers her a unique perspective on the intricacies and emotional challenges of this field. Maria's diverse roles, from adjudicating asylum claims to retrials in deportation centers, underscore the multifaceted nature of migration issues. With a background rooted in Bosnian and Croatian heritage, raised in Sweden, and educated at CUNY as a first-generation student, Maria's journey informs her empathetic approach to migration policy. Her talk will offer a realistic, yet hopeful overview of western asylum practices and the emotional resilience required to navigate them.

RSVP here.

Women Property Rights Under CEDAW
1 March, 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
245 Sullivan Street

Ensuring women’s property rights has long been seen as essential to ensuring their enjoyment of other human rights, from personal safety to economic development. The expert committee that interprets and seeks to enforce the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) has over the years developed a unique body of jurisprudence interpreting the convention’s requirement that women enjoy property rights equal to those of men. What is surprising is that this jurisprudence – which encompasses the right to contract, administer property, access credit and government benefits, make use of agricultural land, access adequate housing, and more – has received very little attention from scholars. Law Professor José E. Alvarez, director of the U.S.-Asia Law Institute at NYU Law School, will explain what he calls CEDAW’s “progressive property jurisprudence.”

RSVP here.

A Dialogue with UN Women Leadership: Gender Equity in Democracy
4 March, 12:10PM -1:10pm,
Jerome Greene Hall, Room 107

Please join the Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute, the Columbia Law Students Human Rights Association, Columbia Society of International Law, the Public Interest Law Foundation, the Columbia Law Women's Association and the Institute for the Study of Human Rights for a conversation with Ms. Lopa Banerjee, Director of the Civil Society Division at UN Women.

In advance of the forthcoming 68th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, the event provides a unique opportunity to discuss strategies to advance gender equity in democracy.

RSPV here.

The UN's Work on the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
5 March, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
IAB 407

The Office of the Special Coordinator on improving the United Nations response to sexual exploitation and abuse (OSCSEA) examines and addresses policy and operational gaps in the protection from sexual exploitation and abuse. Under-Secretary-General Christian Saunders will share how he and his Office strengthen the response to, and the prevention of, sexual exploitation and abuse across the UN system, from headquarters to the most remote field bases. He will provide insights into the key challenges to achieving this goal and what his role means for system-wide cooperation and coherence.

The talk will be moderated by Professor Daniel Naujoks, director of SIPA's UN Studies specialization. 

Columbia students, faculty, and staff may attend in person; others please join us virtually. Please see the different registration options. A light lunch will be offered during the event.

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

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

PAID UNICEF'S Leading Minds Fellowship
Application Deadline: 1 March 2024

Are you aged 15-25? We are not just looking for participants; we are seeking architects of the future – young individuals eager to mold insights into action and discourse into lasting change. Through the Fellowship, participants will have the opportunity to steer the agenda of UNICEF’s Leading Minds conference 2024 focused on Climate Breakthroughs, a future-informed conference series and premier platform for global thought leadership, co-created by and co-driven with young people. 

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