Int'l Organizations & UN News #8/2025

 International Organizations and UN News #8/2025 - March 11, 2025

Dear IO/UNS Community, 

• International Organizations News
• Podcast
• Student Spotlight 
• Events at SIPA and Beyond ft IO/UNS Spring Retreat 
• Internship Opportunities

IO/UNS Specialization Team

In case you missed last week's announcement about another great MiA think-piece on Making the United Nations Security Council More Effective Without Amending the UN Charter by Mona Ali Khalil Nina and Floriane Lavaud, both experts in international law, check out the full think-piece here, and engage with our announcements on LinkedIn and BlueSky.

Wednesday, March 12 · 4 - 6:15pm tomorrow 
Beijing+30: Addressing Challenges to Gender Equality
IAB & Online

This event will highlight the transformative impact of the Beijing Conference, feature young activists at the forefront of the women’s movement, and offer lessons from world leaders on how to move forward in a time of regression on gender equality.

Thursday, March 20, 8:30 -10:00 am
CSW69 Parallel Event: OUR WORKPLACE THEN AND NOW: HAVE WE MADE ANY PROGRESS?
UN Church Center, 777 United Nations Plaza 

• Maya Dougoud, Associate Professor, Fribourg School of Management, Switzerland, Founder & Co–President, Strukturelle
• Allison A. Dunlop, Senior Attorney/Domestic Violence Specialist, Brooklyn Legal Services
• Tani Gurkova, Founder and Executive Director, Steps With Sisters, Inc.
• Jane Aeberhard-Hodges, International Gender Equality Consultant, Former Director, ILO Gender Equality Bureau
• Dr. Eleanor Ann Nwadinobi, MBBS, EMA, FAAC, President, Medical Women’s International Association
• Thenmozhi Soundararajan, Co-Founder and Executive Director, Equality Labs
• Moderator: Fay Yvette Parris, Esq., Co-Chair,  Women's Bar Association of the State of New York, International Women's Rights Committee

RSVP here

20 January 2025 - 28 March 2025 
Part I of the Annual Conference on Disarmament 
UNHQ, NY

Part I of the Annual Conference on Disarmament begins 20 January. The Conference on Disarmament (CD), is the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community. The CD and its predecessors have negotiated major multilateral arms limitation and disarmament agreements such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CWC) and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). Learn more and follow the discussions in the 2025 Conference.

20 March 2025, 9 - 10:30 AM ET 
Women Who Shaped the Universal Declaration of Human Rights #CSW69 
Virtual 

Join this virtual side event of the 69th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women. This insightful discussion will cover the pivotal role of women who shaped the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This event will highlight the historical context, the challenges faced by these women, and the lasting impact of their work on contemporary movements for gender equality and the United Nations. The conversation will further address ongoing global advocacy of gender equality and human rights. Read here for more information on the panelists and event. 

RSVP Here

10 - 21 March 2025
Sixty-ninth session of the Commission on the Status of Women
UNHQ, NY

The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) is the principal global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality, the rights and the empowerment of women. The sixty-ninth session of the Commission will take place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 10 to 21 March 2025. 

26 March 2025
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Employer Information Session 
IAB 411

This session will feature Mr. Owen Edwards, who has held several positions in UNDP throughout the span of his career. He will provide a presentation on his career path, introduction to UNDP and career opportunities specifically focusing on entry level opportunities. The presentation will last 20-30 minutes and Q&A for 15-20 minutes.

Mr. Owen Edwards has held numerous Senior Management roles in delivering large scale programmes in the international development context, both at the Country Level and at the Head Quarters of the United Nations Development Programme for over 18 years. He has extensive experience in Programme and Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Results-Based Management, Operations (HR, Procurement, Finance), Change Management, Business Development, Partnership Building, Resource Allocation and Mobilization. He is currently leading the design and delivery of UNDP's Results Based Management Strategy which aims to improve UNDPs ability to achieve and measure the impact of the organizations work.

Register Here 

15 - 17 April 2025 
2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum 
UNHQ, NY

The UN Youth Office invites young leaders to be a part of the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum! They will support up to 15 young persons (18-35 years old) to participate in person at the 2025 ECOSOC Youth Forum from 15-17 April 2025 at the UN Headquarters in New York City (USA).The ECOSOC Youth Forum will focus on a theme that aligns with the 2025 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind.” 

Selected young candidates will:

• Engage directly with decision-makers and policymakers at the ECOSOC Youth Forum.
• Share insights and innovative solutions to advance sustainable development.
• Connect with fellow young advocates from diverse backgrounds and regions.
• Contribute to shaping international policies and commitments on sustainable development.
• Play an active role in driving progress toward the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs within the UN system and beyond.

Eligibility and Selection Process:
Selection of eligible young persons will be made by the UN Youth Office with the support of partners, including its Youth Reference Group, with due consideration to gender balance, geographical representation and other under-represented youth groups.

Interested candidates should review the detailed application guidelines available here:

For more information about the ECOSOC Youth Forum, please visit 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.

Are you a young leader passionate about climate mobility? Apply now for the Climate Mobility Fellowship (CMF) 2025–2026 and gain the tools, networks, and expertise to drive impactful solutions in the field of climate mobility!
The Global Centre for Climate Mobility (GCCM) is launching this year-long fellowship as part of the Climate Mobility Academy (CMA) for youth from Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean, and the Pacific. This unique opportunity will provide academic & practical training, exposure to international climate mobility forums, and hands-on project experience. Each fellow will receive a stipend to support their participation throughout the fellowship. The 12 selected fellows — including four from Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — will develop expertise in climate mobility governance, policy, and research, while actively engaging in global policy processes.

Format: In-Person & Virtual

• Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 30.
• Proficiency in English is required.
• Applicants must be based in or nationals of Latin American, Caribbean, African, or Pacific Island countries.

How to Apply Submit your application via this form by 15 March 2025.
Want to learn more? Join our introductory webinar on 20 February 2025 — register here.
For full details, refer to the Concept Note here.

This internship will be with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). Several of the responsibilities that interns may cover, include, but are not limited to the following: - Researching, identifying and analysing international human rights trends, developments, and initiatives in intergovernmental bodies at the United Nations, with a focus on the GA and SC assessing their impact and preparing documents and written summaries as agreed in each case - Providing support to the organisation of relevant meetings as required - Supporting the gathering of best practices, statistics and other data related to intergovernmental meetings and fora related to human rights - Supporting human rights officers on specific priority countries, regions and/or thematic areas and as such, take notes at relevant meetings - Assisting in drafting and editing various documents, reports, position papers, statements, talking points, presentations and outreach materials - Attending relevant in-person or virtual meetings as required.

Apply Here

*Expected Start Date: 1 May 2025 or sooner.*

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. 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 Counter-Terrorism 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. The overall aim is to support Member States in the implementation of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy through capacity building. The internship is situated within Pillar I&IV of UNCCT, specifically within the Global Programme on Prevention and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE), which aims to enhance the capacity of Member States, UN entities, regional organisations, and civil society in areas such as strategic communications, youth engagement and empowerment, policy assistance, gender, and human rights. It also focuses on new and cutting-edge trends, such as gaming, climate, artificial intelligence and mental health. The Intern reports to the Programme Management Officer of the Global Programme on PCVE, under the overall supervision of the Chief of Section. Be sure to read more about the other functions the intern will need to perform. 

Apply Here

*Fluency in English and French is required* 

The internship is located in the French Language Unit, UN News Section I of the News and Media Division, Department of Global Communications, which produces news and feature stories on multimedia platforms including radio, video, photo and web. This internship is for two (2) months with an opportunity for extension up to six (6) months, pending the needs of the department. The intern will be working under the overall supervision of the Chief of the French Unit, UN News Section I. It is designed to be an in-person internship. For more information on the Department of Global Communications, please visit: https://www.un.org/en/sections/departments/department-global communications/ The Unit is looking for interns who wish to gain hands-on experience in the UN newsroom, particularly in the production of daily news, in-depth features and other multimedia products in French. The intern's duties will include: drafting French news articles by integrating and translating information from various sources, including reports, press releases, official statements, resolutions, etc; proofreading news articles before and after publication; assisting with fact-checking and background research; and assisting in the production of graphic, visual and audio content. The intern will be encouraged to work on feature stories and conduct research and interviews, and draft feature stories. They will also be reviewing the partnerships database by collaborating with the UN Partnerships Unit and looking for new digital media and other partners, including finding trustworthy entities that work on fact-checking and media literacy. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. Applicants must have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.Be sure to read more in the qualifications section. 

Apply Here

*Desired start date: May - September 2025*
The Office of Legal Affairs is recruiting interns for its six (6) divisions and offices located in New York. We are seeking highly motivated graduate or undergraduate students, and recent graduates, who wish to gain professional experience in the legal field within an international organization in order to enhance their educational experience. This internship will include practical educational experience which provides the opportunity to work in a multicultural intergovernmental organization. Under the supervision of legal officers, interns will work on projects and tasks assigned by them, which may include assignments that are relevant to their educational background and interests. The interns will have an opportunity to apply and further develop their theoretical knowledge. The six divisions and offices of OLA located in New York are: the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG), the Office of the Legal Counsel (OLC), the Codification Division (COD), the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS), the General Legal Division (GLD), and the Treaty Section (TS). It is important that candidates familiarize themselves with the functions of these as described at https://www.un.org/ola/en/mission, and that they make an informed decision as to which division or office would be best suited for their interests and qualifications. The responsibilities of internship positions range widely, encompassing many aspects of OLA's work. These may include, but are not limited to: • Assistance in conducting legal research on issues related to international law, ocean affairs and law of the sea, or other areas of specialization using multiple research resources. • Assistance in the review of legal documents, instruments or other material. • Assistance in drafting and preparing official and legal documents. • Attending and taking notes at conferences and meetings. • Assistance in servicing conferences and meetings. • Working on websites and/or presentations. • Perform other duties as assigned.

Apply Here

This internship is with the Regional Commissions - New York Office under the Economic, Social, and Development group. Daily responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:-Attend (in-person) and take notes of intergovernmental and UN inter-agency meetings; (e.g. meetings of the General Assembly Committees and of the Economic and Social Council);-Draft official documents (e.g. background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies, inputs to publications, etc.) and weekly reports to be disseminated to the Regional Commissions;-Conduct analysis and research of regional trends and regional dimensions of sustainable development;-Logistical assistance during conferences/meetings of the Regional Commissions; -Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

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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
Angela To, Program Assistant, hat2123@columbia.edu
Himadri Ratnayake, Program Assistant, hr2574@columbia.edu