Int'l Organizations & UN News #9/2025

 International Organizations and UN News #9/2025 - March 25, 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

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.

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

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 

14 April 2025, 1 - 2 PM 
Previewing the Fourth UN Conference on Financing for Development 
IAB 407

IO/UNS and EPD will be co-organizing a discussion with a UN guest speaker, Shari Spiegel, and SIPA faculty speakers, Professor Jose Antonio Ocampo and Professor Daniel Naujoks. The UN will be hosting its Fourth Conference on Financing for Development in Spain in mid-2025. The speakers will be addressing the various issues on the global agenda! 

• Shari Spiegel, Chief of the Policy Analysis and Development Branch in the Financing for Development Office, UN  Department of Economic and Social Affairs 

• Professor José Antonio Ocampo, SIPA Professor and Co-Director of the Economic and Political Development Concentration. 

• Professor Daniel Naujoks, SIPA Professor and the Director of the International Organization and UN Studies Specialization. 

Register Here

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

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.

*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. 

*Expected duration: 2-6 months* 
They seek motivated interns to support the work of the Strategic Planning and Communications Services (SPCS) in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG) in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). Rooted in the United Nations Charter and guided by the transformative 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN DESA upholds the development pillar of the United Nations. We bring the global community together to work towards common solutions to the world’s most pressing problems. We help countries translate their global commitments into national action in the economic, social and environmental spheres. We are a leading analytical voice for promoting inclusion, reducing inequalities, and eradicating poverty. UN DESA helps countries make informed decisions by providing a wealth of information through our publications and databases and through our support for international deliberations at the United Nations General Assembly, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Commissions, Forums and other bodies. SPCS is responsible for providing strategic planning, communications services and information technology support to the Department. The internship is for a minimum of two months with an opportunity for extension to a maximum of six months. While this internship is designed to be carried out in-person at UNHQ in New York, telecommuting within or away from the duty station, or a part-time schedule, may be exceptionally considered depending on the specific situation of the selected candidate. Daily responsibilities will depend on the individual's background and the internship period.

*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.

*Desired start date for two internships: 5 May 2025 or sooner or 15 July 2025 or sooner*
The internship will be placed in the Peacebuilding Commission Support Branch (PCSB). The interns report to the Senior Political Affairs Officer(s). Tasks will include: • Researches, compiles and summarizes background materials for use in preparation of meetings, reports, summaries, etc.; • Assists in the coordination of service-wide activities (meetings, training, etc.), special projects and events; • Supports the management and development of internal databases; updates website; generates a variety of standard and non-standard statistical and other reports from various databases; • Assists in the preparation of presentation materials using appropriate technology/software; • Performs a variety of administrative duties, as requested. The branch strives to offer interns an opportunity to work independently with substantive issues while also assisting colleagues in the day-to-day operations of the office. The intern will be encouraged to actively explore relevant training options from the wide range of training courses being offered on an on-going basis to UN staff at Headquarters. 

*Desired start date: 13 May 2025 or sooner*
This internship position is located in the Budget, Financial Management and Reporting Section of United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions (OROLSI) within the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) in New York. Established in 1997, the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) works to eliminate the threat posed by mines, explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices by coordinating United Nations mine action, leading operational responses at the country level, and supporting the development of standards, policies and norms. As a specialized service of the United Nations located within the Department of Peace Operations, UNMAS operates under UN legislative mandates of both the General Assembly and the Security Council. UNMAS also responds to specific requests for support from the UN Secretary-General or designated official. For more information on UNMAS, please visit www.unmas.org The Internship is for six (6) months. The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of Finance and Budget Officer and will be responsible for the following: • Research, compile, draft, and edit information for use in the preparation of financial reports and statements; • Support in the development of process mapping for project continuity; • File and archive documentation in hard and digital copies as required in Sharepoint; • Assist with the creation and organisation of data in Microsoft Excel for the purpose of producing clear and concise reports for Donors; • Draft minutes and talking points during the BFMRS and related meetings; • Update and maintain the BFMRS tasking sheet and Finance Resource Mobilisation priority log; • Assist the BFRMS with special projects as assigned; • Assist in preparing for meetings and trainings including contributing for PowerPoint presentations, background documents and other relevant material; • Draft routine correspondence with respect to enquiries related to relevant financial budget matters as may be assigned; • Provide administrative support to the Chief of Section and/or Financial Officers and Assistants as required; • Perform any other related duties, as may be assigned.

The United Nations Secretariat is seeking motivated interns to support the work of the Journal Unit of the Central Planning and Coordination Division of the Department for General Assembly and Conference Management in New York. The Journal Unit is responsible for the daily preparation and publication of the Journal of the United Nations. The Journal of the United Nations is a complete picture and historical record of the life of United Nations Headquarters on any given day – what meetings are being held, when and where, what topics are being discussed and what documents are the basis of those discussions. The interns' responsibilities will depend upon the nature of the project(s) undertaken, the background of the intern, and the duration of the internship. Daily responsibilities might include, but not necessarily be limited to: providing assistance in the publication of the Journal of the United Nations; providing assistance in the maintenance and update of the Journal Unit databases and planning dashboards; providing assistance in the compilation, review and analysis of data and other information needed for the publication of meetings and events; providing technical assistance in the Journal Content Management System (JCMS); providing assistance in attending to queries from submitters and secretariats regarding the programmes or summaries of the Journal of the United Nations; providing administrative assistance to the Unit; and performing any other related tasks. 

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.

The United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) is responsible for providing leadership, operational support and oversight of the United Nations Security Management System (UNSMS) globally. As a global leader in security risk management principles, UNDSS enables the safe and effective delivery of United Nations programmes and activities in the most complex and challenging environments, while maximizing precious resources. The work of the Department is further aligned under a clear mission, to enable United Nations system programme activities through trusted security leadership and solutions. This is a unique opportunity to join a diverse, dynamic and exciting organization gaining unique and valuable experience where security provides great value. Besides the opportunity to gain new skills and further advance security expertise, this position offers a fulfilling environment that gives you satisfaction by contributing directly or indirectly to peace and security, human rights and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. For more information on the Department, and how we make an impact on the world in enabling the achievement of SDGs, visit: https://www.un.org/undss/. This internship opportunity is located in the Office of the Under-Secretary-General (OUSG), in the Strategic Planning Service (SPS), in the Gender and Inclusivity Unit, within UNDSS. The Gender and Inclusivity Unit plays a crucial role in promoting gender equality and inclusive practices within the Department, ensuring that diverse perspectives are integrated into security policies and programs. SPS contributes to UNDSS' efforts to enable the implementation of the United Nations mandate while ensuring safety and security of United Nations personnel. Be sure to read more about the intern's other tasks and responsibilities. 

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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