IO/UNS Newsletter [04/26/22]

Dear IO/UNS Community, 

We can't believe it's already the second-to-last week of classes!  As we wrap up final class assignments, papers, and presentations, we'd like to take a moment to celebrate your hard work and accomplishments throughout this semester and year. 

Please join the IO/UNS End of Year Social, this Friday, April 29th from 6-8 pm in IAB 1512. You can register here.

While the voting for the IO/UNS specializers' end-of-year awards has closed, there is still time to be awarded as our top Social Media Ambassador, that is, the person who engages the most with @UNatColumbia organic tweets (i.e., not our retweets) by Wednesday, April 25. Feel free comment, like, quote, and retweet our news if they align with your ideas and values. 

• Today, UN Secretary-General Guterres started his three-day trip to Russia and Ukraine (the photo above shows Putin and Guterres at Putin's 13foot long table). You can read here what colleagues at the International Crisis Group think the SG should be focusing on. 

• Tomorrow, 27 April at 9.30am ET, the UN Network on Migration hosts the last Migration Dialogue “Promoting inclusive societies and ensuring the inclusion of migrants in COVID-19 response and recovery” before the International Migration Review Forum from May 17-20. You can register here.

• Sunday, April 24, was the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace. In his official message, Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted: "But as we mark this year’s International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, this commitment is being broken. The principles at the heart of multilateral cooperation are under the greatest strain since the founding of the United Nations." 

• Since last week, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank held their 2022 Spring Meetings. You can watch the public events here.

• 5 UN JPO US-sponsored Openings
• What We’re Listening To: UN's first expert on climate change & human rights
• Events at SIPA and Beyond
• Internship Opportunities

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

Daniel, Nate & Yun
IO/UNS Specialization Team

US-Sponsored JPO Openings at the United Nations - Apply by May 4

The following positions are open in the context of the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the US at the United Nations Secretariat (these are only open to US citizens). Most of them are for one year and renewable for another year. JPOs are temporary staff positions that may allow you to get the work experience, skills, and networks to obtain a more long-term staff position afterwards. 

• JPO in Human Rights at OHCHR, Geneva
• JPO in Research Coordination Management at DMSPC, New York
• JPO in Counter-Terrorism, New York
• JPO in Intergovernmental Affairs at UN-DESA, New York
• JPO in Transport and Logistics at UN-ESCAP, Bangkok

For more information and to apply see here.

The student teams in SIPA’s Workshop in Sustainable Development Practice (the EPD Workshop) have been working this year on cutting-edge projects with twelve clients focusing on over twelve countries. This year's projects support ESG and impact investing, sustainable development finance and inclusive insurance, health innovation, food security and humanitarian response, urban development, and youth engagement. On April 28 and April 29, the teams will present highlights of their work in person at SIPA and the workshop will also be live-streamed over Zoom. 

All members of the SIPA community are warmly invited and encouraged to join any sessions of interest.

View the webinar here.

The UN Capital Development Fund makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 46 least developed countries (LDCs).

UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF pursues innovative financing solutions through: (1) financial inclusion, which expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small and medium-sized enterprises to participate in the local economy, while also providing differentiated products for women and men so they can climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; (2) local development finance, which shows how fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion, women’s economic empowerment, climate adaptation, and sustainable development; and (3) a least developed countries investment platform that deploys a tailored set of financial instruments to a growing pipeline of impactful projects in the “missing middle.’’

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.

The internship position in the Office of the Special Adviser on Africa is for a period of two months, subject to extension based on the needs of the Office.

The programme is normally full-time, i.e. an intern is expected to work five days per week (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.) in the department or office of the Secretariat to which he/she is assigned, carrying out his/her tasks under the supervision of a staff member - the supervisor.

Daily responsibilities will include:

• Support team members with data cleaning from primary or secondary sources and maintaining databases/data systems;
• Contribute to the search for approaches and methods that will lead to innovative data products;
• Create simple data visualizations for internal or external use independently ;
• Perform ongoing monitoring and refinement of reports;
• Provide technical support for existing reports, dashboards, or other tools;
• Helps identify and analyse errors and inconsistencies in data and proposes timely resolutions;
• Provide support in translating data results in written reports, or presentations to convey information to management

To apply, please visit the job posting here.

This internship is offered in the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), in New York. The intern will work under the supervision of a staff member to which they are assigned.

The United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism has five main functions: (a) provide leadership on the General Assembly counter-terrorism mandates entrusted to the Secretary-General from across the United Nations system; (b) enhance coordination and coherence across the 43 Global Counter-Terrorism Coordination Compact (former CTITF) Task Force entities to ensure the balanced implementation of the four pillars of the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy; (c) strengthen the delivery of United Nations counter-terrorism capacity-building assistance to Member States; (d) improve visibility, advocacy and resource mobilization for United Nations counter-terrorism efforts; and (e) ensure that due priority is given to counterterrorism across the United Nations system and that the important work on preventing violent extremism is firmly rooted in the Strategy.

To apply, please visit the job posting here.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), part of the United Nations Secretariat, is the leading UN entity on human rights mandated 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. The fundamental pillars of OHCHR’s work globally include: (1) strengthening the rule of law and accountability for human rights violations; (2), enhancing and protecting civic space and people’s participation; (3) enhancing equality and countering discrimination: (4) integrating human rights in sustainable development; (5) early warning, prevention and protection of human rights in situations of conflict and insecurity; and (6) increasing implementation of the international human rights mechanisms' outcomes.

This announcement broadcasts international internships based in the OHCHR Regional Office for South-East Asia (SEARO). Established in 2002, the Regional Office for South-East Asia acts as an expert resource and plays a catalytic and convening role, helping to bring human rights standards and mechanisms into discussions on political, social, economic and developmental issues amongst governmental and non-governmental actors. A combination of technical support and capacity building with key partners as well as advocacy on human rights issues of concern has formed the basis of the work of the Regional Office, including with government authorities, national human rights institutions, the UN system, civil society and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). In addition to its work on the six fundamental pillars, SEARO is working on a number of thematic areas including migration, climate change and environmental rights, digital space and business and human rights and the Office aims to integrate gender into all areas of its work. SEARO covers Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Viet Nam, and it also supports OHCHR's work elsewhere in the Asia and Pacific region.

Based in Bangkok, Thailand, this assignment may be offered for a period of six (6) months, with an initial commencement date ranging/starting from April 2022 to March 2023.

To apply, please visit the job posting here.

The internship is in the Social Media Section, Communications Campaigns Service, Strategic Communications Division of the Department of Global Communications. The section is responsible for social media activities of the Department of Global Communications and the integration of social media platforms, including social networking tools such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Flickr and YouTube, which are critical component of the Department's communications.

Within delegated authority, the public information intern may be responsible for the following duties:

• Research, compile, draft and edit basic information for use in the preparation and production of social media content, often under tight deadlines.
• Monitor and analyze statistics related to social media content.
• Gather social media content at special events (film screenings, concerts, exhibits, etc.).
• Assist in the creation of original content for social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.
• Attend meetings as an observer.
• Manage meeting agendas and draft meeting notes.
• Assists with special projects as assigned.

To apply, please visit the job posting here.

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

Feel free to reach out to us:
Daniel Naujoks, Interim Director, daniel.naujoks@columbia.edu
To book office hours, click here.

Yun Liang, Program Assistant, yun.liang@columbia.edu
Nate Edwards, Program Assistant, nke2113@columbia.edu