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IO/UNS Newsletter [11/29/22]

Asha Richards - Tuesday, November 29, 2022
 Events   IO/UNS Newsletter 
November 29, 2022

Dear IO/UNS Community, 

We hope that you all had a restful break. As November comes to an end and finals approach, remember to pace yourself and take breaks when necessary. Also a gentle reminder for specializers graduating in May 2023, ensure that all specialization course  requirements are met and the final day to register for graduation is December 1st 2022. See our IO/UNS newsletter from Oct 15 for all IO/UNS course offerings in the Spring 2023.

We are excited to annouce the End of Year IO/UNS & UNA Social on December 13, 6-9pm at Publique. Please also note our upcoming events, including today's talk at 1pm on The UK's Racialized Immigration Policies (407 IAB) and next Tuesday's talk on How States Use the UN General Assembly to Create International Obligations (Dec 7, 2022 1-2 pm).

In this newsletter, you will find: 

  • News from the UN
  • What We're Listening To: amplifyHER
  • Job Opportunities
  • 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, Asha & Aurelian
IO/UNS Specialization Team

In UN news:

  • From Nov 28-30, the 11th UN Forum on Business and Human Rights takes place in Geneva under the auspices of OHCHR. The UN Forum is the world's largest annual gathering on business and human rights with more than 2,000 participants from government, business, community groups and civil society, law firms, investor organisations, UN bodies, national human rights institutions, trade unions, academia and the media. The Forum is the foremost event to network, share experiences and learn about the latest initiatives to promote corporate respect for human rights.
    For more information and the live stream see here.

  • Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is not only one of the worst forms of discrimination but also remains the most widespread and pervasive human rights violations in the world, 11 UN entities said on Friday, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Read More here.

  • Following calls from UN human rights chief Volker Türk for an independent investigation into ongoing deadly violence against protesters in Iran, the Human Rights Council has created a fact-finding mission, related to the protests that began on 16 September 2022. Read more here.

  • Seven weeks since the UN-mediated nationwide truce in Yemen expired, the UN Special Envoy told the Security Council on Tuesday that despite “incidents of concern”, full-fledged war has not returned. Read more here.

  • The international community should push ahead with stalled plans to prevent biological weapons from being developed in the wake of COVID-19, the UN’s top disarmament official insisted on Monday. Read more here.

  • The ninth Global Forum for the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) concluded its work on Wednesday in the Moroccan city of Fez, emphasizing the values of dialogue and tolerance, as well as the role of Africa as a positive actor in the international arena. Read more here.

New UN Podcast: amplifyHER

On Thursday, the UN launched amplifyHER; a vibrant, music-filled podcast, celebrating exciting women artists from around the world. amplifyHER is a 10-part podcast, filled with music and passion, from the United Nations, supported by SoundCloud. Around the world, women musicians are producing art in the face of, and sometimes inspired by, the challenges they face in society, whether related to conflict, human rights, climate change, inequality, or simply because of their gender. In this series, 10 inspiring women musicians from diverse cultural backgrounds, talk to us from their homes and studios, about their challenges as women in a male-dominated industry, overcoming barriers, and what drives them to continue creating music. You can find amplifyHER, on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Castbox, SoundCloud or wherever you get your podcasts. Read this article for more information about the podcast lauch.

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

TODAY Tue, Nov 29, 2022, 1 PM – 2 PM ET
The UK's Racialized Immigration Policies
407 IAB & zoom

RSVP | EVENT INFO


Thu, Dec 1, 2022, 1 PM – 2:30 PM ET
Insights from the latest UNDP Human Development Report "Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World"
IAB 1501

RSVP | EVENT INFO


Tue, Dec 7, 2022 1 PM – 2 PM ET
How States Use the UN General Assembly to Create International Obligations
407 IAB & online

RSVP | EVENT INFO


Tue, Dec 13, 2022 6 PM – 8 PM ET
End of the Year IO/UNS and UNA Social
Publique

RSVP | EVENT INFO
TODAY 29 November 2022
In-Person & Livestream
2022 International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People

As customary, in accordance with General Assembly resolution 32/40 B of 2 December 1977, the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (Solidarity Day) will be marked by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) in a Special Meeting where UN Members States express their solidarity with the Palestinian people, through messages by Heads of States and Government. 

The Special Meeting will be presided by the Chair of the Committee, Ambassador Cheikh Niang, who will deliver opening statement, followed by remarks by the President of the General Assembly, the President of the Security Council, and by the Secretary-General, delivered by his Chef de Cabinet. The Permanent Observer of the State of Palestine will deliver a statement on behalf of Mahmoud Abbas, President of the State of Palestine. Mr. Shawan Jabarin, General Director of Al-Haq, a Palestinian human rights organization, will also share his remarks.

During the event, a video will be screened, which is part of a virtual exhibit titled “Portraits of Palestine,” to be launched online the same day and consisting of videos depicting individual Palestinians’ stories of resilience. The Permanent Observer for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the Chair of the Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, as well as representatives of other intergovernmental organizations will deliver statements in the second part of the Meeting.

TODAY 29 November 2022
407 IAB
The UK's Racialized Immigration Policies

In April 2022, the UK announced its plan to send single young male asylum seekers to Rwanda. This policy is the most recent example of the UK’s immigration system's roots in racism and colonialism. Dr. Helidah Ogude-Chambert will discuss the racism inherent in the United Kingdom’s immigration policies and print media depiction of migrants, that commonly invoke colonial tropes or stereotypes of Islam. Dr. Ogude-Chambert's talk will discuss where this racism stems from, which communities are particularly vulnerable to it, and why.

The talk will be moderated by Professor Daniel Naujoks, Director of SIPA's International Organization and UN Studies specialization. 

Dr. Ogude-Chambert will participate virtually. Columbia students and faculty can opt to join the in-person joint viewing or to join virtually. Due to the pandemic, other guests only have the option to join online. Please see the separate registration options. 

A light lunch will be served after the event. 

30 November 2022
407 IAB
High Level Event on the report of the UN Secretary-General on terrorist attacks on the basis of xenophobia, racism and other forms of intolerance, or in the name of religion and belief

The event will comprise two sessions: an initial introduction of the report and high-level discussion by key stakeholders; followed by a session on programmatic implications, challenges, and potential responses to the threat together with practitioners, and expert researchers. Moreover, it will also highlight the importance of the expanding transnationality of the threat and propose potential future areas of research.

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Objectives:

  • Present the findings of the Secretary-General’s Report, particularly the significance of the transnational aspects of the threat;
  • Discuss push and pull factors;
  • Highlight the existing gaps in research to understand the emerging threat, as well as examine the opportunities and need for multilateral and coordinated action;
  • Recommend potential avenues for researchers and policy-makers.
1st December 2022, 1 PM – 2:30 PM ET
IAB 1501
Insights from the latest UNDP Human Development Report "Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World"

Please join us for a discussion about the 2021-22 UNDP Human Development Report "Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives: Shaping our Future in a Transforming World" with Pedro Conceição, Director of the Human Development Report Office at UNDP and José Antonio Ocampo, SIPA Professor and EPD Co-Director currently serving as a Minister of Finance in his home country of Colombia. 

The 2021-22 report centers on the theme of global uncertainty, underlining the important crossroads we are facing as humanity, while also highlighting hope and solutions by unlocking human potential through inclusion, creativity, flexibility, and solidarity. While the report provokes next-level (next-frontier) thinking, discussions, and arguments on how to navigate uncertain times, it also suggests possible action courses that project the best way forward.

Take away lunch boxes will be provided. 

Attend here.

7 December 2022
407 IAB
How States Use the UN General Assembly to Create International Obligations

Resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly are often framed in normative language. Yet, they acquire legal significance only to the extent that states find it desirable or convenient. In her talk on her new book, Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives on International Law: How States Use the UN General Assembly to Create International Obligations (Cambridge University Press 2022), Professor Rossana Deplano, who directs the Centre for European Law and Internationalisation at Leicester Law School, sheds light on the processes through which UN General Assembly resolutions acquire legal significance through state practice. She shows how states attribute legal significance to resolutions in three different contexts: at the time of adoption, within domestic law and in international practice. The insights are quintessential to understand the making and politics of public international law. 

In conversation with Professor Yasmine Ergas, Director of SIPA's Gender and Public Policy specialization and Professor Daniel Naujoks, Director of SIPA's International Organization and UN Studies specialization.

The speaker will attend virtually. Columbia students, faculty and staff may attend in person; others please join us virtually. Please see the different registration options.

December 9 2022, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM ET
Low Library: Faculty Room
Sustainable Development Workshop Briefings & Poster Session

The Workshop in Sustainable Development allows undergraduate students to bridge the theoretical knowledge they have gained through their coursework in the natural and social sciences with a real-world, client-based project. Students will share project results with the university community at this event before final presentations with their clients. Following the Workshop presentations, there will be a poster session where students in SDEV 4101 Qualitative Research Methods for Sustainable Development will present their final projects. Workshop projects this semester include:

A Cost-Benefit Analysis for the Restoration of the Graniteville Wetlands

An Exploration of Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) in Agricultural Value Chains

Incentivizing Policy for Green Roofs for New York City

Pathway to Electrification: Aligning Columbia Transportation with Plan 2030

Click here to register.
December 13 2022, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM ET
Pulique
End of the Year IO/UNS and UNA Social

Join the International Organization and United Nations Studies Specialization and SIPA's UN Association as we celebrate the end of the year!

Click here to register.
Internship Opportunities
Department of Global Communications - Public Information Intern
Application Deadline: TODAY 29 November 2022
Location: New York, New York, USA
Language: English

The Internship is for the Holocaust and the United Nations Outreach Programme in the Education Outreach Section, which is part of the Outreach Division of the Department of Global Communications. The Outreach Programme was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2005 to mobilize civil society for Holocaust remembrance and education in order to help prevent future acts of genocide. The Outreach Programme leads the United Nations observance of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust on 27 January and develops multifaced initiatives and educational resources. Its global network of partnerships with civil society, governments and Holocaust education institutions enables the Outreach Programme to extend its work to a wider audience.

The internship is for a minimum period of four months with an opportunity for extension up to six months, depending on the needs of the Outreach Programme and availability of the candidate, with substantial preference being given to candidates who are able to commit to the maximum six-month period, preferably starting in November or December 2022.

Apply Here

Research Fellowship on Migration at Columbia University
Application Deadline: 7 December 2022

Professor Michael Doyle (Columbia University) is looking for a research fellow to support the revision and promotion of the Model International Mobility Convention (MIMC), a project of the Carnegie Council on Ethics in International Affairs. 

The Research Fellow will manage the project, liaise among its stakeholders, and engage in research on governance issues related to the Convention, migration, and refugees.

The Research Fellow will assist in supporting the project, planning meetings online and in person, develop content for its website, and conduct research on migration and refugee issues related to the development of a revised MIMC, MIMC 3.0.  

Starting in January 2023, the position will require up to 10 hours (at $30 per hour) during the semester and will run for six to twelve months. For an initial period of three month, the Research Fellow’s work will be supported by the outgoing Fellow. Professor Doyle is looking for a first year SIPA student with a background in migration and/or refugee studies. Previous experience doing research and/or advocacy is desirable. 

Please send a short statement of interest, qualifications (including work experience and classes in migration and refugee issues) and your CV to Ms Olena Jennings (omj2101@columbia.edu) by December 7.

UN INTERN - Earth Observation for Water Management, Space Applications
Application Deadline: 10 December 2022
Location: Vienna, Austria
Language: English

The Office for Outer Space Affairs OOSA-Space Applications Section internship is for two (2) months with an opportunity for extension up to a total of six (6) months, pending on the needs of the office and the availability of the intern. The envisaged starting date is in February 2023.

The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week (40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned or remotely, if travel restrictions due to COVID-19 don’t allow the intern to travel to Vienna.

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

UN INTERN - Management and Programme Analysis
Application Deadline: 13 May 2023
This internship is in the Analytics and Project Management Section of the Business Transformation and Accountability Division of the Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMPSC).

The DMSPC/BTAD Analytics and Project Management team develops dashboards and other online platforms to support monitoring and reporting on performance; promotes business innovation and new ways of working, taking a long-term view of how the UN’s business model is aligned with evolving mandates, changing operational environments, as well as changes in the workplace and society-at-large; coordinates portfolio of transformational projects, ensuring projects are designed, communicated and implemented according to best practices in change and project management.

The internship is for a period of four months with an opportunity for extension up to six months, depending on the needs of the department. The internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work up to five days a week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the office to which they are assigned.

Apply Here

Department of Economic and Social Affairs - Social Sciences Interns
Application Deadline: 05 May 2023

The Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) / Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD) internship is for two months with the opportunity for extension up to a total of six months, depending on the needs of the Division.

For more information about the Division, please visit, https://www.un.org/development/desa/dspd/.

The internship is UNPAID and full time.
Interns work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

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

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.

Asha Jhanay Richards, Program Assistant, ajr2264@columbia.edu
Aurelian D. Mohan, Program Assistant, aurelian.d.mohan@columbia.edu