From: International Organization/UN Studies Specialization
Date: April 5, 2023
Subject: Int'l Organizations & UN News #11/2023


 International Organizations and UN News #11/2023 - April 5, 2023

Dear IO/UNS Community, 

Yesterday, the UN System observed the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action! On 8 December 2005, the General Assembly declared the 4 April of each year as a special day that aims to bring attention to areas of the world that remain contaminated after many years, and where generations have changed their lives to avoid the threat.

It called for continued efforts by States, with the assistance of the United Nations and relevant organizations, to foster the establishment and development of national mine-action capacities in countries where mines and explosive remnants of war constitute a serious threat to the safety, health and lives of the civilian population, or an impediment to social and economic development at the national and local levels.

For over 20 years, the work of the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been driven by the needs of affected people and tailored to the threat of explosive hazards faced by civilians, peacekeepers and humanitarians.

In this newsletter, you will find: 
  • News from the UN
  • Event Recap: The Future of Humanitarian Action
  • What We're Listening To: Resurgence of The Gambia – Bringing it all Back Home
  • Events at SIPA and Beyond
  • Internship Opportunities
Daniel, Laura, Asha & Aurelian
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.

  • Global efforts are key to saving lives from the ‘terrifying legacy’ of unexploded ordnance, as it wreaks daily havoc in war-torn and post-conflict communities alike, UN officials said, as Mine Action Week kicked off on Monday. “For the millions living amidst the chaos of armed conflicts, especially women and children, every step can put them in danger’s path, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said, in a message for the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. Read more here.

  • The planet is literally drowning in garbage, and it is high time to clean up, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday, March 30, at an event in the General Assembly Hall marking the first-ever International Day of Zero Waste. The high-level meeting was held to raise awareness of the urgent need to transition to a “green” and circular economy that promotes sustainable production and consumption patterns. Humanity currently generates more than two billion tonnes of municipal solid waste annually, which includes plastics, textiles, rotting food, discarded electronics, and debris from mining and construction sites. Read more here.

  • The UN General Assembly is seeking the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on countries’ obligations to address climate change, following the adoption by consensus of a resolution on Wednesday, March 29. The resolution was put forward by the cyclone-battered Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu, supported by a “core group” of 17 countries from various regions, and is focused on the adverse impacts of climate change on small island developing States as well as climate justice. Read more here.

  • Although no region is immune to terrorism, the situation in Africa is especially concerning, Secretary-General António Guterres told the Security Council on Tuesday, March 28, underlining UN support to countries striving to “end this scourge.” Leaders from across the continent joined ambassadors in examining how to counter terrorism and better prevent violent extremism through stronger cooperation between the UN and regional organizations. Read more about it here.

  • Top UN officials called for creating a new institution to help locate tens of thousands of missing Syrians and bring peace to their families, as the General Assembly debated on Tuesday, March 28, the human rights situation in the country. Entering its 13th year of brutal civil war and scrambling to recover from devastating earthquakes in February, Syria and its people “deserve peace” and to know the truth about the fate of their loved ones. The whereabouts and fate of an estimated 100,000 Syrians remains unknown, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said. Read more about it here.

Event Recap: The Future of Humanitarian Action

On Monday, April 4th, Joyce Msuya, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator shared her insights into the Future of Humanitarian Action. In conversation with Kristele Younes, Co-Director of SIPA's Human Rights & Humanitarian Policy Concentration and Daniel Naujoks, Director of SIPA's International Organization & UN Studies specialization, Msuya discussed what it will take to overcome the challenges facing the global humanitarian system. Moreover, she described aid operations in specific countries, her plans to empower people affected by crisis, and enaged in a debate will students from various Columbia Unviersity departments on the professionalization of humanitarian assistance and UN careers. You can access the recording here.

The Lid is On: Resurgence of The Gambia – Bringing it all Back Home

Gambia has the highest per capita emigration rate of any African nation; between 2015 and 2020 over 33,000 Gambians, mainly young men, left home in search of better opportunities in Europe, despite the low likelihood of success, and significant dangers. Since the end of the dictatorship in 2017, thousands of migrants have returned, and the UN is helping them to find jobs and start small businesses.

In the last of the mini-series recorded in The Gambia, the Lid is On looks at the challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs, and how the UN is helping new companies to grow, bringing much-needed jobs to rural areas. Conor Lennon meets Musa Darbo, who quit his well-paying job in the US to return home and start a rice business, in order to employ struggling smallholder farmers, and end The Gambia’s dependence on imported rice.

Listen to the interview here.

IO/UNS Student Spotlight

This week, we are excited to introduce Patrick Fitz (MIA, EPD 2024).

Patrick is interested in multilateralism and global governance as it relates to climate change, technology, political participation, and global health. During his current work with UNDP he noticed that threats to peace are often local in origin but global in inspiration. In addition, as an intern for the U.S. Department of the Treasury, he is researching how international financial institution can be made better fit for purpose as well as contribute to the development of a global Pandemic Fund to help finance pandemic response when the next global pandemic inevitably arrives.

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We'd like to shine a light on each amazing member of our IO/UNS family. Please fill out our questionnaire here.
Events at SIPA & Beyond


Sat, Apr 8, 2023, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST 
ICR-CRC Workshop: Conflict Resolution and Recovery in Urban Environments
801 IAB

RSVP | EVENT INFO


Thu, Apr 13, 2023, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST 
Power of Storytelling

IAB 407

RSVP | EVENT INFO
Fri, April 7, 2023, 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM EST
Buell Hall, 515 W. 116 St., New York
Worlds at Waste: The Crisis of Water in the Subcontinent

The focus of this workshop, "Worlds at Waste: Water," is to reflect on recent climate events that have caused massive displacement in southern Pakistan, southwest India, and Bangladesh. It aims to bring together scientists and social scientists to help look through the lens of historical pasts, politics, and embedded presents.

Devastation and displacement from water caused by the climate crisis are and will remain a recurring, returning, and pervasive phenomenon in the global south. This approach intends to shift away from the focus on modeling catastrophic futures, the periodization of eras, and mapping the implications of climate change that prevail in current dialogues on climate change. Rather, the workshop guides towards a conversation that foregrounds human and environmental vulnerability in non-Western, transnational spaces with Indigenous and historical means of resilience. More details here.

Register here.
Saturday, April 8, 2023, 11 AM – 5 PM EDT 
IAB 801

ICR-CRC Workshop: Conflict Resolution and Recovery in Urban Environments

This workshop, co-sponsored by ICR and the Conflict Resolution Collective (CRC) and facilitated by seasoned UN practitioner Marc Jacquand, will offer a select number of students the opportunity to explore conflict resolution and recovery through a fictional case study. Participating students will be guided through stakeholder and policy problem analysis, case development (including risk/crisis management and strategic communications), and preparation of policy recommendations for key stakeholders. Though the case study is fictional, it closely resembles several real, current cases and will provide students with a unique, hands-on experience grounded in contemporary practice in the field. Attendance will be capped at 40; all students wishing to attend must register via CampusGroups (first-come, first-served), and will receive further instructions via email from the ISP-ICR Coordinator closer to the date. Participation is in-person only; this event will not be livestreamed or recorded. Participants are expected to remain for the duration of the program.

Facilitator Bio:
MARC JACQUAND is the Officer-in-Charge of the Strategic Planning Service (SPS) of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS). Mr. Jacquand has spent 15 years in the UN, working in strategic planning and coordination at the Headquarters, most recently in the Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG).

Register here.

Thu, Apr 13, 2023, 1 PM – 2 PM EDT
IAB 407
Power of Storytelling
We are delighted to invite you to the book launch (Voice for Refuge) and a conversation about the power of storytelling with Zaynab Abdi, MPA-DP 2023. 

Zaynab Abdi, an emerging global leader, chronicles her journey from Somalia to Yemen and Egypt, and ultimately the United States in her new graphic memoir. At this event, she will talk about her journey, owning the narrative of being a refugee and the power of storytelling for breaking down barriers.

There will be a book signing at the end of the event for those who want to purchase the book.

Register here.
Thu, Apr 13, 2023 6 PM – 8 PM EDT
Publique Cafe 420 West 118th Street, New York
Activism Under Oppression: Forced Labor and Human Rights Abuses of the Uyghurs
The Human Rights Working Group is hosting a conversation with author and activist Jewher Ilham and Professor Andrew J. Nathan. Jewher Ilham is the daughter of Uyghur scholar Ilham Tohti, an internationally noted moderate voice who was dedicated to bridging the gap between the Uyghur people and the Han Chinese. As an advocate for her father, she testified before the U.S. Congressional-Executive Committee on China, wrote op-eds in the New York Times, met with a number of government officials including former Secretary of State John Kerry, and received numerous awards worldwide on behalf of her father. Jewher Ilham will speak about the challenges the Uyghur people continue to face. 
Wed, April 19, 4 PM - 5.30 PM
8th Floor Auditorium, Allan Rosenfield Building, 722 W 168th Street or Online
US Settler Colonialism, Genocide, and the Right to Health: A Conversation with the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission
The Human Rights Working Group is hosting a conversation with the Navajo Nation Human Rights Commission abotu the U.S. settler colonialism and genocide of North American native populations.
Thu, April 27, 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM EST
91 Claremont Avenue, 10T
End of Year Celebration - ISHR
Save the date for ISHR's annual End of Year Celebration. Join them for a social to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2023 graduating class and spend time with human rights students, faculty, and staff. Student speakers and fun surprises to be announced.
Internship Opportunities

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.

International Telecommunication Union - UN Affairs Intern
Application Deadline: April 2023

The UN agency for tech ITU New York office is looking for a UN Affairs intern, with an ideal start date of late April or early May. 3-6 months, full-time or part-time. Key responsibility: Tracks, researches, and analyzes information on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for sustainable development issues. Candidates with strong writing skills are preferred. Please contact: itu.newyork@itu.int

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 Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance Office of Human Resources - HR Intern
Application Deadline: 31 May 2023

The Organizational Development Section within the Office of Human Resources (OHR), Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC), of the United Nations in New York is seeking interns who are interested in joining a very dynamic and international office that is mandated to identify and respond to Organizational learning and development needs.

To address an ongoing need, they are seeking several interns specializing in a range of areas including Communications, Marketing, Visual Design, Data Visualization, Video Production, Instructional Design, Knowledge Management, Diversity and Inclusion, Human Resources, Finance and budgeting, and/or other fields such as Industrial/Organizational/Occupational Psychology.

The internships are UNPAID and full-time. Interns normally work five days per week (35 hours) under the supervision of a Staff Development Officer, and typically work as a team of interns who support various projects throughout the Section and Division.

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

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights - Human Rights Intern
Application Deadline: 29 June 2023

The intern shall support OHCHR in fulfilling its mission: to 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.

This internship is an UNPAID and full-time engagement that provides a framework through which students from diverse academic backgrounds gain exposure to the work of the United Nations by way of their service within Secretariat entities. 

Based in New York, United States of America, under the overall leadership of the High Commissioner, the intern reports to the respective Chief of Section or Human Rights Officer in the area of assignment. This internship will be offered for an initial period of two (2) months, renewable for a combined period of six (6) months.

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 Dankowski Mercado, IO/UNS Coordinator, ld3071@sipa.columbia.edu
Asha Jhanay Richards, Program Assistant, ajr2264@columbia.edu
Aurelian Dragos Mohan, Program Assistant, aurelian.d.mohan@columbia.edu