Full-time Advocacy Programme Internship

Dates: 3 February – 31 July 2025

Length: 6 months

Work percentage: Full-time (37.5 hours/week)

Based in: Geneva (if eligible for a work permit)

Reports to: Programme Officer/Manager or Director

Applications deadline: 24 November 2024 (Midnight Geneva time)

About ISHR

ISHR is an independent, non-profit organisation with offices in Geneva and New York. This internship offers a unique opportunity to view the United Nations human rights system at work in Geneva. It provides hands-on experience working for an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as the opportunity to contribute to our work supporting human rights defenders, strengthening human rights systems, building and leading human rights coalitions, and responding to significant and systemic human rights concerns. For more information, consult our website https://ishr.ch/.

Internship position

The intern will work closely with Programme Officers/Managers and Directors, contributing to our work supporting people defending human rights in several countries, advocating at the United Nations and strengthening coalitions. We contribute to several topics such as: women’s rights, LGBTIQ+ rights, environmental justice, indigenous rights, protection laws for human rights defenders, non-discrimination etc. Some of our programmes are focused on very restrictive contexts for human rights defenders.

Working in a small team, the Intern will have the opportunity to learn at close hand what it means to work for an international human rights advocacy organisation. The Intern will also collaborate with ISHR staff in all locations and gain hands-on experience on the application of international human rights law in a multilateral human rights system, including advocacy on normative and policy advances for the protection of human rights defenders.

Training and Opportunities

Our Interns are fully included as part of the team, including in staff meetings, which provide a comprehensive understanding of the work of an international human rights NGO. Interns also have opportunities to interact and network with human rights defenders, diplomats or other UN and NGO professionals both at the United Nations and at ISHR’s office (or remotely) during meetings.

Where appropriate or necessary for their work, ISHR staff will provide practical sessions and guidance, for example, on monitoring UN mechanisms, drafting reports and advocacy documents, utilizing communications technologies, etc. Interns will be supervised by one or two experienced programme managers and supported in achieving their learning objectives through regular check-ins.

Approximately 15-20% of the work will be administrative in nature, as it is for staff (taking notes during meeting, scheduling, maintaining list of contacts etc.).

Key tasks

• Assisting with ISHR’s training and advocacy support to human rights defenders and networks globally;
• Supporting the organisation of training and capacity-building activities online and in-person with human rights defenders;
• Providing support to the key programme staff in the implementation of project activities, across ISHR’s strategic programme areas;
• Reviewing and providing inputs to relevant ISHR reports, handbook for research, related to specific human rights issues, contexts and UN mechanisms;
• Monitoring and reporting on UN and regional human rights meetings, including the UN Human Rights Council, Treaty Body sessions and Universal Periodic Review;
• Analysing and combining decisions, outputs of the regional human rights mechanisms such as the African commission on human and people’s rights, Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (training provided);
• Researching and compiling texts, UN resolutions, laws or reports on specific human rights topics in order to supplement ISHR research and advocacy;
• Contributing to ISHR’s outreach and communications, including regular online publications, as well as supporting thematic side-events organisation.

Requirements

To be considered, applicants should:

• be an advanced undergraduate student or graduate student in international relations, law, international public law, human rights or a related field;
• be motivated to pursue a career in human rights and have a particular interest in the UN and regional human rights systems;
• have an excellent level of written and spoken English;
• be detail-oriented and attentive to nuance, particularly in diplomatic environments;
• be motivated, autonomous and a self-starter, and comfortable occasionally working with limited supervision;
• be able to sometimes work towards tight deadlines and prioritizing, along with the supervisor;
• be able to work as a member of an international and multicultural team and willing to participate in a variety of tasks, as required.
• if working remotely, be able to be autonomous in the management of tasks and using new technologies and computer tools.

IMPORTANT NOTE: being fluent in Spanish and/or French and/or Arabic is a very strong asset as we have programmes in Latin America and MENA region.

Desirable skills

• interest or background, including activism in, corporate accountability, women’s rights, and/or LGBTIQ+ rights;
• legal drafting and research including on treaty body jurisprudence;
• interest or background in training/capacity building, including online learning, logistics, travel and event planning.

Internship modalities

The internship will be in person, in ISHR’s Geneva office, or remote, and will start on 3 February 2025 until 31 July 2025. It is a 6-month full-time (37.5 hours per week) position with no possibility of extension. ISHR will consider applicants who are unable to work on-site, on a case-by-case basis. Please indicate in your application whether you will be able to work on-site or wish to be considered for a remote position.

Stipend, vacation and holidays

Internships will be compensated with:

• a stipend of CHF700/month;
• 25 annual vacation days per calendar year, pro-rated based on start/departure date (12,5 days for six months);
• 11 holidays per year.

Equal opportunity

ISHR is firmly committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity and aims to have a diverse team. ISHR’s policy is to practice fair and non-discriminatory recruitment and selection procedures and strive for diverse, international and multicultural personnel. We welcome all kinds of diversity.

Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction including on grounds of race, colour, national origin, age, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or sex characteristics, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, socio-economic status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We particularly welcome applications from systematically, historically and/or traditionally discriminated against under-represented groups, including women, persons of colour, LGBTIQ+ persons, persons with disabilities and other groups.

To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, please contact ISHR’s Human Resources department at [email protected].

Per Geneva labour law, ISHR can only consider applications from candidates:

• who are currently enrolled in a course of study leading to a degree or professional qualification and whose school agrees to enter a three-way agreement[1] with ISHR; or
• who are about to start an advanced degree (e.g. Master’s) pending their school agrees to enter a three-way agreement with ISHR;
• who pursue the internship shortly after the completion of a first degree (e.g. Bachelor’s degree), in view of a second training (e.g. Master’s degree), provided that the school awarding the degree attests the relevance and usefulness of the internship.

Unless required to complete an internship as part of their studies, candidates with a Swiss Student B Permit can only work full-time during their holidays.

[1] *Please note that a three-way agreement includes ISHR, the Intern and the Intern’s school.