Internship - Human Rights, Civil Society Team (Geneva)

About the role

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) offers an unpaid, full-time internship in Geneva, starting on 11 January 2027. It is based in the Civil Society Team of the Human Rights Council and Treaty Mechanisms Division, which supports the Human Rights Council, the ten human rights treaty bodies and voluntary trust funds. The intern reports to the Human Rights Officer in the assigned team, under the supervision of the Special Assistant to the Director of the Division. The initial period is three months, possibly renewable for a total of six months.

Key responsibilities

• Support the work of the Human Rights Council, its subsidiary bodies and Treaty Bodies, and civil society's engagement with them
• Help organise NGO-related meetings for the Human Rights Council and Universal Periodic Review sessions
• Review NGO written statements, prepare notes and statistics, and compile information on engagement with human rights mechanisms
• Maintain relevant databases and webpages
• Draft correspondence, conduct research and collect and share information on the Division
• Contribute to outreach and human rights mainstreaming initiatives
• Answer queries from the Director, Branch Chiefs and stakeholders, and facilitate information exchange and coordination across the Office and the UN
• Disseminate information on human rights mechanisms and undertake research on topics relevant to the Division

Required profile

• Student in the final year of a bachelor's degree, or enrolled in a master's or PhD programme, preferably in law, political science, international relations or social sciences
• No professional work experience required
• Fluency in English or French; knowledge of the other is desirable, and another UN official language is an advantage
• Interest in the work of the UN and willingness to engage with people of different cultural backgrounds

Travel, accommodation and living costs are the intern's responsibility, and visa requirements may apply to non-citizens. The UN does not charge any fee for the internship.