Hiring Office:
UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional Office (APRO)
Purpose of internship:
The purpose of this Internship programme is to provide students and recent graduates from international human rights law background a learning opportunity and exposure to the human rights issues under UNFPA mandate and a first-hand experience with the day-to-day working environment of UNFPA.
Background:
Guided by the 1994 Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the ICPD25 Nairobi Summit, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) partners with governments, civil society and other agencies to accomplish its mission, which aims to promote the rights of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity and supports countries in using data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty.
The 2018-2021 Strategic Plan (SP) provides a framework for UNFPA programming at all levels of the organisation. Under the current SP, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) have been placed at the centre of the work of the organisation with the overall goal of achieving universal access to SRH, the realisation of reproductive rights, and the reduction of maternal mortality through an enhanced focus on family planning, maternal health and HIV/AIDS.
UNFPA’s strategic plan is also in line with the Sustainable Development Goals with the central pledge of leaving no one behind, UNFPA is presently in the process of developing its new strategic plan. The UNFPA APRO region is also in the process of developing its first Human Rights Strategic Work Plan.
The Representatives of the UNFPA Asia and the Pacific country offices were requested by the Regional Director of UNFPA – APRO to identify in 2020 human rights focal points to further strengthen the work on human rights. The majority of the countries do have a focal point today.
The human rights focal points have identified various priority issues required to move the human rights agenda in the region. One of the identified issues, which has crystallised in the various Universal Periodic Review trainings we have had in collaboration with UNFPA Geneva, is the need to create a “roadmap” which helps countries know when they are due to report at the UPR and as such, when they should start preparing, as well as assist the countries in providing an overview when they are due to report at other global level, such as SDGs, treaty bodies (e.g. CEDAW, ICESCR and CRPD).
Scope of work:
(Description of services, activities, or outputs)
The overall aim is to develop a road map for respective countries in the region when they are due to report at the global level mechanisms. If time permits, also document the recommendations the respective countries have received from the different mechanisms, focusing on the recommendations related to the ICPD and ICPD +25.
The intern will naturally also attend any other meetings of interest related to moving the human rights agenda forward.
The specific objectives are to:
i) Establish an accessible ‘road map’ for each country so they have an overview of when they are due to report to the different global mechanisms such as UPR, SDG, CEDAW, CESCR, CRPD, CRC and ICPD.
ii) Provide each country office with an overview of the recommendation their country/ies have received from the different mechanisms i.e. UPR, SDG, CEDAW, CESCR, CRPD, CRC and ICPD. The ICDP recommendations will be used as the foundation to guide which recommendations to extract. Can be presented in e.g. electronic short accessible brochure
To realise the aim and objectives the intern should
● Review e.g. the OHCHR database, which provides information when the respective country is due to report to the UPR, and the treaty bodies and the due dates to report the SDGs and then look up the reporting dates to the ICPD.
● Establish an excel sheet when the respective countries are due to report at the different mechanisms
● Present the results in an accessible manner, like a ‘roadmap’ that is accessible to countries to get an overview of when to report.
● If time permits: also document and present in an accessible and acceptable manner for the UNFPA country offices the recommendations the countries have received from the global commitments and recommendations, using the ICPD and the Nairobi Summit ICPD25 as a foundation of which recommendations to extract.
As soon as the first draft is available it will be shared with the UNFPA APRO human rights advisor and focal points and the thematic advisors.
The human rights focal points will also serve as the advisory group for quality assurance.
Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:
Education:
Applicants to the UNFPA internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:
(a) Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
(b) Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
(c) Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (a) and (b) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
(d) Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.
Knowledge and Experience:
● Some experience in human rights and sexual and reproductive health and rights will be desirable;
● Knowledge and understanding of human rights, including international human rights standards and reporting processes;
● Knowledge and basic understanding of ICDP, SDGs, UPR and treaty body reporting systems;
● Being able to communicate a lot of information in a simple and visual manner to actors with varied degrees of human rights knowledge and with limited time.
Languages:
● Fluency in oral and written English is required.
Duration and working schedule:
3 months, from 1 September – 30 November 2021.
Intern will follow a holiday schedule established for UNFPA APRO.
Place where services are to be delivered:
Home-based
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.):
The delivery dates of assignment will be agreed between Intern and Supervisor at the start of internship.
The work will be delivered electronically.
Remuneration:
Intern will receive a monthly stipend during the period of internship at home-based rate and per currently established UNDP stipend rate.
Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:
An initial virtual meeting will be held with the supervisor to discuss the expected outcomes and process of preparation.
Regular weekly updates will occur through communication by email and zoom as needed.
Final virtual meetings will be held for the final report presentation.
Supervisory arrangements:
Intern would be expected to provide services under the overall guidance of the Regional Director and direct supervision of UNFPA’s Asia-Pacific Regional Human Rights Advisor.
Expected travel:
No travel intended.
How to apply
Candidates should submit the following documents:
• P11
• CV
• Motivation letter for this internship
All the above documents must be sent by e-mail to vac-robangkok@unfpa.org.
The P11 is available on the UNFPA websites at https://www.unfpa.org/resources/p11-un-personal-history-form
Please quote the Vacancy number JID 2107 UNFPA APRO. The dead line of application is 26 July 2021
UNFPA will only be able to respond to those applications in whom UNFPA has a further interest.