Statistics Project Intern (EGRISS monitoring) At UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Statistics and Demographic Section,

Global Data Service (GDS) UNHCR, Copenhagen

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a full-time internship with the Statistics and Demographic Section of the Global Data Service in UNHCR Copenhagen, Denmark.

Established in December 1950, UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for asylum seekers, refugees, returnees, internally displaced communities and stateless people. Every year, millions of men, women and children are forced to flee their homes to escape conflict and persecution. UNHCR currently operates in over 130 countries, using its long expertise to protect and care for millions.

Title: Statistics Project Intern (EGRISS monitoring)

Vacancy No: CPH/VN/2023/016

Duty Station: Copenhagen, Denmark

Duration: 6 months (with possible 2 months extension)

Contract Type: Internship

Closing date for application: 12 June 2023, Midnight CEST

Start date: July 2023

Organisational context

Increasingly, UNHCR’s data efforts rely on joint engagements with partners to better achieve outcomes for those affected by forced displacement. As part of these efforts, UNHCR has taken a leading role in the Expert Group on Refugee, IDP and Statelessness Statistics (EGRISS), both as a Steering Committee member and through hosting its Secretariat. The EGRISS currently consists of 55 countries and 35 international and regional organizations.

The EGRISS was established in 2016 by the UN Statistical Commission to develop recommendations on refugee and IDP statistics and produce guidance for their implementation at country level. The International Recommendations on Refugee (IRRS) and IDP (IRIS) Statistics were endorsed in 2018 and 2020, respectively, and implementation work is ongoing through advocacy, capacity building, and further methodological development. Most recently, the International Recommendations on Statelessness Statistics (IROSS) have been endorsed by the UN Statistical Commission in 2023. All three sets of recommendations aim to contribute to the improvement of official statistics on the identified populations produced through the national statistical systems of affected countries.

Access to reliable, timely, relevant and accurate data on these populations is essential to enhance their protection and support the achievement of durable solutions. The Statistics and Demographics Section develops statistical definitions and standards and oversees the production of global statistics on refugees and other populations of concern to UNHCR. The Agency’s Data Transformation Strategy 2020-2025 aims to position UNHCR as a trusted leader on data and information related to refugees and other populations of concern

A central focus of EGRISS’ third mandate (2020-2024) concerns capacity development which is pursued through regional engagement, technical support, guidance provision and online learning. The Secretariat also invests in monitoring the application of the international statistical recommendations by countries and institutions alike to feed into annual reporting processes. During the period 2020-2023, over 120 concrete examples of implementation have been identified. In 2023, the EGRISS Secretariat is embarking on a revision of its implementation monitoring system to improve the quality of the data it collects, and the insights that can be drawn from analysis of this data. These efforts will enable the identification of best practices, enhance knowledge dissemination, inform peer-to peer learning and future improvements of the recommendations. In advance of the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, this will also contribute to increased awareness of progress made by countries to pursue statistical inclusion of refugees, IDPs and stateless persons.

The position

We are seeking an intern to assist the EGRISS Secretariat in a range of activities with a focus on the revision and implementation of the EGRISS monitoring survey and management of the associated monitoring database that tracks the application of international recommendations. As an intern, you will work closely with the EGRISS Secretariat staff and relevant EGRISS members to ensure the successful planning, execution, and reporting of the monitoring survey. The internship will provide you with hands-on experience in survey design, data collection, analysis, and reporting.

The internship is based in Copenhagen with GDS’ Statistics and Demographics Section. The intern will join the Secretariat of the Expert Group on Refugee, IDP and Statelessness Statistics (EGRISS), work under the direct supervision of the Head of the Secretariat and in close collaboration with other secretariat colleagues and units within the Statistics and Demographics Section.

Duties and responsibilities

• Support EGRISS monitoring & evaluation activities, including monitoring management and reporting processes:
• Assist in the development of survey instruments, their translation in survey languages, development of survey protocols, including a pilot test
• Help develop a survey schedule and logistics plan
• Assist in obtaining necessary permissions and clearances
• Participate in pre-survey briefings with institutional representatives and respondents (e.g., regional EGRISS partners) for further dissemination with responding countries
• Help conduct the survey as per the approved methodology and protocols
• Assist in monitoring and supervising the survey team to ensure adherence to protocols
• Help compile and organize the collected data
• Assist in cleaning and validating the data to ensure accuracy and completeness
• Assist in analysing the data using appropriate statistical techniques
• Help prepare a comprehensive tabulation detailing survey results and analysis
• Help prepare data dissemination tools, contribution to EGRISS annual report and interactive tools like dashboards and infographics.
• Assist in disseminating the report to stakeholders
• Document lessons learned and best practices
• Assist in preparing an annual archive of implemented documents, datasets, and reports
• Other duties as assigned
• Support the development of EGRISS’ Annual Report, including the development of case studies.
• Support organization and coordination of meetings, documentation of decisions and actions agreed and necessary logistical arrangements.
• Support the effective implementation of EGRISS Secretariat’s responsibilities.

Minimum qualifications required

In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

Be either a recent graduate (having completed their studies within two years of applying) or a current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by IAU/UNESCO; and

• Have completed university degree (BA) of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of EGRISS, in Statistics, Demography, Public Policy, Economics, International Relations, Social Science or any other related field

NOTE: An individual whose father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister is a staff member of UNHCR, including a Temporary Appointment holder or a member of the Affiliate Workforce, is not eligible for an internship.

Desirable qualifications and skills

• The intern has displayed an interest in and comprehension of official statistics (and/or operational data) from a variety of sources, such as surveys, administrative data, census data, operational data, big data, and other types of data.
• Strong attention to detail and excellent organizational skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Interest to pursue a career in humanitarian/development action, forced displacement, migration or related field.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Experience with statistical software (e.g., SPSS, Stata, R) preferred
• Experience with data visualization software (e.g., PowerBI, Tableau)
• Ability to work independently and in a team setting
• Ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines
• Knowledge of survey methodology and data analysis techniques is a plus
• Must be available to work full-time for the duration of the internship
• Fluency in English language (knowledge of another UN language such as French or Arabic is an asset).

Conditions

This is a full-time role with working hours starting from 8.30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday (40 hours per week). The successful candidate will be assigned to support the Digital Marketing team at UN City, Copenhagen, Denmark. Depending on the circumstances, there is a possibility the successful candidate will perform certain duties remotely and/or from at home. Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and engagement under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to proof of vaccination against Covid-19.

For non-EU candidates, D-visa needs to be obtained before traveling to Denmark which takes 4 to 6 weeks. The office will provide assistance on visa-related issues.

Allowance: Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will receive an allowance to partially help to cover the cost of food, local transportation and living expenses.