The UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, was established in 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly to provide protection and assistance to refugees worldwide. In more than five decades, UNHCR has helped more than 50 million people restart their lives. Today, UNCHR staff in more than 120 countries continue to help and protect millions of refugees, returnees, internally displaced and stateless people.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s Regional Representation in Washington, DC, seeks a volunteer Legal Intern to assist staff in its U.S. Protection Unit.
Benefits
- Intern will get the chance to attend and report on conferences, seminars and Congressional hearings addressing refugee and asylum issues;
- They can able to assist with preparations for training activities in the US and Caribbean;
- They’ll gain a deeper knowledge of the work of UNHCR, as well as of the frameworks governing the organization’s interventions, rules and regulation and to practice and develop analytical skills and other professional working skills, such as project and time management, prioritization, teamwork, presentation skills, etc.
Eligibilities
- Excellent oral & written communication skills. Strong legal analysis skills.
- Understanding of U.S. immigration and asylum law;
- Course work in U.S. immigration law, refugee law, or international human rights law or equivalent experience in U.S. asylum or international human rights practice (preferred).
- Ability to multi-task and prioritize with minimal supervision. Attention to detail required.
- Fluency in English required; fluency in French or Spanish (preferred).
- Intern have to committed both full-time (40 hours/week) and part-time (minimum 20 hours/week) internships are available, for a minimum of ten weeks.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Applications must be complete or they will not be considered. Send your resume, cover letter, a brief writing sample (2-3 pages), and dates of availability to the US Protection Unit Intern Coordinator, UNHCR, 1800 Massachusetts Ave NW, Suite 500, Washington, D.C. 20036, Fax: 202-296-5660, Email: usawaint@unhcr.org. Note in the subject line “U.S. PROTECTION UNIT – LEGAL INTERNSHIP” and include the semester/year for which the internship is desired.
- Application deadlines can be found on our website: www.unhcr.org.
