Communication Intern

Background

UN Women, grounded in the vision of equality enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls; the empowerment of women; and the achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security. 

 

 UN Women is the central stakeholder in advancing global norms and standards for gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN Women’s work in Sierra Leone started through UNIFEM in 2002. UN Women provides unique supports to national gender machineries, cooperating with UN and public, private, and community-level non-UN institutions to empower women and advance gender.  

Sierra Leone made key strides in the promulgation of laws and policies relating to economic empowerment of women, Sexual and Gender Based violence, women’s leadership in public life and in peace and security, and their access to land. In line with the principle of Leaving No One Behind, UN Women makes deliberate efforts to develop partnerships which address the needs, demands and interests of women facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, vulnerability and marginalization. The Agency’s portfolio in Sierra Leone includes the following flagship Programme Initiatives across the country: 

• Women’s Participation and Leadership in Governance and Politics.
• Ending Violence Against Women.
• Women in Peace, Security and Humanitarian Actions.
• Women’s Economic Empowerment.

UN Women Sierra Leone is looking for an intern in communication/media. The Communication Intern will work directly with the Public Relations Consultant and report to the WEE Program Officer

Duties and Responsibilities

The Communication Intern will assist the Communication team with various tasks related to advocacy, public outreach, and media relations to help promote the work of UN Women and raise awareness of gender equality and women’s empowerment.

1. Content Creation & Media Relations:

• Assist in drafting press releases, articles, social media content, and stories highlighting UN Women’s work.

Support in developing creative content for campaigns, including visual assets, infographics, and multimedia projects

• Research and compile information for background documents, articles, reports, and promotional materials.

2. Social Media & Digital Communication:

• Help manage UN Women’s social media platforms by creating engaging posts, monitoring performance, and analyzing engagement.
• Assist with live-tweeting, live-streaming, and digital campaigns during events and advocacy activities.
• Support the development and implementation of digital communication strategies.

3. Event Coordination:

• Provide support for communication needs related to major events, campaigns, and conferences (e.g., International Women’s Day).
• Assist in logistics, preparation, and communication for internal and external events, including developing media kits and briefings.
• Coordinate media outreach and coverage for events, ensuring timely communication with stakeholders.

4. Research & Reporting:

• Monitor media coverage and compile press clippings, reports, and social media metrics.
• Research and prepare materials on gender equality issues, women’s rights, and UN Women’s activities globally and regionally.
• Assist with compiling information for donor reports and presentations to partners.

5. Administrative Support:

• Provide general support to the Communication team, including scheduling meetings, preparing meeting minutes, and maintaining databases.
• Assist in coordinating communications between various departments and external partners.

Learning Opportunities

• Gain firsthand experience in managing and executing communication strategies for a UN agency.
• Enhance skills in content creation, media relations, social media management, and event coordination.
• Deepen understanding of gender equality issues and UN Women’s global role in promoting women’s rights.

Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor to ensure effective communication strategies

Competencies

• Ability to conduct research, organize information, and communicate effectively.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Team player with the ability to work in a multicultural environment.
• Knowledge of gender equality and women’s empowerment issues is a plus.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s :

https://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/about%20us/employment/un-women-values-and-competencies-framework-en.pdf?la=en&vs=637 

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• A first-level university degree in communications, public relations, journalism or relevant field is required.

 

 

Experience: 

1. Professional work experience at national or international level in public relations, communications or advocacy, including in media relations is required up to 1 year.
2. Professional command of written English, various types of work/media report, newsletters, and human impact/success stories, videos, etc.

1. Experience in the use of social media is required.
2. Experience in media relations.

 

Language: 

Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English are required. 

• Knowledge of another official UN language is desirable (French, Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish).

Renumeration: 

Interns who are not in receipt of financial support from other sources such as universities or other institutions will receive a stipend from UN Women to partially subsidize their basic living costs for the duration of the internship.

Application Information:

• All applicants must submit a completed and signed with their application and  motivation letter with specific focus of interest area(s).
• Due to the high volume of applications received, UN Women can ONLY contact successful candidates.

The successful candidate will be required to provide proof of enrollment in a valid health insurance plan at the duty station of the internship, proof of school enrollment or degree, a scanned copy of their passport/national ID and a copy of a valid visa (as applicable)