Internship – Nodal Learning and Action Communities, HIV/AIDS unit

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.  And we never give up. 

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, and every adolescent, everywhere, in everything the organization does ? in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favouritism. The focus on equity accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Ending AIDS among children is vital to ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030. This is a priority in UNICEF’s global HIV programme.

 

For every child, health 

Reporting to the Sr HIV/AIDS Advisor – Adolescents, and in collaboration with key business units across UNICEF NYHQ and multiple Regional Offices, the intern recruited to this position will work within the HIV Section in UNICEF Health Programmes. The role will support knowledge work onthe mainstreaming of evidence-informed programming guidance on what works for the holistic wellbeing of adolescent and young key populations, building on the perspectives and innate knowledge emerging from the networks.

 

How can you make a difference? 

The intern will play an instrumental role in coordinating the engagement of young people in a fledgling global partnership, including direct support to the work of eight (8) Young Champions for Equality, a diverse group of young leaders working at the forefront of achieving social justice in the HIV response for adolescent and young key populations.

A key piece of the coordination scope the intern will undertake is involves curation of evidence emerging from centers of excellence within the youth-led responses, including but not limited to a repository of resources to help plan and scale up programmes that address the health rights or adolescents and young key populations. 

Under the supervision of the Senior HIV/AIDS Advisor ? Adolescents, HIV Section, the intern will:

• Contribute to the knowledge management function of UNICEF’s HIV Section and its work within the UN Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS, including preparation of literature reviews, programmatic toolkits, programming briefs, advocacy pieces, landscape analyses snapshots, case studies, vignettes, resource libraries, and technical updates on adolescent-responsive programming
• Engage in collaborative learning communities to advance the state of the art in programming for the most marginalized and vulnerable populations, specifically adolescents living with HIV, adolescent girls and young women at substantial risk of acquiring HIV, adolescents from the key populations, and pregnant adolescents
• Foster engagement, including knowledge curation and technical advocacy, with Young Champions for Equality and networks of adolescent and young key populations to advance robust knowledge communities and support the successful performance of youth-led organizations
• Contribute to high-level technical advocacy and strategy-setting for key and priority populations of adolescents and young people living with and affected by HIV
• Engage in advancing the global visibility of emerging centers of excellence and expertise nodes, and in ultivating the strategic engagement of these adolescent and youth networks within and beyond the global HIV, health, gender response
• Support curation of the tacit knowledge and experiences of adolescent and young key populations, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, through tasks such as study management, survey tool development, convening consultations, and data analysis and visualization
• Participate in HQ-based technical assistance and technical exchanges between regional and field offices
• Participate in preparation of various internal and external consultations and convenings
• Any other tasks assigned by the supervisor

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have? 

• A proof of current enrollement in a degree program of an institution of higher education, or recently completed such a degree (within the last two years) in Medical Anthropology, Medical Sociology, Public Health, Community Heath, Epidemiology, Community Psychology, or related
• Experience in gender diversity and equality at the local/community, national, or regional level
• Experience in HIV and/or sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) programming
• Demonstrated experience within the key populations’ networks at national, regional, or global levels would be a distinct advantage
• Motivation to gain and apply new skills in mid- to higher level knowledge management approaches
• Demonstrable analytical skills preferred
• Demonstrable design skills would be a distinct advantage
• Strong writing and conceptualization skills required
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

 

Benefits to Intern:

• This internship will present hands-on experience in shaping global agendas within a multilateral context, through meaningful engagement with multi-lateral, academic, civil society, and community-led entities.
• The intern will gain insight into the operations and agenda-setting processes within the UN system
• Participants will receive mentorship, training and dedicated support to enable their full participation in the substantive work of UNICEF, offered through a variety of modalities (virtual/remote and in-person).

 

Stipend: A monthly stipend will be provided by UNICEF based on the intern’s work location[VD1] 

Duration: Initial term of 14 weeks, renewable for up to six months

Insurance:

UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the intern’s service, whether on or off UNICEF premises. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide valid proof of enrolment in a health/accident plan prior to starting the internship. The certification of insurance should cover the whole internship period.

 

Living Conditions and Working Environment:

This internship is designated for a remote worker, with no expectations of travel during the course of this assignment[VD2] . The intern will be placed in the HIV& AIDS Section of the Health Programmes of UNICEF NYHQ reporting directly to the supervisor throughout the duration of this internship. The intern will be expected to participate in section meetings, programme group meetings, global all-hands meetings of the Health Group, as well as other UNICEF meetings of interest to the student, including career counselling and the seminar series for UNICEF interns. Guidance will be provided on a regular basis.

 

Required documents as part of internship application

• Proof of enrollment in a university programme (or proof of completion during past 2 years)
• Copy of most recent official transcript showing excellent academic performance
• Copy of Identification Card (ID)
• One letter of signed recommendation from academic institution on letterhead or from professional email address
• Proof of health insurance coverage

 

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA). 

To view our competency framework, please visit here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for personnel with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible for ensuring that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to selected candidates who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their contracts. 

    

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