Legal Unit Intern  

Terms of Reference

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a full-time internship with the Legal Unit within the Protection Policy and Legal Advice (PPLA) Section of the Division of International Protection (DIP) at UNHCR HQ in Geneva, Switzerland.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for people forced to flee their homes because of conflict and persecution. We lead international action to protect refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. Our vision is a world where every person forced to flee can build a better future. UNHCR was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1950 in the aftermath of the Second World War to help the millions of people who had lost their homes. Today, UNHCR works in 135 countries. We provide life-saving assistance, including shelter, food, water and medical care for people forced to flee conflict and persecution, many of whom have nobody left to turn to. We defend their right to reach safety and help them find a place to call home so they can rebuild their lives. Long term, we work with countries to improve and monitor refugee and asylum laws and policies, ensuring human rights are upheld.

Organizational context:

The internship will be placed within PPLA Section, with the Legal Unit. 
The Division of International Protection provides the necessary thematic, functional, and operational support and guidance to UNHCR’s Regional Bureaux and Country Operations – to enhance protection delivery globally, and contributes to ensuring global coherence, consistent application of international law, and of UNHCR’s positions and policies, as well as cross-regional fertilization. The Division comprises three Services. Service 1 focuses on Law and Policy, Service 2 on Field Support, and Service 3 on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways. 

The Protection Policy and Legal Advice (PPLA) Section, which falls in Service 1, leads UNHCR’s work on the development of international law and policy relevant to the rights of refugees and internally displaced people pursuant to UNHCR’s supervisory responsibility. PPLA leads, guides, and supports UNHCR’s law and policy efforts in various contexts and across the globe. PPLA engages with human rights mechanisms and actors globally, regionally, and nationally and leads the legal and normative work on the protection of displaced populations. PPLA guides engagement with the legal community, including facilitating and supporting the preparation of court interventions by UNHCR around the world as well other judicial engagement activities at the global level.

The Legal Unit works positively to influence the implementation of legal standards in relation to the rights of displaced people (refugees and internally displaced persons), including by advising governments, international organizations, the legal community, civil society, and other partners as well as the whole organization. Advice covers a wide range of legal and protection issues, policies, and practice, including in operational contexts. The Unit advances UNHCR’s legal guidance, coordinates preparation of inputs to international legal instruments and standards as well as national laws and policies and guides global analysis, information management and reporting on law and policy, particularly through the online Rights Mapping and Analysis Platform (RiMAP). In relation to issues arising at the intersection of protection and data, and protection and national security, the Unit advises respectively on approaches to ensure the rights of displaced and stateless persons and that measures addressing terrorism, as well as serious crimes that threaten national or international security and public order, comply with relevant international legal obligations. The Unit currently includes a Senior Refugee Law Advisor as Head of Unit, one Senior Policy Officer, two Legal Officers and one Protection Officer. The Unit also oversees the work of a RiMAP team.

Legal Unit Intern Position:

This position sits with PPLA’s Legal Unit. The intern will provide valuable assistance to the Legal Unit and the PPLA section. The focus of the internship is the ongoing legal protection work of UNHCR vis-à-vis displaced people and the internship will familiarize the intern with the daily realities of UNHCR HQ. 
The overarching objectives of the internship – from the perspective of the intern – are (i) to gain a deeper knowledge of the work of UNHCR and the international legal frameworks governing the organization’s work in relation to refugee protection, internal displacement and the organization’s supervisory responsibility, and (ii) to practice and develop ‘professional working skills’, such as time management, prioritization of tasks, teamwork, presentation skills, legal research and drafting skills. The intern will be directly involved in various legal and policy aspects of PPLA’s work. The work may also include some routine elements (e.g. assisting with the preparation of meetings and note taking).

Possible tasks of the intern for Legal Unit position may include:
• conducting legal research and analysis and updating and/or drafting research papers on topics of relevance to UNHCR’s policy and legal work on the protection of refugees and IDPs in particular in the context of international law developments, legal doctrinal guidance, domestic legislation and judicial engagement;
• assisting with collecting and analyzing data on refugee treaties and legislation;
• editing position papers and other legal documents;
• where appropriate, attending meetings, workshops, and seminars, taking notes and reporting back to the team.

Essential minimum qualifications required:
To be considered for the internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Current student or recent (those persons who completed their studies within one year of applying) graduate in international law, preferably including human rights or refugee law, at a graduate law school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by UNESCO; 
• Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of the Organization; and
• Fluency in English (both oral and written), with working knowledge in a second UN language highly desirable.

UNHCR staff, including a Temporary Appointment holder or a member of the Affiliate Workforce, is not eligible for an internship.

Additional skills and requirements:

• Strong analytical skills;
• Excellent written and oral communication skills;
• Creative thinking;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Computer literacy (MS Office);
• Favourable disposition to working effectively and harmoniously with colleagues from varied cultures and backgrounds;
• Demonstrated affinity with the rights and well-being of refugees, IDPs and/or stateless persons.

Location:
The internship will be based at UNHCR HQ in Geneva, Switzerland.

Conditions & Allowances: 
The internship is full time (40 hours per week), Monday to Friday. 
Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will, in accordance with UNHCR’s internal policies, get their international travel to and/from Geneva reimbursed and receive an allowance to help cover the cost of food, local transportation and living expenses.

How to apply:
Interested applicants should submit their application through www.unhcr.org/careers.html. 

The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and gender identity.
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing, or training).
We welcome applications from candidates with a refugee background.

Required Languages

English

Other information

This position doesn’t require a functional clearance

Home-Based

No

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