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 global leader in advancing global norms and standards for gender equality and the empowerment of women. Building on the legacy of UNIFEM started in 2002 in Sierra Leone, 

UN Women provides leads, life changing support to national gender machineries, partnering with stakeholders of all ranges including public, private, and community-level, UN and non-UN institutions to empower women and advance gender equality. 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 developing a Roster of qualified interns. This is not a recruitment, but based on the roster, UN Women can recruit interns as the need arises

Description of Responsibilities

Under the overall guidance of the designated Programme specialist or operations manager, the intern will work in close collaboration with UN Women team in areas related to her/his specialization to contribute to the overall goals of the UN Women mandates and support the implementation of programmes activities, operations and administrative functions of the country office were necessary.

The objective of the internship is to provide a virtual and on-site multilateral sectoral learning and knowledge testing working environment for graduates in Sierra Leone and globally. Sectors include agriculture, trade, fisheries, digital innovations that empower women and youth, ending violence against women, women in peace, security, governance and politics.

Learning objectives for the internship

• Gain practical experience in your field of study by performing various tasks on the agency’s key portfolio areas.
• Develop and enhance skills through mentorship programs led by experienced program specialists.
• Through experience of day-to-day activities on various assignments, the intern roster will gain a better understanding of their career goals and aspirations.

Competencies :

Core Values:

• Integrity;
• Professionalism;
• Respect for Diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Awareness and Sensitivity Regarding Gender Issues;
• Accountability;
• Creative Problem Solving;
• Effective Communication;
• Inclusive Collaboration;
• Stakeholder Engagement;
• Leading by Example.

Please visit this link for more information on UN Women’s Values and Competencies Framework: 

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent research, writing, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work effectively in collaborative settings.
• Ability to multi-task and address competing priorities.
• Ability to produce high-quality deliverables in a timely manner. with basic design applications is an asset.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Use; familiarity

Qualifications

Education:

• University studies in one of the following disciplines: agriculture, trade, fisheries, digital innovations that empower women and youth, ending violence against women, women in peace, security, governance and politics or other relevant subjects is required.
• Meet one of the following: 

1. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); 
2. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent); 
3. Have graduated with a university degree and, if selected, must commence the internship within a one-year period of graduation; or 
4. Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program which is part of a degree programme and undertake the internship as part of the program requirements. 

Language:

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English are required; 
• Working knowledge of another UN language is an advantage.

Remuneration: 

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 P.11 form 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).  

Statements :

In July 2010, the United Nations General Assembly created UN Women, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. The creation of UN Women came about as part of the UN reform agenda, bringing together resources and mandates for greater impact. It merges and builds on the important work of four previously distinct parts of the UN system (DAW, OSAGI, INSTRAW and UNIFEM), which focused exclusively on gender equality and women's empowerment.

Diversity and inclusion:

At UN Women, we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. UN Women recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ability, national origin, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, competence, integrity and organizational need.

If you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process, please include this information in your application.

UN Women has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UN Women, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to UN Women’s policies and procedures and the standards of conduct expected of UN Women personnel 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.)

Note: Applicants must ensure that all sections of the application form, including the sections on education and employment history, are completed. If all sections are not completed the application may be disqualified from the recruitment and selection process.