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The Geneva, Switzerland, Office of the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) seeks interns to observe and learn about both the United Nations (UN) human rights system and the international human rights non-governmental community.

ISHR is currently seeking motivated interns to work in their Geneva office, with internship periods starting from January 2010 onward. They are offering full-time and part-time internships from 3-6 months to work with:

* The communications team
* The UN monitoring team
* The training team

There are also proposals to offer internships for the regional and national human rights defenders programme in the near future.

The principal focus of the internships will be learning about the workings of the international human rights system. The ISHR considers Geneva to be the hub of international human rights activity and the focus of much activity by governments, and national and regional human rights organisations. According to the organisation, the structure of the international machinery has changed with the establishment of the Human Rights Council and with it has come new procedures, new operating modalities, and new challenges.

ISHR will supervise and manage the interns’ work, support their involvement in other capacity building activities, and facilitate acquirement of relevant permits. ISHR shall ensure the interns are provided with an initial detailed briefing regarding living and working in Geneva and provide the interns with full support to ensure their stay in Geneva is safe, comfortable, and enjoyable. Throughout the internship, interns are given a range of training opportunities.

Internships for the UN monitoring team and communication team are generally offered for a period of six months, preferably from January 1 to June 30, and from July 1 to December 31. However, in some circumstances, internships for three months will also be offered. Interested persons are encouraged to submit applications for periods of time between 3 - 6 months.

In special circumstances, in order to cater to organisational needs, intern applications for all activities will be considered for intake periods outside of those specified and for shorter internship lengths. Where possible, applications should be forwarded at least three months in advance of the anticipated start date in order to ensure work permit and visa.

Click here, scroll to the bottom of the page, and select "Internships" for more information.

Applicants should submit an application form (accessible from the website as an MS Word document) and CV (with two references) with a clear indication to which programme they would like to apply: communications team, UN monitoring team, or training team. Internship applications not specifying a particular programme will not be considered. Those applying for the UN monitoring team need to accompany their application with a writing example in English on a politics or law-related topic to Lizzy Openshaw, the internship coordinator, through the contact information below.

The ISHR website accessed on June 30 2009.