Intern – Intergovernmental Affairs

Position description

The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) is the most inclusive intergovernmental platform in the Asia-Pacific region. The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific is the main legislative organ of ESCAP and reports to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The Commission promotes cooperation among its 53 member States and 9 associate members in pursuit of solutions to sustainable development challenges. ESCAP is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.

The Commission meets annually at the ministerial level to:

• Discuss and decide on important issues pertaining to inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in the region.
• Decide on the recommendations of its subsidiary bodies and of the Executive Secretary.
• Review and endorse the proposed strategic framework and programme of work.
• Make any other decisions required, in conformity with its terms of reference.

The Commission session comprises a senior officials segment and a ministerial segment. The Special Body on Least Developed, Landlocked Developing and Pacific Island Developing Countries is held during the ministerial segment.

The ESCAP secretariat supports inclusive, resilient, and sustainable development in the region by generating action-oriented knowledge and by providing technical assistance and capacity-building services in support of national development objectives, regional agreements, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. ESCAP also provides support to partners at the national level. ESCAP’s national offer is rooted in and linked with the implementation of global and regional intergovernmental frameworks, agreements, and other instruments.

This position is located in the Office of the Executive Secretary, in the team of the Secretary of the Commission. The intern works under the supervision of the Secretary of the Commission and the Deputy Secretary of the Commission.

Note: This internship is UNPAID and full-time for a duration of 3–6 months. Interns work five days per week (37.5 hours). Interns will gain first-hand experience with ESCAP’s work in website management, strategic communications, public information, digital outreach, and knowledge management. They will also gain a greater understanding of ESCAP’s activities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Responsibilities

The internship focuses on assisting the team of the Secretary of the Commission in preparing and delivering the annual sessions of the Commission, organizing meetings of the Advisory Committee of Permanent Representatives, and performing tasks related to organizing intergovernmental meetings, supporting negotiations of member States, and providing web/information and knowledge management support.

Intern responsibilities are divided into three core areas:

AREA 1: Intergovernmental Services (40%)

• Assist with logistics before and during meetings, including registration, presentations, and other relevant tasks.
• Assist in the preparation of procedural scripts for meetings.
• Contribute to the preparation of talking points, briefing materials, and other documentation.
• Attend and take notes during discussions held in meetings.

AREA 2: Knowledge Management (40%)

• Assist with the creation and updating of website content.
• Contribute to the development and updating of communication materials.
• Perform tasks related to strategic communications and public information.

AREA 3: Operations and Administration (20%)

• Support day-to-day management and activities of the team.
• Support issue management and prepare related correspondence.
• Prepare for meetings with internal stakeholders, as required.
• Perform other ad hoc duties as assigned.

Qualifications / Special Skills

• Applicants must be:
  • A student in the final year of a first-level university degree (Bachelor or equivalent), or
  • Enrolled in a Master’s or Ph.D. programme, or
  • A recent graduate (Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D.).

• If you meet any of the above criteria, please indicate which one and attach proof to your application. An official certificate will be required at a later stage.

• Good knowledge of standard software applications (especially MS Word, PowerPoint, and MS Teams) is required.
• Familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite, Drupal, HTML, and CSS is desirable.

Languages

• English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
• Fluency in spoken and written English is required.
• Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish are the official UN languages.)

Application instructions

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