Legal Protection Internship

UN High Commissioner for Refugees

Organisation: UNHCR Job Title: Legal Protection Intern Duty Station: London, United Kingdom Duration: 6 months Type of Contract: Internship

Background

UNHCR is recruiting for two interns to support the Legal Protection Team within UNHCR UK. We are looking for talented law graduates with a commitment to refugee issues. The internship is six months, full-time, and is a great way to help make a difference to the lives of refugees and asylum-seekers in the UK and abroad. More general opportunities for training and developing knowledge of the sector will be available to all interns.

You will actively participate in the work of the London office and will be responsible for a variety of protection issues and tasks, including individual case work, independent research, and preparation of briefing notes, background papers and reports. Your interest and expertise will be taken into consideration when guiding some of your workload.

UNHCR’s 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.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

• Handle calls, emails and letters from persons of concern to UNHCR UK; • Liaise with UNHCR colleagues around the world and a range of other domestic and international actors in order to provide appropriate support, information and advice to persons contacting UNHCR UK; • Handle individual case queries;

• Undertake independent research on issues relevant to domestic or international asylum legislation, policy and practice; • Assist in the preparation of legal interventions; • Prepare and participate in refugee law and protection training activities; • Support the drafting of reports, briefing notes and background papers on matters relevant to UNHCR protection activities in the UK; • Participate in and report from seminars, meetings and other events relevant to the organisation.

BACKGROUND AND REQUIREMENTS:

• Law degree; • Recent graduate (has completed their studies within one year of applying for an internship); • Right to work in the UK; • Availability to undertake the internship full-time; • Good knowledge of refugee and human rights law at an international, European and UK level; • Work experience (including voluntary work experience) in the refugee and/or human rights law field; • Fluency in oral and written English; • Ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds, including vulnerable people; • Ability to time-manage and organise a varied workload including tasks with strict and urgent deadlines. For more information see www.unhcr.org/uk

Funding

Interns may be eligible for funding through scholarships from universities or other external sources and are encouraged to look into this. A food and transportation allowance of maximum 1,000 USD per month is available for un-sponsored interns.

Tentative start date

We are recruiting for two interns, starting in July and September/October 2022 respectively. The exact start date will be communicated and may be subject to change.

How to apply

Interested applicants should return their Personal History Form (PHF) and covering letter to the Legal Protection Team in the London office. Applications should be submitted by email – see contact details below. Please state clearly within the subject line that you are applying for the Legal Protection Internship programme.

Applicants must have a right to work in the UK. Please clearly state in your application the details of your availability and your right to work in the UK.

Applications should be sent by email to: [email protected]

The deadline for applications is 11pm UK time (BST), Friday, 1 July 2022.

Interviews are expected to take place in the week of 11 July 2022.


Job Notifications
Subscribe to receive notifications for the latest job vacancies.