Caribbean Protection Unit Legal Intern

UNHCR - United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Deadline: 30 November 2017 (For Spring 2017)

Organization Description:

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Washington Regional Office seeks legal interns and externs for its Caribbean Protection Unit.

The Caribbean Protection Unit protects and assists asylum-seekers, refugees, and stateless persons in a particularly dynamic, unique, and challenging context. The Unit covers 24 different countries and territories in the Caribbean, most of which do not have functioning asylum systems. Thus, UNHCR works with governments in Caribbean countries to develop and strengthen protections for asylum-seekers, refugees, and stateless persons, conducts refugee status determinations for asylum-seekers, and monitors and reports on the treatment of refugees and stateless persons throughout the Caribbean region.

Position Description:

Legal interns will assist with casework related to the assistance and protection of asylum-seekers and refugees in the Caribbean. Summer legal internships and semester externships for school credit are divided into three terms: Spring (January-April), Summer (May-August) and Fall (September-December). Preference will be given to interns available for a minimum of 4 months or a maximum of 6 months.

Interns working with the Caribbean Protection Unit should have a legal background or be graduate students studying human rights, international affairs, political sciences or a related subject, with knowledge of international law. Students pursuing J.D. degrees should be in their second or third year of study and have taken an international law or asylum law course.

Duties and Responsibilities:

While the precise tasks of interns vary, taking into account the dynamics of the Caribbean region and other Office priorities, as well as the specific skills, competencies and areas of interest of the respective intern, the main tasks in which interns at the Caribbean Protection Unit are involved are:

• Drafting Refugee Status Determination (RSD) and appeal decisions for asylum-seekers in the Caribbean region, including country of origin research and legal analysis;
• Drafting Advisory Opinions requested by Caribbean governments for pending asylum claims;
• Conducting research on Caribbean immigration laws and procedures, asylum procedures, analysis of constitutional changes and best practices;
• Assisting with UNHCR’s human rights reporting related to the Caribbean states;
• Monitoring news for maritime incidents and migration flows in the Caribbean; and
• Undertaking special projects and translate documents and correspondence, as needed.

Qualifications and Experience:

While not being a formal requirement, any relevant work experience will be taken into account in the selection of interns. Candidates should furthermore demonstrate the following skills:

• Strong research, analytical and drafting skills;
• Excellent oral communication skills;
• Knowledge of UNHCR’s mandate, international refugee and/or human rights law;
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as within a team;
• Good time management skills;
• A high level of computer proficiency, with familiarity with electronic databases preferred and proficiency with Microsoft Excel required; and
• Fluency in English required; fluency in a second language, such as Spanish or Arabic, preferred.

Intern Expectations:

Interns will participate in a range of activities within the Caribbean Protection Unit and will become familiar with the daily realities of working in a large humanitarian organization. The intern will (i) gain a deeper knowledge of the international legal frameworks governing the organization’s interventions, particularly as they apply to the work of UNHCR in the Caribbean region; and (ii) develop legal writing and analysis skills and other professional working skills, such as project and time management, prioritization, team work, presentation skills, and drafting. The work of the interns therefore is not confined to a single research project, as interns will be directly involved in all operational aspects of our work, including some elements of routine (e.g., maintenance of databases of information on asylum-seekers and refugees, assisting with special events, other administrative work).

Timeframe:                 4-6 months  

Location:                     UNHCR Regional Office in Washington, DC, USA

Remuneration:            Unfortunately, UNHCR is not in a position to pay interns, and cannot provide scholarships or living or moving stipends.

Application Materials:

Please send your complete application, including a resume or C.V., cover letter with dates of availability, a brief writing sample, and a list of three professional references, to: UNHCR, 1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500, Washington DC 20036, via email at [email protected] and note in the subject line CARIBBEAN PROTECTION UNIT INTERNSHIP.