• Length: 5 September – 23 December 2022
• Work percentage: Full-time (37.5 hours/week) 
• Based in: Geneva, Switzerland – possibility to undertake the internship remotely (please indicate your preference in your application)
• Reports to: Communications Manager or Director
• Applications close: 29 May 2022 (Midnight Geneva time)

The International Service for Human Rights (ISHR), Geneva office is offering an internship with the communications team.

ISHR is an independent, non-profit organisation with offices in Geneva and New York. This internship offers a unique opportunity to view the United Nations human rights system at work. It provides hands-on experience working for an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) as well as the opportunity to contribute to our work supporting human rights defenders, strengthening human rights systems, building and leading human rights coalitions, and responding to significant and systemic human rights concerns. For more information, consult our website www.ishr.ch.

Background

This internship with ISHR offers a unique opportunity for communications students to be involved in and learn about the communications activities of a leading international human rights non-governmental organisation.

The intern will be based at ISHR’s Geneva office or remotely and will receive exposure to the international human rights non-governmental community.

The opportunity

The incumbent will apply and develop a range of communications skills through practical exposure to the daily activities of a human rights NGO.

Responsibilities and duties may include:

• Video production, editing and publishing
• Graphic design: creation of invitations, social media assets, …
• Photography sourcing, editing and publishing. Photography coverage of ISHR events (for on-site internships).
• Social media daily management
• Website: Assist with continuous improvement of our website: content entry for main copy, SEO related items, video, images, diagrammes and graphics, assign tags, etc.
• Drafting, editing, publishing online articles on human rights issues
• Production of publications and marketing materials
• Event planning, coordination and management (online or physical events)
• 10-15% of administrative tasks

The applicant will also be required to perform the following:

• Database management
• Administration support to the communications team
• Translation and proofreading

Training and Opportunities

• Interns are fully included in staff meetings, which provide a comprehensive understanding of the work of an international human rights NGO;
• Interns also have opportunities to interact and network with human rights defenders, diplomats or other UN and NGO professionals both at the United Nations and at ISHR’s office (or remotely) during meetings;
• Where appropriate or necessary for their work, ISHR staff will provide practical sessions and guidance, for example on utilising communications technologies, etc.
• Interns will be supervised by a Communications team member.

Internship modalities

The internship is preferably to be completed on-site, in ISHR’s Geneva offices. However, ISHR will consider applicants who are unable to travel or work on-site. Please indicate in your application whether you will be able to work on-site or remotely.

The internship is expected to be a full-time (37.5 hours per week over 5 days) position.

Stipend

• Internships will receive a CHF500/month

Equal opportunity

ISHR is firmly committed to having a diverse team and to the principle of equal employment opportunity. ISHR's policy is to practice fair and non-discriminatory recruitment and selection procedures and strive for diverse, international and multicultural personnel.

We welcome all kinds of diversity. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction including on grounds of race, colour, national origin, age, religion, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or sex characteristics, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status, socio-economic status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We particularly welcome applications from candidates from systematically, historically and/or traditionally discriminated against under-represented groups, including women, persons of colour, LGBTIQ+ persons candidates, persons with disabilities and other groups.

Requirements

To be considered, applicants should be undertaking studies in the field of communication, marketing, graphic design or similar, or have recently completed such studies. They should also possess:

• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (professional level fluency). French and/or Spanish are a strong
• Excellent IT skills including a good command of Word, Excel and Powerpoint; and ideally, experience with content management systems.
• Good command of InDesign and Photoshop.
• Interest in social media.
• Ideally, good photography skills (for on-site internships)
• Excellent social skills and ability to multi-task. Strong ability to work independently, meticulously and in a structured way. Very good organisational and time-management skills, ability to meet deadlines.
• Desire to acquire experience working in a multicultural, inclusive environment and interest in the work of a human rights NGO.
• Full-time availability.

Applications

Per Geneva labor law, ISHR can only consider applications from candidates:

• who are currently enrolled in a course of study leading to a degree or professional qualification and whose school agrees to enter a three-way agreement* with ISHR; or
• who are about to start an advanced degree (e.g. Master’s) provided their school agrees to enter a three-way agreement* with ISHR.
• who pursue the internship shortly after the completion of a first degree(e.g. Bachelor's degree), in view of a second training (e.g. Master's degree), provided that the school awarding the degree attests the relevance and usefulness of the internship.

*Please note that a three-way agreement includes ISHR, the Intern and the Intern’s school.

Unless required to complete an internship as part of their studies, candidates with a Swiss Student B Permit can only work full-time during their holidays.

Per Geneva Labor Law, non EU/EFTA nationals in need of a work permit to do an on-site internship, need to demonstrate that the internship is taking place during or as part of their course of study and show proof of a scholarship for the purpose of this internship of at least CHF 2'660/month. ISHR will remunerate the internship CHF500 per month and assist in obtaining the relevant work permit if the internship is done on-site. To cover the difference (CHF 2160/month), the applicant must obtain a grant from a university or other organisation specifically for the purpose of the internship.

This labor law requirement doesn’t apply for remote internships.

Interested candidates should submit an application here by sending:

• A cover letter
• A current CV (no profile picture please)
• A sample of communications work is also welcomed (example of work done with CMS, graphic design, writing, photography, short video, …)

In their cover letter, candidates should demonstrate their commitment to human rights and social change.

Application deadline: 29 May 2022 (midnight, Geneva time).

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

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