ABOUT PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Founded in 1937, Plan International is one of the oldest and largest children’s rights and development organisations in the world. Currently, it is present in 75 countries. Plan International exists to advance children’s rights and equality for girls. Our global strategy, 100 Million Reasons, represents the first five years of a journey to accelerate achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and to ensure no one is left behind. It will drive us forward with ambition, urgency and determination to ensure all children can enjoy their rights, especially by working towards gender equality and the rights of girls.

To achieve this, we seek to empower boys and girls, young people, and communities to make vital changes that tackle the root causes of discrimination against girls, exclusion, and vulnerability.

Girls and young women face countless challenges and have limited ability to influence the social norms and the political climate that govern their lives. Many are held back by family economics, with sons of poor families much likelier to be sent to school than daughters are. Social norms oftentimes prevent many girls and young women from attending school and participating in public life. Religious values may additionally undermine the importance and voices of girls and young women. Moreover, political and legal structures tend to protect the status quo, upholding the barriers girls and young women face. In the world today, girls continue to be the single most discriminated against and excluded group. Without more robust efforts from the international community, this is unlikely to change.

One of the most effective ways to empower girls and young women is to enable them to have a voice. When they actively participate in social and political life, they become drivers for change in their own lives and in their communities. Early experiences in political participation build their confidence, allow them to take action on issues that matter to them, and empower them to stand up for their own rights.

United Nations human rights bodies and mechanisms present a unique opportunity for girls and young women to ensure their rights to political participation and empowerment. Moreover, they are a powerful tool – rooted in a strong legal framework - for girls and young women advocates around the world to advance their activism and advocacy campaigns at the national, regional and international level.

ABOUT THE GENEVA HUB

The United Nations (UN) Office in Geneva is the international hub for the three H’s: human rights, humanitarian, and health. Influencing its policies, programs and actions has the potential to positively affect the lives of hundreds of millions of children and make lasting change especially for girls. Plan International’s UN Liaison office in Geneva therefore contributes to achieving the organization’s global purpose by strategically and positively influencing the UN’s policies and processes in Geneva in favor of children’s rights and equality for girls.

Plan International’s Geneva Office strives for improving State accountability for children’s rights and equality for girls using the sustainable development, human rights and humanitarian processes by:

• Actively advocating for children’s rights and equality for girls to be included in key processes and policy debates taking place in Geneva, including the UN Human Rights Council, Treaty Bodies, the Special Procedures and with relevant UN agencies and processes including UNHCR, WHO, ILO, OHCHR etc.
• Striving to ensure that girls’ rights (gender equality and age perspectives) are positioned at the heart of the international agenda and that girls’ rights in international law is strengthened and promoted
• Delivering technical assistance and capacity development to Plan’s offices around the world to engage strategically with the United Nations by providing country and thematic specific information on the situation of children’s rights and gender equality for girls together with our Country and National Offices
• Training and accompanying girls and young women in their engagement with human rights mechanisms processes at all stages: youth-led reports drafting; advocacy strategy design at national and international level; and follow-up strategies.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Girls’ Rights Platform Intern will report to the UN Policy and Advocacy Advisor. The incumbent will also work with other Plan International staff members and teams, as well as with key external stakeholders, such as external web development agencies.

To support the implementation of Plan International’s strategy, the Geneva hub has developed an innovative online platform with key tools for diplomats, UN agencies, INGOs and girls’ rights advocates. All in an effort to increase the visibility of girls’ rights, build a wider movement in support of them, and push back against regressive trends that have stifled progress for girls.

The Girls’ Rights Platform Intern will have an active role in supporting Plan International’s efforts to be a leader in strengthening girls’ rights at the international level, including through the implementation of technical solutions by helping train a machine learning tool. The candidate should have knowledge on human rights with an eye for detail and strong organizational skills.

In particular, the tasks and responsibilities will be on:
Supporting the development of the Girls Rights Platform

• To work closely with various external IT and technical partners/consultants throughout the finalization of several ongoing projects in the development of the Girls’ Rights Platform and its subsequent tools, namely the integration of a machine learning feature;
• To support the coordination, tracking and reporting of ongoing projects, and communicate any and all updates/developments to appropriate parties;
• To ensure proper labeling and data extraction of UN documents produced and uploaded into the Database backend, including metadata, topics and person(s) affected;
• And to support the research for a long-term financial and technical sustainability solution for the Girls’ Rights Platform, including coordinating discussions with potential partners.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE, SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Knowledge

• Completion of a degree programme in human rights, political science, gender studies, international law, international development or completion of a degree/studies or/and training in programming/databases/web development/information technology/artificial intelligence;
• Sound understanding of the UN system and legislation on women’s, children’s and girls’ rights;
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, and ideally, additional knowledge of French and/or Spanish.

Skills

• Strong project management skills;
• Strong attention to details;
• Ability to work collaboratively with others;
• Excellent presentation skills including the ability to present complex ideas to different audiences in a clear way;
• High proficiency in Microsoft Office applications – demonstrable aptitude with Excel and PowerPoint;
• Ability to use initiative, prioritize competing workloads and work independently.

Behaviours

• Interested in and committed to gender equality, advancing girls’ rights and transforming harmful gender norms;
• Strong work ethic;
• Effective communicator in written and oral English;
• Calm and effective under pressure;
• Self-starter, able to work without supervision;
• Positive, constructive, flexible, and solution-oriented approach;
• Fast learner who can deliver to multiple deadlines;
• Team-player, commitment to supporting the team;

PLAN INTERNATIONAL’S VALUES IN PRACTICE

• We are open and accountable
• Promotes a culture of openness and transparency, including with sponsors and donors.
• Holds self and others accountable to achieve the highest standards of integrity.
• Consistent and fair in the treatment of people.
• Open about mistakes and keen to learn from them.
• Accountable for ensuring we are a safe organization for all children, girls & young people

We strive for lasting impact

• Articulates a clear purpose for staff and sets high expectations.
• Creates a climate of continuous improvement, open to challenge and new ideas.
• Focuses resources to drive change and maximize long-term impact, responsive to changed priorities or crises.
• Evidence-based and evaluates effectiveness.

We work well together

• Seeks constructive outcomes, listens to others, willing to compromise when appropriate.
• Builds constructive relationships across Plan International to support our shared goals.
• Develops trusting and ‘win-win’ relationships with funders, partners and communities.
• Engages and works well with others outside the organization to build a better world for girls and all children.

We are inclusive and empowering

• We empower our staff to give their best and develop their potential
• We respect all people, appreciate differences and challenge equality in our programs and our workplace
• We support children, girls and young people to increase their confidence and to change their own lives.

PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

Typical office environment

LEVEL OF CONTACT WITH CHILDREN

Low contact: No contact or very low frequency of interaction.

Logistics:

Candidates must be enrolled in a course of study and pursuing this internship as a mandatory or optional internship leading to a degree. The university must be willing to sign a tri-partite agreement with Plan International’s UN Liaison Office in Geneva. Please note this is a certified short-term internship placement (one month).

Please send your CV (no more than two pages) and Cover Letter to UNofficeGeneva@plan-international.org indicating your availability by Friday 25 April.
We will contact successful applicants regarding the next stage in the application process. The successful candidate is expected to begin the position on 5 May 2025.