Job Description
Work Location: Bonn Office.
Expected Duration: 6 months, starting February/March 2026.
Duties and Responsibilities
Desertification, along with climate change and the loss of biodiversity, were identified as the greatest challenges to sustainable development during the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. Established in 1994, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is the sole legally binding international agreement linking environment and development to sustainable land management. The Convention seeks to support countries to address Desertification, Land Degradation, and Drought (DLDD). (www.unccd.int).
The internship opportunity is offered by the Global Policy, Advocacy and Regional Cooperation (GPARC) Unit of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) secretariat in Bonn, Germany. We are seeking a dynamic and proactive team player, with a strong interest in land degradation, desertification, and drought issues, to complete a six-month internship within UNCCD’s GPARC team. This internship is a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience within UNCCD and the UN in general.
Note: This internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week Monday to Friday (35 hours) with a one-hour lunch break. Start date as soon as possible.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Under the guidance and supervision of the Chief of GPARC Unit and working in close collaboration with the Programme Officer for Drought and Water Scarcity, the Intern provides support in the preparation of background and option papers.
- Support the tracking and analysis of decisions and their implementation.
- Assist in the preparation of speeches and talking points.
- Help monitor, identify, and analyse geographic, political, and thematic global trends related to drought and water scarcity.
- Support the preparation of analytical reports, papers, talking points, background notes, correspondences, key messages, video remarks, interviews, and daily briefs.
- Draft minutes of meetings and ensure timely follow-up.
- Help prepare presentations and other communication material, as required.
- Support other ad-hoc activities related to the Unit’s workplan and other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Qualifications/Special Skills
- Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent).
- Applicants to the UNCCD Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.
- Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. Programme. Please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. An official certificate will be required at a later stage.
- Applicants are required to have good knowledge of standard software applications, especially MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.
- Ability to draft presentations and other communication materials such as news articles and/or social media posts or blogs is required.
Languages
Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage.
Additional Information
Candidates for the UNCCD Internship Programme are required to cover the cost of travel including visa, accommodation, health insurance, and other living expenses for the duration of the internship.
Intern Specific Text
- Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations.
- Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.
- Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization.
- Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.
- No Fee: THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
Deadline : Jan 15, 2026
