Internship opportunity with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia (ESCAP-SSWA).
UNPAID, full-time internship; interns work five days per week (37.5 hours) from the office under supervision.
ESCAP-SSWA covers ten member States: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Türkiye.
Key mandate: support member States in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Work programme includes:
Analytical and normative work, policy support, technical assistance, and capacity building.
Promoting policy advocacy and building networks among stakeholders.
Strengthening connectivity, trade, transport facilitation, and regional economic integration.
Regional cooperation for food and energy security.
Assisting LDCs and LLDCs in implementing Istanbul and Almaty Programmes of Action and SDG targets.
Learning Opportunities:
Understanding socio-economic challenges in the subregion.
Learning about regional and multilateral cooperation processes.
Understanding UN mandates, operations, and policy advisory processes.
Intern Responsibilities:
Contribute to research projects related to ESCAP-SSWA’s work programme and SDG implementation.
Regular monitoring of developments, policy trends, and news articles.
Monitor and collect details on national policies of ESCAP-SSWA member States.
Collect data, generate figures/tables, and support staff with analysis.
Attend conferences, seminars, and meetings; provide written highlights and briefing notes.
Assist in content creation, media outreach, and enhancing UN digital presence.
Provide administrative, organizational, and conference management support.
Perform other tasks as decided by the supervisor.
Competencies
Communication: Clear and concise drafting; strong written and oral language skills.
Teamwork: Collaborate effectively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
Client Orientation: Consider all service recipients as clients; understand and respond to their needs.
Planning & Organizing: Allocate time and resources efficiently; monitor and adjust plans as needed.
Accountability: Take ownership of responsibilities, honor commitments, and deliver outputs on time.
Special Notice
Applications are reviewed periodically, and candidates are recruited on an ongoing basis.
A complete online application (Cover Note and Personal History Profile) is required.
Cover Note must include:
Current or latest degree details.
Graduation date.
Estimated availability period.
Top three areas of interest.
Explanation of suitability for the internship.
Interest in the United Nations Internship Programme.
ICT skills and relevant university courses/modules.
Personal History Profile should include past work experience, ICT skills, and three references.
Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.
Qualifications/Special Skills
Applicants must meet one of the following:
Enrolled in or completed a graduate program (second degree or higher).
Enrolled in or completed the final academic year of a first degree program (minimum bachelor’s).
No professional work experience required, but computer literacy is necessary.
Familiarity with econometrics, empirical data analysis methods, software (EViews, Stata, SPSS, R, Python) is desirable.
Data handling and spreadsheet skills are an asset.
Social media familiarity is desirable.
Assessment
Potential candidates will be contacted by ESCAP staff for further consideration.
United Nations Consideration
Candidates must demonstrate the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.
Violations of human rights, humanitarian law, sexual exploitation/abuse/harassment, or criminal offenses (other than minor traffic) disqualify applicants.
Emphasis on geographical diversity and equality; men and women are equally eligible.
UN Secretariat is a non-smoking environment.
Follow all instructions on the online recruitment platform, inspira.
Languages
English and French are UN working languages.
Fluency in English (oral and written) required.
Knowledge of another UN language is an asset.
Intern Specific Text
Interns are UNPAID; costs for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of the intern or sponsoring institution.
Interns may need appropriate visa/work authorization.
Deadline : Oct 22, 2025
Start your application
Applications for this position must be completed on the recruiting organization's website.
