Humanitarian Affairs and Coordination - Internship

Job Description

Work Location

• United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi and Dubai

Expected Duration

• 3 months, with the possibility of extension up to 6 months

Duties and Responsibilities
Under the guidance and direct supervision of the Humanitarian Affairs Officer in OCHA’s Liaison Office in the UAE, the Humanitarian Affairs Intern will provide support related to humanitarian engagement with the Government of the UAE and other partners. Tasks include:

• Support monitoring, analysis, and reporting on humanitarian needs.
• Assist in planning and organizing events organized or co-organized by OCHA in the UAE.
• Support the development and dissemination of information material on humanitarian issues.
• Ensure visibility of OCHA UAE partnerships through various communication channels.
• Assist in coordinating meetings and consultations with partners in the country.
• Support management of OCHA UAE’s social media content and visibility of UAE humanitarian aid.
• Draft summaries, meeting minutes, and reports.
• Perform other administrative tasks as required.

Qualifications / Special Skills
Applicants must meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or higher) in political/social science, international relations, public administration, law, economics, communication/media, or a related field.
• Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final year of a first university degree (bachelor’s or equivalent) in political/social science, international relations, public administration, law, economics, communication/media, or a related field.

Additional requirements:

• Field of study should be closely related to the internship.
• Must be a student in the final year or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. programme.
• Good knowledge of standard software applications, including MS Word, MS PowerPoint, and MS Teams.
• Ability to draft news articles and/or social media posts is desirable.
• Ability to design surveys and polls is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in English and Arabic (both oral and written) is required.
• French is a working language of the UN Secretariat but not required for this internship.

Additional Information

• Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
• Cover note must include:
• • Title of degree currently pursued
  • Graduation date
  • Relevant skills and software proficiency
  • Explanation of suitability for the internship
• Personal History Profile must include past work experience (if any) and three references.
• Due to high application volume, only successful candidates will be contacted.

Internship Conditions

• Interns are not financially remunerated.
• Costs for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of the intern or sponsoring institution.
• Non-citizen interns may need appropriate visas and work/employment authorization.
• Candidates should confirm specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.

Deadline : Nov 19, 2025

About the Organization

In December 1991, the General Assembly adopted Resolution 46/182, designed to strengthen the United Nation's response to both complex emergencies and natural disasters. In addition it aimed at improving the overall effectiveness of the UN's humanitarian operations in the field. The resolution also created the high level position of Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC). This new function would combine into a single UN focal point the functions carried out by representatives of the Secretary-General for major and complex emergencies, as well as the UN's natural disaster functions carried out by the UN Disaster Relief Coordinator, UNDRO. Soon after, the Secretary-General established the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA) and assigned the ERC the status of Under-Secretary-General (USG) for Humanitarian Affairs with offices in New York and Geneva to provide institutional support. Resolution 46/182 also created the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP) and the Central Emergency Revolving Fund (CERF) as key coordination mechanisms and tools of the ERC. As part of the Secretary-General's programme of reform in 1998, DHA was reorganized into the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA. Its mandate was expanded to include the coordination of humanitarian response, policy development and humanitarian advocacy. OCHA carries out its coordination function primarily through the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which is chaired by the ERC. Participants include all humanitarian partners, from UN agencies, funds and programmes to the Red Cross Movement and NGOs. The IASC ensures inter-agency decision-making in response to complex emergencies. These responses include needs assessments, consolidated appeals, field coordination arrangements and the development of humanitarian policies.