Work Location
Hybrid, Barcelona, Spain
Expected Duration
6 months
Duties and Responsibilities
Org. Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities. It promotes urbanization as a transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination, and poverty.
As the main UN agency responsible for ensuring the sustainable development of cities, towns, and other human settlements, UN-Habitat is strategically placed to coordinate the humanitarian and development efforts of multiple actors and policymakers at all levels in the common pursuit of urban resilience.
UN-Habitat’s approach to strengthening urban resilience as a key determinant for ensuring the effectiveness of response interventions during crises and sustainable development is embodied in its City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP). The CRGP goes beyond conventional approaches to “risk reduction,” delivering a forward-looking, multisectoral, multihazard, multi-stakeholder model for building resilience that recognizes the complexities and unique value of cities, and the inherent interdependencies of each part of an urban system.
Fast-growing cities and urban areas of the world are engines of growth and wealth accumulation. While this growth can have positive social, cultural, and educational impacts, it also increases disaster vulnerability and exposure. The level of urbanization is far higher in the developed world, but the annual “urbanization rate” is much faster in the developing world. The primary urban agglomerations with the highest concentrations of people and economic activity mostly overlap with areas of extreme or high risk related to disasters such as coastal areas, along rivers, and in flood plains.
The project will work with local government institutions to plan, coordinate, implement, and support the various outlined activities. The primary and most direct beneficiaries will be local stakeholders, city authorities, and civil society. Women, children, and other at-risk groups, often disproportionately affected by crisis situations, will be engaged and receive additional attention.
Responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of the Head of the City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP) and the supporting supervision of the Project Coordinator, the intern will:
Support in the development, design, delivery, and administration of learning and capacity-building content, materials, and activities for offline and online platforms
Assist in the development of the City Resilience Profiling Tool, including designing activities, tools, and guidance for implementation
Assist in implementation support with partner cities and regions, including support in data collection and visualization
Assist in the conversion, writing, translation, design, and development of content (including graphics) to be used by the Programme
Prepare presentations, support workshop preparations, and facilitate sessions
Undertake any other tasks for the Programme that align with the intern’s experience
Qualifications/Special Skills
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
Be enrolled in a graduate school program (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor’s level or equivalent)
Have graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, Master’s, PhD, or equivalent
Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite)
Demonstrate a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter
Demonstrate the ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, including a willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views
Preferred Areas of Study:
Advanced university degree in Urban or Regional Planning, Architecture, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Development Studies, or another field deemed relevant to the subject areas covered by the Programme.
Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study closely related to the internship is required.
Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Ph.D. Programme.
Knowledge in Urban and Territorial Planning, Urban and Territorial Resilience, Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Action, Sustainable Development, as well as research and analysis skills associated with the relevant fields of the Programme is required.
Experience in developing and delivering capacity-building activities is highly desirable.
Proficiency in graphic design using Adobe Creative Suite is highly desirable.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable.
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 the 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.
Deadline : Apr 17, 2025
