Humanitarian Affairs Intern

Work LocationGeneva (in-person) Expected durationSept 2025 – Mar 2026 Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is the part of the UN Secretariat responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure a coherent response to emergencies. OCHA's mission is to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disasters and emergencies; advocate the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention and facilitate sustainable solutions. The Assessment, Planning and Monitoring Branch (APMB) helps OCHA and partners deliver more effective joint responses using innovative, state-of-the-art coordination tools and services. The work of the Branch focuses on the key activities which enable effective coordination: needs assessment and analysis, humanitarian response planning and continuous monitoring. APMB aims to ensure OCHA and partner staff have the skills, tools and technical support needed to meet the needs of people affected by crises through a well- coordinated collective response effort, within the framework of a rigorous Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC). The Needs and Response Analysis Section (NARAS), as part of APMB, is responsible to provide normative guidance, policy development f, technical field support and capacity-building on analysis and planning, and related topics. Under the general guidance of a primary supervisor, the intern shall be given specific tasks related to the following projects within the Needs and Response Analysis Section (NARAS): Humanitarian Action Platform: HumanitarianAction.info provides a comprehensive overview of the humanitarian landscape by providing both an annual snapshot and live data on humanitarian crises and response. Humanitarian Action also serves as the publication platform for planning, monitoring and financial tracking data. It allows users to benefit from dynamic data that is updated throughout the year, as country teams update their needs analysis and response plans. The intern working on this project will provide support to country teams digitalizing their humanitarian needs and response plans by creating training material and providing training to country teams, being a support desk, assisting with data structuring, entry, consistency and analysis, and participating in technical meetings, among other tasks. Global Humanitarian Overview: The Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) is the United Nations’ annual assessment and strategic plan for addressing worldwide humanitarian needs. It provides a comprehensive summary of crises caused by conflict and climate shocks. The GHO outlines the number of people in need, priority regions and funding requirements for coordinated international response. It serves as a central reference for governments, donors and humanitarian organizations to align efforts and resources. By highlighting trends and challenges, the GHO aims to improve preparedness, response and accountability in delivering life-saving aid and protecting the most vulnerable populations globally. The intern will contribute to the analytical work for the Global Humanitarian Overview 2026. This includes reviewing and synthesizing data and trends from various sources, supporting the identification of global drivers of need, key humanitarian needs, response gaps and funding trends across crises. The intern may assist in drafting analytical content and preparing visualizations. The intern will also be the primary focal point coordinating inputs from country and regional offices to inform the development of the 2026 edition. Additional responsibilities will vary based on the intern’s background and interests. They may include supporting the design and preparation of studies on humanitarian response and emergency relief; conducting research and analysis on assigned topics; and contributing to written materials such as background papers, policy briefs, and reports. The intern may also help maintain reference materials, assist in organizing meetings, workshops, and conferences, and take notes during such events. Staying informed on current humanitarian issues, including political, policy, and gender-related developments—is essential. Other tasks may be assigned by the supervisor as needed. This job in Geneva (Switzerland) is for a maximum period of six (6) months, in-person, beginning at a mutually agreed time but no later than mid-September. The GHO is normally launched in early December, so it is critical that the intern is available from late September until mid-December, to allow sufficient time for training and support in the delivery of this flagship publication. Qualifications/special skills• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); • Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent), preferably in areas related to political science, social science, humanitarian affairs, international studies, public administration, economics, engineering, earth sciences or in a related field. Do you meet any of the above-mentioned required criteria? If yes, please indicate which one. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate or proof of university enrollment at a later stage, if selected. • Applicants to the UN 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. • Demonstrated interest in humanitarian issues, global policy, and data-driven analysis. • Strong analytical and research skills, with the ability to synthesize complex information from diverse sources. • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is required. • Familiarity with data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Datawrapper) is an asset. • Understanding of design principles, e.g., using visuals to convey a message is desirable, picking the right type of chart depending on the information to be displayed, etc. • Experience with data structuring, digital platforms, or user support is desirable. • Ability to draft clear, concise documents such as reports, briefs, and background papers. • Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks independently. • Comfortable working in a multicultural, team-oriented environment. • Awareness of current humanitarian trends, including political, policy, and gender-related dimensions. • Proficiency in graphic design tools is an advantage. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in English and French (both oral and written) is required. Knowledge of Spanish is an asset. Additional InformationNot available. Intern Specific textInterns 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 FeeTHE 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.