Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)A (least hardship)
Family Type (not applicable for home-based)
Family
Staff Member / Affiliate TypeInternship
Target Start Date2023-09-11
Job Posting End DateAugust 20, 2023
Terms of ReferenceUNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is offering a full-time internship with the Section of the Service under the Division of External Relations at UNHCR Mexico City, Mexico.
Organizational context
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (the UN Refugee Agency, also known as UNHCR) is an intergovernmental organization with a mandate to protect refugees and stateless persons worldwide. Since 1950, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives. Today, a staff of more than 15,000 people in 130 countries continues to help and protect millions of refugees, returnees, internally displaced and stateless people. UNHCR provides lifesaving assistance, protection, shelter, food, clean water, education and medical care to some of the world’s most vulnerable. UNHCR also provides assistance to refugees who want to return home when it is safe to do so and helps integrate refugees within their local host country or resettle to a third country when returning home is no longer an option. Non-governmental organization (NGO) partners work with UNHCR around the globe to assist and protect refugees and internally displaced people.
The Country Office in Mexico City acts as the UNHCR representative in relations with the Mexican Government, media and those involved in framing policy on refugee and asylum issues. The External Engagement Unit within UNHCR Mexico’s Country Office provides strategic support to senior management in its engagement before Mexican government officials (at the Federal and local level), members of the diplomatic community and donor governments, the United Nations Country Team and their staffers, as well as other UNHCR offices in the region and in Geneva. The External Engagement Unit informs them about refugee crises that impact Mexico and the region, as well as UNHCR’s global role, capabilities, funding, programs and impact. It also serves as a bridge to sensitize, educate and inform media outlets, advocacy institutions, academia, think tanks, civil society organizations and the general public about our roles and responsibilities towards those forced to flee their homes in search of international protection.
Assignment context
Human rights violations, persecution, violence, insecurity, and inequality, along with the economic consequences of COVID-19 and severe climate-related disasters, have displaced a growing number of people in the Americas. In 2022, the region hosted 21.5 million forcibly displaced and stateless persons. Traditionally, Mexico has primarily been a country of origin and transit, but in recent years, there has been a steady growth in the number of people considering Mexico as a country of asylum and a place to establish their new home. This has gone hand in hand with the increase in Mexico’s capacity to receive and integrate those forcibly displaced in the region and beyond.
Following a brief slowdown in the number of new arrivals in 2020 due to the impact of COVID-19, the following two years were marked by historic trends in terms of human mobility across the region and into Mexico. In 2021 and 2022, Mexico received over 130,000 and 118,000 asylum applications respectively, positioning it among the top five countries globally for the number of new individual asylum registrations for two consecutive years. From January to June 2023, Mexico received over 25,000 more claims than in the same period in 2021–the year with the highest number of asylum applications in Mexico’s history–and over 18,000 more claims than in the same period in 2022. In addition to the continuous growth of mixed movements in Mexico, the risk level faced by those forced to flee has also heightened in recent years. In 2022, Mexico witnessed an exponential rise in the number of Cuban, Venezuelan, and Nicaraguan nationals seeking refuge, as well as a steady increase in Central American individuals, mostly from Honduras. As of mid-2023, the most represented nationality among the asylum-seeking population in Mexico is Haiti, followed by Honduras, Cuba, and Venezuela.
The position
As part of the External Engagement Unit under the Executive Office of UNHCR Mexico, the External Relations Intern will gain unique knowledge about UNHCR’s mandate, role, programs, and impact, local and regional policies and political developments affecting UNHCR’s operations in Mexico and the region, as well as funding. As such, his / her role will help strengthen and broaden UNHCR's engagement with donor counterparts, with the UN Country Team, government counterparts, academic bodies and think tanks, and the general public.
Duties and responsibilities
Under the direct supervision of External Relations Officer and the overall direction of the External Engagement Unit, the intern will undertake the following tasks:
• Assist in the communications with donors and embassies and provide accurate information by preparing regular briefings, bilateral meetings and missions.
• Support in the area of inter-agency coordination, preparing meetings and compiling minutes as necessary.
• Preparing communication strategies, initiatives and tools in support of the
Public Information team.
• Assist in the management of information flows with other UNHCR countries by identifying priority matters, analysing and disseminating documentation and information to support other corporate communication processes and priorities.
• Support the drafting of reports of different nature, briefing notes, background material, talking points, fact sheets, press releases and articles.
• Assist in planning and organizing briefings, exhibitions, training seminars, conferences, meetings, social events and other activities to promote a better understanding of UNHCR’s activities and accomplishments by the general public and/or organized groups.
• Contribute to the organization and update of different external stakeholder databases.
• Support with the distribution of UNHCR publications and the provision of materials to various institutions and individuals.
• Support the team in the production of reports for donor agencies as required.
• Perform other related duties as required.
Minimum qualifications required
In order to be considered for an internship, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:
• Be either a recent graduate (having completed their studies within two years of applying) or a current student in a graduate/undergraduate school programme from a university or higher education facility accredited by IAU/UNESCO; and
• Have completed at least two years of undergraduate studies in a field relevant or of interest to the work of UNHCR.
NOTE: An individual whose father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister is a staff member of UNHCR, including a Temporary Appointment holder or a member of the Affiliate Workforce, is not eligible for an internship.
Desirable qualifications and skills
• Though Spanish is the working language for this position, fluency in English is highly desirable.
• Area of education/degree in: Graduates with a background in media, journalism, communications, PR, advocacy, human rights, politics, international relations, development studies or other relevant disciplines are encouraged to apply.
• Drafting of official documents and / or communications in English, and the elaboration of meeting notes, memos, Talking Points and other as required.
• Proficiency in Office tools (PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Excel). Experience in basic graphic design is an asset.
Conditions
It is a full-time role with working hours starting from 8.30am to 5:00pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.30am - 14.30 on Friday (40 hours per week). The successful candidate will be assigned to support the External Engagement Unit under the Executive Office of UNHCR Mexico.
Allowance: Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party will receive an allowance to partially help to cover the cost of food, local transportation, and living expenses.
Mexico City (also known as CDMX) is the capital of the United States of Mexico. It is category A, family duty station and has a high-level infrastructure:
- Health: Mexico City has a highly ranked medical infrastructure with many internationally acclaimed hospitals.
- Education: There is plenty of Govt and private schools. Most of the private schools are bilingual (English-Spanish), and there are US, British, German, Japanese and French schools.
- Housing: Apartments can be rented both furnished and unfurnished, and services of real estate agents are widely available. All international staff members must present their residential places for UN security inspection BEFORE signing lease contract. There is a large seismic area in Mexico City which is restricted for selection of residences by UN staff.
- Weather and earthquakes: Mexico City has a pleasant climate, yet there are frequent weather changes. Heavy rains sometimes cause flooding in some colonies. Mexico City is situated in one of the most active seismic regions in the world, interlocked inside the area known as the Circum-Pacific Seismic Belt, the area with the highest seismic activity in the planet. Earthquakes are frequent and sometimes cause major damage to the urban infrastructure
- Currency and exchange: Mexican Peso. Dollars, Euros and traveler's checks can be exchanged at a currency Exchange office.
- Communications: Internet is available everywhere, but in houses and offices, a contract has to be made in order to access to this service.
- Transportation: There are public buses, subway, and if taxis are to be taken, it is recommended to take \"taxis de sitio\". Uber is also available.
Mexico City belongs to Security Risk Management area 01, Capital with the current General Threat Level 02, LOW. There are no known direct threats to UNHCR, yet UNHCR personnel may be affected by crime. Mexico City has high rates of crime, among them: robbery to passers-by with or without violence, vehicle theft; burglary and business robbery, telephone extortions, frauds, kidnapping and homicides. Also, gender violence is high. The UNHCR personnel must remain security aware at all times, apply personal security measures and avoid movement after darkness. There is no curfew in Mexico City, yet the incidence at night hours is high. Night movement is not restricted if in authorized taxi, yet, not recommended and must be exercised with maximum caution. UNHCR personnel should avoid areas of civil unrest.
How to apply
Interested applicants should submit their application through www.unhcr.org/careers.html click on vacancies and search for JR .
The UNHCR workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages and opinions. UNHCR seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. Applications are encouraged from all qualified candidates without distinction on grounds of race, colour, sex, national origin, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity.
UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, travelling, processing or training.
We welcome applications from candidates with a refugee or stateless background.
Important Note:
- This position is advertised to internal and external candidates. Candidates must be legally present in Mexico at the time of application, recruitment and hiring. Only Mexican nationals or candidates with a work permit in Mexico will be considered eligible.
- Recruitment as a UNHCR staff member and under a UNHCR affiliate scheme or as an intern is subject to confirmation of full COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of the type and duration of the contract. Successful candidates will be required to submit proof of vaccination prior to recruitment.
- Only shortlisted candidates will be notified. The recruitment process may include a written test and/or oral interview for this vacancy. Late applications will not be accepted.
- UNHCR does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, paperwork, processing or any other fees).
- This position is offered under an Internship contract until 31/03/2024 with the possibility of extension.
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Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance