There is great value in undertaking internships, volunteer or pro bono work in the human rights sector at an early stage in your career or at university.    These experiences can provide you with an invaluable insight into and understanding of contemporary human rights issues and an overview of how human rights organisations operate. In addition, it gives you an opportunity to build up your ‘soft’ skills such as your oral and written communication skills, which will be important for your future career. 

Volunteering also gives you a great opportunity to meet people who are working in the human rights sector. These individuals may be able to mentor and support you as you start out on your own human rights journey.  

You can pick and choose different areas of human rights that interest you and ‘dip your toe’ in the water to help you identify the human rights issues that you feel passionately about.   You will soon know those areas that appeal and those that don’t. 

Be careful not to over-extend yourself in terms of your pro-bono offer. Your time is precious and your academic studies or job should come first; you can wrap around the volunteering accordingly. If you can only give 2 hours a month, then don’t feel under pressure to offer more time.  

Make sure that the pro-bono/volunteering arrangement benefits both you and the organisation.  You want to be sure that you are gaining valuable skills and building contacts as much as helping the organisation.  

Think broadly and creatively in your search for the right pro-bono role.  

Internships & Volunteering: 

Unfortunately, many internships are unpaid and employers will only offer travel and lunch expenses.  Think carefully whether this is sustainable in the long run. 

Think about where you can add value to the organisation and don’t necessarily go for the biggest names at first instance. You may be given more responsibility in a smaller organisation and have more opportunity to make impact on a campaign or project.  

Start looking for volunteering opportunities as early as possible and plan your search strategically. If you need help searching for the right opportunities, speak to your human rights lecturers at university – they may have some connections to human rights organisations and offer an introduction. 

The UN system offers internships but they are very competitive. Candidates with previous international field experience, strong language skills and related work experience are usually preferred. 

The not-for-profit sector also offers internships programmes and, like the UN, are hugely oversubscribed and competitive.  However, these organisations will often be issue-specific so may offer more by way of tangible experience in your human rights area.  These organisations are generally small to medium sized so you will be able to add value to the work of the organisation. 

Entry Level positions & Traineeships: 

Some organisations offer entry-level positions or traineeships for young graduates. These positions can be very competitive. These roles will generally require students to have at least an undergraduate/bachelor’s degree.

The Council of Europe in Strasbourg, for example, offers traineeships for a period of 8 weeks to 5 months at the headquarters in Strasbourg, France.  (See Resources) The traineeship is not remunerated. 

UN Volunteers is a UN organisation that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide.  The organisation mobilises volunteers to work in UN agencies in development programmes and peacekeeping missions. There are opportunities in 140 countries. 

Candidates are required to have a university degree, 2 years relevant work experience and be a minimum age of 25 and will require English, French or Spanish. Candidates sign up to a roster (the Global Talent Pool) and UNV then matches candidates to particular roles, a short list is drawn up and the selection process follows thereafter. 

Contracts are offered on 6-12 months renewable basis. UNVs are given a monthly volunteer allowance, annual leave and medical insurance. 

UN Junior Professional Officer Program is a UN scheme where governments sponsor a number of JPOs from their countries. Candidates are usually young professionals with an advanced university degree and 2 years of professional experience.  They usually enter the UN at P1 or P2 level (entry level) on a one-year appointment, which may be extended.  The number of sponsored positions varies from year to year. Appointments are only available to citizens of sponsoring countries. 

UN Young Professionals Program (YPP) 

The YPP program recruits for posts within the UN Secretariat. The UN holds an annual YPP exam which is open to nationals of countries participating in the annual recruitment exercise.  

Applicants must be under 32 years old, fluent in English or French, hold at least a first level university degree relevant for the exam subject you are applying for and be a national of a participating country. 

Extra-curricular activities 

You may also want to participate in extra-curricular activities to help develop your skills and to help improve your CV. 

For example, if you enjoy advocacy you may want to participate in a Human Rights Moot competition through your university.  These competitions are a great opportunity to develop your advocacy, drafting, negotiation and team-working skills.