Organizational Setting and Reporting

The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities and to serve as the focal point for all urbanization and human settlements matters within the United Nations system. UN-Habitat works with Member States and partners to advance inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities and communities, and to promote urbanization as a positive transformative force that reduces inequality, discrimination and poverty. Within UN-Habitat, the Urban Crisis Response & Humanitarian Affairs Section is part of the Regional Programmes Division. The Section supports UN-Habitat’s engagement in crisis-affected contexts, including those affected by forced displacement, disasters, conflict and climate fragility, and contributes to one of the three impact areas of UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan 2026–2029. Its work focuses on strengthening preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction efforts by supporting regional and country offices, enhancing operational coherence and programme quality, and reinforcing UN-Habitat’s strategic positioning within the humanitarian system. Emphasis is placed on housing, land and basic service delivery as entry points for scalable and sustainable responses that link emergency action with longer-term recovery and development priorities. The internship is based at UN-Habitat Headquarters in Nairobi and is undertaken under the direct supervision of the Programme Management Officer.

Responsibilities

1. The intern will contribute to ongoing work supporting the development, implementation and monitoring of programmes and projects addressing urban crisis preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction, including in contexts of urban displacement and humanitarian emergencies. This will involve contributing to analytical work and desk-based reviews of UN-Habitat’s portfolio in crisis-affected countries, with the objective of identifying good practices, lessons learned and opportunities to strengthen and scale interventions across regions and country programmes.

2. The intern will also support the preparation of substantive outputs related to the Section’s work, including drafting internal working documents, knowledge products, briefing notes, reports, correspondence and concept notes, as well as undertaking background research related to urban crises, urban migration and displacement. Through this work, the intern will contribute to the documentation and dissemination of lessons and innovations emerging from country-level operations, helping to inform programme development, strategic discussions and institutional learning.

3. In addition, the intern will support coordination and communication activities related to UN-Habitat’s engagement on urban crisis response and humanitarian affairs. This includes assisting in the preparation of communication and outreach materials aimed at internal and external audiences, as well as supporting the organization and follow-up of internal and external meetings. Such support may include preparation of background materials and agendas, note-taking, reporting and tracking follow-up actions.

4. The intern will also provide ad hoc organizational and operational support to the Section’s work, including in relation to flagship events and inter-agency coordination processes, as required.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must at the time of application, meet one of the following requirements:

a. Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher),

b. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent),

c. Have graduated with Bachelor's degree, Masters, PhD or equivalent.

Be computer literate in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite).

Have demonstrated a keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.

Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.

Preferred areas of study:

Applicants should be studying, or have studied, a discipline relevant to the internship, such as urban studies, humanitarian or development studies, social or political sciences, international relations, public information, business administration, or a related field.

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.

Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. Programme.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship position, fluency in both oral and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN language is desirable

Additional Information

Interns 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 FEE

THE 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.

• Contribute to ongoing work supporting the development, implementation and monitoring of programmes and projects addressing urban crisis preparedness, response, recovery and reconstruction, including in contexts of urban displacement and humanitarian emergencies. This will involve contributing to analytical work and desk-based reviews of UN-Habitat’s portfolio in crisis-affected countries, with the objective of identifying good practices, lessons learned and opportunities to strengthen and scale interventions across regions and country programmes.
• Support the preparation of substantive outputs related to the Section’s work, including drafting internal working documents, knowledge products, briefing notes, reports, correspondence and concept notes, as well as undertaking background research related to urban crises, urban migration and displacement. Through this work, the intern will contribute to the documentation and dissemination of lessons and innovations emerging from country-level operations, helping to inform programme development, strategic discussions and institutional learning.
• Support coordination and communication activities related to UN-Habitat’s engagement on urban crisis response and humanitarian affairs. This includes assisting in the preparation of communication and outreach materials aimed at internal and external audiences, as well as supporting the organization and follow-up of internal and external meetings. Such support may include preparation of background materials and agendas, note-taking, reporting and tracking follow-up actions.
• Provide ad hoc organizational and operational support to the Section’s work, including in relation to flagship events and inter-agency coordination processes, as required.

• Computer literacy in standard software applications (Microsoft Office Suite).
• Keen interest in the work of the United Nations and personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter.
• Ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, including willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
• Fluency in both oral and written English.

• Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher), OR
• Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent), OR
• Have graduated with Bachelor's degree, Masters, PhD or equivalent.
• Studying, or have studied, a discipline relevant to the internship, such as urban studies, humanitarian or development studies, social or political sciences, international relations, public information, business administration, or a related field.