The Position:

Under the direct supervision of the GBV Technical Specialist (Lead on FGM) and the overall guidance of the GBV Regional Advisor, the FGM Advocacy Intern will support the planning, development, and implementation of advocacy and research activities linked to the ““Breaking the Silence: Increasing Accountability on Addressing Female Genital Mutilation in Southeast Asia” initiative.

This internship offers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in advocacy and policy engagement on harmful practices in Southeast Asia, learning within the regional architecture of the United Nations. A work-plan with agreed tasks and deliverables for the duration of the Internship, as well as learning opportunities, will be agreed upon. Periodic progress meetings will lead to a beneficial environment for the Intern enhancing her/his skills and capacity in areas related to UNFPA’s mandate and APRO.

How you can make a difference:

UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, works to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. Within this mandate, UNFPA addresses gender-based violence (GBV) and harmful practices (HP), including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), as violations of human rights that impede gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The “Breaking the Silence: Increasing Accountability on Addressing Female Genital Mutilation in Southeast Asia” programme—implemented jointly by UNFPA and UNICEF under the broader TUSIP Regional Initiative (Towards Universal SRHR in the Indo-Pacific)—aims to strengthen regional and sub-regional evidence on the harmful impacts of FGM/C, develop a multi-stakeholder accountability roadmap, and foster a regional movement to end FGM/C.

The initiative spans Indonesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia and focuses on advocacy, capacity-building, and evidence generation to strengthen regional commitment to eliminating FGM/C.

The initiative is aligned with UNFPA’s strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”.

In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction. UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

You would be responsible for:

The intern will contribute to advancing UNFPA’s FGM advocacy priorities through the following key tasks:

Advocacy Support

• Support the development of advocacy materials (e.g., briefs, fact sheets, social media content, and policy messages) to raise awareness of FGM/C as a human rights and public health issue in Southeast Asia.
• Contribute to the planning and organization of the 2025 partners meeting to launch the Regional Accountability Framework and its documentation 

Programme Implementation and Coordination

• Assist with partner coordination, including drafting meeting notes, and following up on action points.
• Contribute to the organization of webinars and cross-regional learning exchanges with partners 

Research and Knowledge Management

• Support the implementation of the research on the Harm of FGM/C in Asia and the identification of key messages and recommendations
• Assist in the preparation of progress updates, success stories, and documentation of lessons learned for donor and internal reporting.

Monitoring and Learning

• Contribute to periodic progress meetings with the GBV/HP team to review deliverables and reflect on learning objectives.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Your Education:

The selected Intern will have an educational background in public health, midwifery, health sciences, social sciences, development studies or other related fields.

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Some experience in working with development agencies, including in volunteer capacity.
• Some experience in research/ advocacy on addressing harmful practices 
• Fluency in English. Knowledge of other languages is an asset.
• Strong analytical and writing skills.
• Initiative, sound judgment and demonstrated ability to work harmoniously with staff members from different national and cultural backgrounds.

Languages: 

• English proficiency is mandatory

Important Remark:

Applicants to UNFPA’s internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements:

1. Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as a master’s programme, or higher);
2. Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent);
3. Have recently graduated with a university degree (as defined in (A) and (B) above) and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation;
4. Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship programme and undertake the internship as part of this programme.
   
    

Learning Elements:

Upon completion of the assignment, and depending on its duration, the Intern will gain the following knowledge assets:

 

1. Increased understanding of the UNFPA and the GBV / HP technical work within UNFPA APRO and country offices
2. Write, formulate and review substantive technical documents and analyses
3. Understand the UNFPA mandate and policies, including regional set-up and country office support
4. Understand UNFPA programme design and delivery mechanisms
5. Learn UN technical language, working procedures, and coordination mechanisms 
6. Work experience as a team member in a multicultural setting & network with UN colleagues 

Financial Aspects:

Interns do not receive a salary or any other form of remuneration from UNFPA. The costs associated with an intern's participation in the programme must be assumed either by the nominating institution, which may provide the required financial assistance to its students, or by the students themselves, who will have to meet living expenses as well as make their own arrangements for accommodation, travel and other requirements. 

However, interns may receive a small stipend to help cover basic daily expenses related to the internship, if not financially supported by any institution or programme, such as a university, government, foundation, or scholarship programme. The amount of the stipend varies according to the duty station. In addition, applicants must have medical insurance for the duration of the internship. Proof of insurance will need to be submitted before the internship begins. UNFPA does not provide medical insurance for interns. 

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to applicants with disabilities upon request, to support their participation in the recruitment process. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.

Disclaimer:

Selection may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.