Fellowship Placement Sites

Location: Geneva
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: In-person
Hours and Days of the Week: 40 hours/week
Duration: June to August (10 weeks)
Team: External Engagement, Communications and Advocacy
Reports to: Heads or Senior Manager, Regional Advocacy

Purpose of the position

Provide support to the Regional Advocacy team on day-to-day work related to positioning Gavi’s priorities in national and regional policy dialogues.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and analyze regional/country public policy contexts to identify entry points for Gavi’s advocacy priorities.
• Undertake research activities to compile information/messages that are tailored to the needs of the Regional Advocacy.
• Assist with writing quality policy reports, briefings, policy briefs.
• Support the organization of meetings with key regional entities, government officials and advocacy partners.
• Support the development of advocacy and public policy documents: presentations, reporting, policy positions, datasets, factsheets.
• Contribute to the development and management of internal schedules and timelines related to Gavi’s public policy engagement.
• Support the development of internal and external communications to provide visibility to Gavi’s priorities in key policy dialogues.
• Identify, document and propose stakeholders (government officials, influencers, academic, research organizations, networks, and alliances) to be mobilized for Gavi’s advocacy and public policy strategy.
• Maintain mailing lists and communications systems up to date to ensure Gavi’s outreaches reach relevant audiences.
• Prepare for and attend regular meetings organized by key internal and external partners, reporting back on key outcomes as relevant.
• Contribute to organization of relevant public policy meetings, events, forums.

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the internship responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the needs of the Public Policy Engagement team.

Qualifications

Academic

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in social sciences, public health/development, international affairs, public policy or related fields.
• Candidates with experience in international health, international affairs, international development, public policy, or the health sector are encouraged to apply.

Skills/Competencies

• Exceptional research, qualitative, social data and document review skills.
• Experience or interest in health and/or political advocacy.
• Experience of working in a low-income country setting and/or working in a multi-cultural context.
• Strong analytical, critical reasoning skills, and ability to make logical or implied connections between policy themes, agendas and priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication, presentation, negotiation, and advocacy skills.
• Ability to work effective within a team.
• Ability to take initiative in the absence of specific instructions, and to work effectively and efficiently with minimal supervision, and within fast-paced environment while producing quality.

Language Requirements

Fluency in English; French desirable. Fluency in other languages considered an asset.

Location: Geneva
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: In-person
Hours and Days of the Week: 40 hours/week
Duration: June to August (10 weeks)
Team: External Engagement, Communications and Advocacy
Reports to: Heads or Senior Manager, Global Advocacy

Purpose of the position

Provide support to the Global Advocacy team on day-to-day work related to (a) public policy analysis; and (b) positioning Gavi’s priorities in global policy discourse.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and analyse global public policy instruments and landscape to identify entry points for Gavi’s advocacy priorities.
• Undertake research activities to compile information/messages that are tailored to the needs of the Public Policy Engagement team.
• Assist with writing quality policy reports, briefings, policy briefs.
• Support the organisation of webinars and online events co-hosted by the Gavi Secretariat and strategic partners on priority topics.
• Support the development of advocacy and public policy documents: presentations, reporting, policy positions, datasets, factsheets.
• Support the PPE focal point on partnerships in the development and management of advocacy partnerships to advance Gavi’s 2023 priorities.
• Support the PPE focal point on civil society engagement to organize meetings between the Gavi Secretariat and civil society partners.
• Support in administrative tasks related to the management of partnerships and civil society engagement work.
• Contribute to the development and management of internal schedules and timelines related to Gavi’s public policy engagement.
• Support the development of internal and external communications to provide visibility to Gavi’s priorities in key policy dialogues.
• Identify, document and propose stakeholders (government officials, influencers, academic, research organisations, networks and alliances) to be mobilised for Gavi’s advocacy and public policy strategy.
• Maintain mailing lists and communications systems up to date to ensure Gavi’s outreaches reach relevant audiences.
• Prepare for and attend regular meetings organized by key internal and external partners, reporting back on key outcomes as relevant.
• Contribute to organisation of relevant public policy meetings, events, forums.

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the internship responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the needs of the Public Policy Engagement team.

Qualifications

Academic

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in social sciences, public health/development, international affairs, public policy or related fields.
• Candidates with experience in international health, international affairs, international development, public policy or the health sector are encouraged to apply.

Skills/Competencies

• Exceptional research, qualitative, social data and document review skills.
• Experience or interest in health and/or political advocacy.
• Experience of working in a low-income country setting and/or working in a multi-cultural context.
• Strong analytical, critical reasoning skills and ability to make logical or implied connections between policy themes, agendas and priorities.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral and written communication, presentation, negotiation, and advocacy skills.
• Ability to work effective within a team.
• Ability to take initiative in the absence of specific instructions, and to work effectively and efficiently with minimal supervision, and within fast-paced environment while producing quality.

Language Requirements

Fluency in English; French desirable. Fluency in other languages considered an asset.

Fluency in English; French desirable. Fluency in other languages considered an asset.

Location: Geneva & remote
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: Hybrid
Hours and Days of the Week: 40 hours/week
Duration: June to August (8-12 weeks)

Organization description

The Global Fund is a worldwide partnership to defeat HIV, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria and ensure a healthier, safer and more equitable future for all. We raise and invest more than US $4 billion a year to fight deadly infectious diseases, challenge the injustice that fuels them, and strengthen health systems and pandemic preparedness and response in more than 100 of the most affected countries.

Project background

2026 represents the final year of the 7th (three-year) grant cycle and the planning year for the 8th grant cycle (GC8, 2027-2029). A majority of Global Fund-eligible countries will submit funding requests for the GC8 in June and July 2026.

Description of proposed work

Analysis of funding requests to define investments in health information systems, surveillance, and surveys as reflected in modular framework, detailed budget activity-level (text) descriptions, and cost input and group categories in order to inform real-time technical advocacy at country and portfolio level.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the Surveillance and Health Information Systems team and with various technical teams across the Global Fund Secretariat to identify analytic priorities and opportunities.
• Develop an analysis plan (including use of machine learning and/or AI-based tools).
• Implement analyses (including consultation with in-house and external subject matter experts, as appropriate).
• Lead report development including consultations with primary data owners (and related information products such as power-point decks to facilitate consultations, etc.).

Qualifications

Academic

• Minimum: BA/BS in data science, public health, health finance, or related fields, and demonstrated skills in ML and/or AI-based data analysis, interpretation and report development.
• Desired: Ideally pursuing data science or related graduate or post-graduate degrees.

Language Requirements

English required; French helpful.

Eligibility: Graduate students
Location: New York
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: In-person at least 3 days per week; remote optional for 2 days per week.
Hours and Days of the Week: 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Duration: June to August (10 weeks

Organization description

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System, and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP's policy work, carried out at HQ, Regional Hubs, and Country Office levels forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

UNDP focuses on the development dimensions of health and leverages its strengths in health, sustainable development, financing, climate, governance, and digital/AI strategies. UNDP works with governments, civil society, UN agencies such as the World Health Organization (WHO), international organizations, academia, local research institutions, and the private sector to advance progress on health and development. UNDP is a founding co-sponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a long-standing partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. In line with the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and HIV and Health Strategy 2022–2025, UNDP delivers support to countries in three areas of HIV and health: reducing the inequalities that drive disease, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health, and building resilient and sustainable systems for health.

Project background

Climate change, air pollution, and environmental degradation are among the strongest determinants of health outcomes, shaping everything from respiratory illness and heat-related mortality to food insecurity, mental health, and displacement. There is a pressing need to align health programming with climate ambitions, strengthen early warning systems, address air pollution, and implement related commitments in the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and national adaptation plans.

UNDP’s work on health, climate, and environment is implemented in collaboration with several UNDP teams (climate, energy, nature, chemicals and waste) as well as with external partners such as WHO, the UN Environment Programme, Wellcome, the Clean Air Fund, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the Global Climate and Health Alliance, and the Planetary Health Alliance, alongside wider engagement with governments, civil society, academia, and regional and international organizations. UNDP’s role includes but is not limited to:

• Supporting governments to translate health-climate-environment evidence into policy, planning, and multisectoral governance decisions, including through air pollution investment cases and multisectoral action plans.
• Supporting the implementation of the nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement in the areas of health and air pollution reduction.
• Strengthening climate-resilient and low-emission health systems, including risk analytics, shock-responsive service delivery, sustainable procurement and resilient infrastructure and supply chains.
• Advancing the health and development co-benefits of climate action in line with UNDP’s Climate Promise initiative, including air pollution mitigation and other measures with cross-sector gains.
• Enhancing risk management and early warning/early action systems for climate and nature-loss -sensitive health threats, including zoonoses.
• Promoting prevention and equity-centered One Health responses through the Nature for Health (N4H) initiative implemented by UNDP in Ecuador, Ghana, Bhutan, and Angola.

Description of proposed work

The fellow will support UNDP’s analytical and programmatic work on health, climate, and environment, with a focus on governance, national planning and policy processes, analysis of the development impacts of health, climate and environmental risks, and support to cross-sector and partner engagement.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Support: 70% of time
  o Compile and analyse evidence on climate and environmental change-related health risks (heat, air pollution, extreme weather, vector shifts, zoonoses), as well as health and economic co-benefits of climate action, to support the development of country- or regional-level profiles, projects, and fundraising efforts.
  o Support UNDP’s contributions to NDCs 3.0 implementation in the areas of health and air pollution, including inputs to national planning processes. o Support the global-level processes towards implementation of UNDP’s N4H portfolio in the 4 project countries.
  o Support the implementation of the joint workplan with the Planetary Health Alliance in the areas of air pollution, nature and climate change.
  o Assist in drafting analytical notes, presentations, and similar for climate environment-health programming.
• Knowledge Management: 20% of time
  o Draft blogs, briefs, and knowledge products highlighting lessons from UNDP’s
  climate–health work.
  o Support maintenance and content updates to climate–health knowledge
  platforms and Communities of Practice.
  

• Other: 10% of time
  o Assist with logistics and content preparation for up to two global or regional
  environment-climate-health engagements.

Qualifications

Academic

• Bachelor’s degree
• Candidate for Masters in Public Health or equivalent from an accredited university.

IT Skills

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools.

Other Competencies

• Strong research and writing as well as data analytics.
• Interest and motivation in working in an international organization.
• Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical
  implementation.
• Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently.
• Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Language Requirements

English required; other languages an asset. Preference will be given to applicants from the Global South.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and Graduate students
Location: New York
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: In-person at least 3 days per week; remote optional the other 2 days.
Hours and Days of the Week: 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Duration: June to August (10 weeks

Organization description

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within UNDP’s Global Policy Network (GPN), the HIV and Health Group advances rights-based approaches to HIV and drug policy, aligned with the UN System Common Position on Drugs and the International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy. UNDP is a founding and now core co-sponsor of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Project background

Recent global evidence underscores the urgency of addressing drug policy as a core development, health and human rights issue. The 2025 World Drug Report estimates that approximately 316 million people worldwide use drugs, reflecting a sustained increase over the past decade and growing public health and social impacts. Drug-related harms remain disproportionately concentrated among populations facing criminalization, stigma, poverty, and limited access to health and social services. In many settings, punitive drug laws and policies
continue to exacerbate health risks, including HIV and other blood-borne infections, particularly where evidence-based harm reduction and treatment services are constrained or absent.

At the same time, the 2025 UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report (Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response) highlights that global HIV progress remains fragile and uneven. Key populations and their sexual partners account for 49% of all new HIV infections globally, including people who use drugs, sex workers, gay men and other men who have sex with men, transgender people, and people in prisons and other closed settings. Disruptions in HIV financing and service delivery have disproportionately affected these communities,
undermining access to prevention, treatment and community-led services. Structural barriers – including stigma, discrimination, and punitive legal and policy frameworks – continue to drive HIV vulnerability and limit the effectiveness of national responses.

Together, these findings reinforce the importance of rights-based, evidence-informed drug policy reform as an essential component of sustainable HIV responses and broader development outcomes. As a UNAIDS core cosponsor and an integrator across health, governance and human rights, with the help of the International Guidelines on Human Rights and Drug Policy and according to the UN System Common Position on Drugs, UNDP supports Member States to align drug policy with public health and human rights standards, expand
access to harm reduction and health services, and translate global commitments into inclusive, development-oriented national action.

Description of proposed work

Under the supervision of the Policy Specialist, Human Rights and Access to Health Technologies, as part of the UNDP Prosperity and Wellbeing Team, the Fellow will support UNDP’s global advocacy and policy engagement on HIV, drug policy and human rights, combining substantive research, drafting, coordination and event support for major UN processes.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical and Substantive Support: 70% of time
  o Research and draft inputs on rights-based drug policy and HIV.
  o Support preparations for the High-Level Meeting on HIV.
  o Provide substantive support to the Brandenburg Forum (NY).
  o Support preparation of a side event at the 2026 HLPF.
  o Assist with preparation of a UNGA side event.

• Knowledge Management: 20% of time
  o Draft briefs, blogs and internal knowledge products.
  o Document lessons from global policy engagements.

• Other: 10% of time
  o Logistical and organizational support to meetings and events.

Qualifications

Academic

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Candidate for Master’s degree in public health, law, international relations, development studies or related fields.

Other Competencies

• Strong research and writing skills.
• Interest in HIV, drug policy and human rights.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment.
• Advanced digital literacy, ability to work with AI products in research, report drafting,
  presentation design.

Language Requirements

Fluency in English required; additional UN languages an asset.

Eligibility: Graduate students
Location: New York
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: In-person at least 3 days per week; remote optional the other 2 days.
Hours and Days of the Week: 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Duration: June to August (10 weeks)

Organization description

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System, and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional Hubs and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and
global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

UNDP focuses on the development dimensions of health and leverages its strengths in health, sustainable development, financing, climate, governance, and digital/AI strategies. UNDP works with governments, civil society, UN agencies such as WHO, international organizations,
academia, local research institutions, and the private sector to advance progress on health and development. UNDP is a founding co-sponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a long-standing partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. In line with the UNDP Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and HIV and Health Strategy 2022–2025, UNDP delivers support to countries in three areas of HIV and health: reducing the inequalities that drive disease, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health, and building resilient and sustainable systems for health.

Project background

Countries are facing rising burdens of noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions amid tightening fiscal space, commercial determinants that undermine prevention, and governance arrangements that make multisectoral action difficult to sustain. Governments increasingly seek support not only on what interventions to prioritize, but on how to coordinate across sectors, strengthen institutional capacity, mobilize and allocate resources for prevention, and navigate political economy constraints that hinder implementation.

UNDP’s work on NCD governance and sustainable financing addresses these challenges by supporting national institutions to improve coordination, design feasible and equity-focused policies, and strengthen systems and pathways for long-term financing of prevention and
integrated care. This work is implemented in collaboration with national governments and technical partners including the WHO, the Secretariat of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the UN Interagency Task Force on NCDs, as well as civil society, academia, and local research institutions. Through the South–South Learning Lab of the Health4Life Multi Partner Trust Fund, UNDP also convenes countries and partners to exchange practical experience and generate solutions to governance, financing, and implementation challenges in NCDs and mental health.

Description of proposed work

The fellow will contribute to UNDP’s analytical, policy and programmatic work on health governance and sustainable financing, with particular application to NCDs and mental health. This includes synthesizing evidence, supporting institutional, economic, and policy analysis, and translating findings into policy-relevant insights that inform country programmes, financing strategies, and implementation approaches. Areas of contribution may include:

• Analyzing and communicating evidence on the economic and development impacts of NCDs and mental health, and the returns on investment in prevention, governance reform, and integrated care.
• Supporting country-level analytical work and policy support related to NCD and mental health responses, including but not limited to investment cases, and capturing how such analyses are used to inform decision-making, financing, and implementation.
• Assessing governance and institutional arrangements for multisectoral action, including barriers and opportunities for implementation at national and subnational levels.
• Reviewing financing options and policy levers for sustainable and equitable funding for NCD and mental health responses, with relevance to broader health financing debates, SDG financing frameworks, public financial management processes, and vertical
  fund investments.
• Identifying cross-country insights and supporting convenings for the South–South Learning Lab and other UNDP-supported platforms, including documenting innovations, challenges, and implementation experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Support: 60% of time
  o Compile, analyze, and communicate findings from UNDP-supported work on health governance, sustainable financing, and country-level policy and analytical support, including investment cases where relevant.
  o Support research on governance arrangements, institutional capacity, and commercial and structural determinants of health, including how these affect NCD and mental health responses.
  o Contribute to reviews of financing strategies and policy levers, including integration of health financing needs into broader SDG financing processes, public financial management cycles, and vertical fund investments.
  o Assist in mapping legal and policy measures relevant to multisectoral action, such as tobacco control, fiscal instruments, regulatory frameworks, and rights-based approaches.
  o Analyze cross-country experiences and evidence to generate insights for the South–South Learning Lab and other UNDP-supported platforms.

• Knowledge Management: 30% of time
  o Draft blogs, briefs, and other communication products to distill insights from governance, financing, and implementation-focused country work.
  o Support knowledge management platforms, including the South–South Learning Lab, by synthesizing lessons and helping convene cross-country and multipartner exchanges.

• Other: 10% of time
  o Support other/ad hoc activities relevant to UNDP’s NCD, mental health, governance, and sustainable financing portfolio.

Qualifications

Academic

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Candidate for Masters in Public Health or equivalent from an accredited university.

IT Skills

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools.

Skills/Competencies

• Strong research, writing, and analytical skills, including basic data analysis.
• Interest and motivation in working in an international organization.
• Ability to gather, synthesize, and consolidate data and research for policy and programme application.
• Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to structure multiple tasks and responsibilities.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.

Language Requirements

English required; other languages an asset. Preference will be given to applicants from the Global South.

Eligibility: Graduate students
Location: New York
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: In-person at least 3 days per week; remote optional for 2 days per week.
Hours and Days of the Week: 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
Duration: June to August (10 weeks)

Organization description

UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and exclusion, and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As the UN’s development agency, UNDP serves as the integrator for collective action, helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNDP's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional Hubs and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.

UNDP focuses on the development dimensions of health—systems, inequalities, governance and resilience – and leverages its strengths in sustainable development, financing, climate, governance, and digital/AI strategies. UNDP works with governments, civil society, UN agencies such as WHO, international organizations, academia, local research institutions, and the private sector to advance progress on health and development.

UNDP is a founding co-sponsor of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), a long-standing partner of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and a co-sponsor of several other international health partnerships. In line with the Strategic Plan 2026–2029 and the HIV and Health Strategy 2022–2025, UNDP delivers support to countries in three areas of HIV and health: reducing the inequalities that drive disease, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health, and building resilient and sustainable systems for health.

UNDP’s Knowledge Strategy 2022-2025 highlights the importance of making the organization a world-class knowledge leader and calls for action to establish and align systems, incentives, culture, and resources needed to move the needle and support countries with achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Project background

The fellow will support UNDP’s HIV, Health and Development team in co-creation, sharing, and application of knowledge, innovative learning engagements, and overall knowledge management coordination efforts.

Priority actions include generating world-class thought leadership on emerging health and development issues; sharing knowledge through dynamic networks (issue-based networks) that drive a culture of learning; and applying knowledge across development.

The HIV and Health Community of Practice continues to serve as a critical peer learning space that connects experts to knowledge across the organization’s distributed workforce, focusing on flattening hierarchies, creating a sense of belonging, leveraging the collective intelligence, and sharing tacit knowledge.

Key Responsibilities

• Technical Support: 90% of time
  o Conducting in-depth research and preparing draft content covering the HIV and Health portfolio action areas, and CoP priorities.
  o Supporting idea generation for data analytics and insights.
  o Supporting the organization of flagship learning engagements to ensure the KM quality standards and SoPs.
  o Drafting reports and other communication assets/outputs e.g., blogs, articles, op-eds.
  o Supporting the regular updating and maintenance of CoP spaces and platforms.
  o Contributing to the development of visual assets – banners, videos, infographics.

• Other: 10% of time
  o Support other/ad hoc activities as seen relevant and needed.

Qualifications

Academic

• Bachelor’s degree
• Candidate for Master's in Public Health, Communications, Information Science, International Relations or equivalent from an accredited university, OR
• Degree course in health science, communications, information science, international relations.

IT Skills

• Knowledge and a proficient user of Microsoft Office productivity tools.

Other Competencies

• Strong research and writing as well as data analytics.
• Interest and motivation in working in an international organization.
• Ability to carry out data and information mapping.
• Outgoing and initiative-taking person with a goal-oriented mind-set.
• Able to communicate effectively in writing to a varied and broad audience.
• Capable of working in a high-pressure environment, managing many tasks simultaneously.
• Good in organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.

Language Requirements

English required; other languages an asset. Preference will be given to applicants from the
Global South.

Eligibility: Graduate students
Location: Remote or based across UNICEF Offices in New York, Panama, Nairobi, Bangkok
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: By arrangement
Hours and Days of the Week: 8:00 am-5:00pm, Monday through Friday (typically, flexible arrangements possible)
Duration: May to September
Reports to: Joanna Lai, Health Specialist, in coordination with other Specialists across UNICEF
Health

Organization Description

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up.

Project Background

UNICEF’s Health Section within the Programme Division focuses on ensuring that every child and adolescent survives, thrives, learns, and participates in safe and enabling environments. The Adolescent Health Team, situated within the Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Unit, contributes to UNICEF’s Strategic Plan by providing technical assistance to regional and country offices, generating and sharing knowledge, ensuring gender-responsive and human-rights–based approaches, and promoting meaningful youth engagement.

In line with UNICEF’s new Centers of Excellence model, this fellowship supports workstreams that bridge adolescent, school, and mental health, strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation in program delivery and evidence generation.

Description of Proposed Work

The fellows will contribute to UNICEF’s global work on adolescent, school, and mental health through implementation research, documentation of best practices, data analysis, and knowledge product development. Fellows will work with UNICEF staff and partners across headquarters, regional, and country offices, as well as young people and external collaborators, to strengthen evidence-based programming and knowledge management across regions.

Key Responsibilities

• Review, synthesize, and document promising practices and results from adolescent, mental, and school health interventions across countries, highlighting lessons learned and innovations.
• Support data collection and analysis (quantitative and qualitative) to assess program feasibility, effectiveness, and scalability; contribute to research summaries, technical briefs, and reports.
• Assist in organizing consultations and feedback sessions with internal teams, youth groups, and partners to capture insights for improving program design and delivery.
• Contribute to the creation of advocacy materials, knowledge briefs, social media content, and internal documentation to disseminate evidence and promote knowledge exchange.
• Organize and maintain internal documentation systems, ensuring accessible and up-to-date knowledge repositories across teams and regions.

Deliverables by the End of the Fellowship

• Case studies or best practice briefs documenting successful adolescent, school, or mental health interventions.
• Analytical summaries or data visualizations highlighting program results, lessons learned, or cross-country trends.
• Knowledge and communication materials, such as social media posts, newsletters, or web content, that amplify UNICEF’s adolescent and school health work.
• Organized documentation archives or updated knowledge repositories supporting internal knowledge-sharing efforts.

Required Skills

Excellent research and writing skills as evidenced by sample work provided. Some exposure to clinical and/or public health experience in LMIC contexts. Health or allied health professional.

1. Strong research, analytical, and writing skills, demonstrated through previous academic or professional work.
2. Educational background in public health, psychology, nursing, medicine, or other allied health disciplines.
3. Clinical or field experience related to adolescent health, mental health, or school health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is an asset.
4. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across multicultural, cross-sectoral teams.
5. Excellent communication, organization, and time-management skills.
6. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with research, data analysis, statistical or visualization tools is desirable.

Qualifications

Academic

• Master’s or advanced degree candidates in Public Health, Global Health, Psychology, Nursing, Medicine, or related fields.

Skills/Competencies

Excellent research and writing skills as evidenced by sample work provided. Some exposure to clinical and/or public health experience in LMIC contexts. Health or allied health professional.

• Strong research, analytical, and writing skills, demonstrated through previous academic or professional work.
  Educational background in public health, psychology, nursing, medicine, or other allied health disciplines.
• Clinical or field experience related to adolescent health, mental health, or school health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), is an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively across multicultural, cross-sectoral teams.
• Excellent communication, organization, and time-management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); familiarity with research, data analysis, statistical or visualization tools is desirable.

Language Skills or Other Requirements

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Spanish, Arabic, or another UN language is an asset.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and Graduate students (and above)
Location: UNICEF New York Headquarters
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: Hybrid
Hours and Days of the Week: 9:00am-5:00pm, Monday through Friday
Supervisor: Niall Boot
Duration: May to August (8-12 weeks)

Organization description

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive, and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF is the largest organization delivering water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) service across the world

Project background

UNICEF is in the processing of completing and reporting on its current strategic plan (2022-25) and has a significant amount of data available for analysis in reporting the key achievements over this period. This includes results across all aspects of water, sanitation, and hygiene in communities, schools, and health care facilities; including results in both long development and humanitarian programming. It is important to ensure key success stories are documented and ways of improving data quality are identified. Results and achievements in terms of WASH systems strengthening have also been measured and present a significant amount of data on progress – these results combined with qualitative data present a wide range of data to be analyzed.

Meanwhile, preparations are also underway for reporting on the next UNICEF strategic plan (2026-29), and the systems for reporting are under review with some changes. Necessary preparations need to be put in place to ensure the analysis can be performed for this new
strategic plan as it has been done in current strategic plan.

Description of proposed work

The main purpose of this internship is to support the UNICEF HQ Results and Resources team to further analyze results from the 2022-25 strategic plan and plan for future monitoring and analysis systems with reporting structures in the 2026-29 strategic plan.

Key Responsibilities

• Using the analysis of the UNICEF 2022-25 strategic plan WASH results, deep dive into specific countries and areas of work to develop and document success stories for sharing.
• Further identify key WASH data quality issues and areas for improvement, making recommendations for future monitoring systems.
• Further expand upon the methods of financial and qualitative data analysis above and beyond what has been performed to date.
• Support the development of new monitoring mechanisms for WASH in the 2026-29 UNICEF strategic plan.

Qualifications

Academic

• University undergraduate specializing in Engineering, Environmental Engineering, Climate Change, Social Sciences, or another related field, or recent graduates with specialized skills in the above areas of education.
• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution
  records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.

Skills/Competencies

• Excellent writing, presentation, reporting and communication skills.
• Ability to conduct interviews and gather information from diverse sources.
• Familiarity with policy documentation and analysis.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills.
• Focus, analytical and personal drive for results.
• Good analytical and working knowledge of computer in data management and word processing.
• Strong skills with Microsoft Excel, and other analysis software such as STATA, SPSS, and MaxQDA a strong asset.

Other Requirements

• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.
• Are not disqualified under the UNICEF Child Safeguarding Personnel Standards (DHR/STANDARDS/2019/001), or as amended.\
• Good analytical and working knowledge of computer in data management and word processing.

Language

Fluency in spoken and written English is a must. Proficiency in other UN working languages (French, Spanish, Arabic) is an added advantage.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and Graduate students (and above)
Location: UNICEF New York Headquarters
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: Hybrid
Hours and Days of the Week: 36 hours/week, Monday through Friday
Supervisor: Marije Broekhuijsen
Duration: May to August (8-12 weeks)

Organization description

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF is the largest organization delivering water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) service across the world.

Project background

Climate change continues increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events worldwide, resulting in climate-related hazards such as hurricanes, heatwaves, droughts, extreme rainfall, floods and severe cyclones. These events make water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure vulnerable to damage, impacting access to and functionality of WASH infrastructure and services in schools.

When WASH services are disrupted, children become vulnerable to WASH-related diseases and infections, which increases their vulnerability to climate change impacts and environmental hazards, which affects their educational and health outcomes.

Governments and partners will need to invest in climate-resilient WASH to achieve increases in basic WASH services in schools. This investment includes building WASH infrastructure that can withstand the impact of extreme climate-related events, promote and support renewable energy sources such as solar, increase investments to WASH infrastructure, and build government capacity to provide leadership in the provision of equitable and sustainable WASH in schools (WinS).

UNICEF guidance includes the Strategic Framework for WASH climate resilience, developed jointly with the Global Water Partnership (GWP), with accompanying resources, and the UNICEF Guidance Note on the shift to climate-resilient WASH programming. UNICEF provides technical support to governments around the world on climate-resilient WASH programming in communities and schools, leading to increased access to climate-resilient WASH services.

Based on these resources, UNICEF is in the process of finalizing a Climate Resilient Framework for WASH in Schools. Simultaneously, WinS sector partners are developing guidance, tools, standards, etc., for Climate Resilient WASH in Schools (CR WinS). As one of the leading
development organizations in the WinS sector and the CR WASH sector, UNICEF aims to ensure 28 coordination and alignment for development of new or revised guidance, tools and standards for CR WinS.

Simultaneously, UNICEF coordinates and implements School Health and Nutrition Programs, which include a WASH component. School health and nutrition aims to protect and promote the health, nutrition, well-being and development of school-age children and adolescents and the wider school community through coordinated and comprehensive strategies, activities and services that are integrated and sustained within the education system.

School health and nutrition policies and programs are by nature inter-sectoral; they require effective collaboration between the education, health and WASH sectors, but also food and agriculture, local development, finance, social welfare and other relevant sectors. At the global level, UNICEF coordinates School Health and Nutrition initiatives with other UN agencies (WHO, UNESCO, WFP) and within UNICEF with other sectors (education, health, nutrition, WASH). UNICEF is in the process of developing a UNICEF Programme Guidance for School Health, Nutrition and WASH programming for UNICEF Country Offices.

Description of proposed work

The intern will support UNICEF to map stakeholders active in the CR WinS and identify opportunities where UNICEF can take leadership in the sector and can collaborate with others. The intern will also support review and analysis of existing or draft CR WinS guidance, tools, standards. Lastly the intern will support the documentation of lessons learned and case studies on CR WinS and School Health Nutrition and WASH programs

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct a stakeholder mapping of organizations active in CR WinS, and identify overlapping agendas, gaps, and opportunities for collaboration.
• Compile, compare and analyze existing and draft CR WinS guidance, tools, standards, etc. at national and global level.
• Conduct a desk review of available evidence to support School Health Nutrition and WASH programs.
• Identify good practices and champion countries for CR WinS and School Health Nutrition and WASH programs and prepare a compilation document for each.

Deliverables

The key deliverables of the internship are expected to be:

• A stakeholder mapping document for CR WinS.
• A report with overview and analysis of different CR WinS guidance, tools, standards, etc.
• A desk review summarizing key evidence to support School Health Nutrition and WASH programs.
• Two documents with lessons learned and good practices for CR WinS and School Health Nutrition and WASH programs.

Qualifications

Academic

• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.

Skills/Competencies

• Research and analytical skills to conduct a stakeholder mapping and analyze different guidances, tools, standards, etc. on CR WinS.
• Experience doing desk reviews in the WASH or public health sector.
• The ability to think strategically and translate analysis into recommendations.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, to present information and ideas in a clear and straight forward manner, and adapt messages based on the relevant stakeholder.
• Familiar with the concept of WinS and understanding of climate resilience and schoohealth nutrition.

Other Requirements

• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.
• Are not disqualified under the UNICEF Child Safeguarding Personnel Standards (DHR/STANDARDS/2019/001), or as amended.

Language Requirements

Be proficient in at least one of UNICEF’s working languages: English, French or Spanish and
fluent in the working language of the office they are applying to.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and Graduate students (and above)
Location: UNICEF New York Headquarters
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: Hybrid
Hours and Days of the Week: 36 hours/week, Monday through Friday
Supervisor: Marije Broekhuijsen
Duration: May to August (8-12 weeks)

Organization description

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF is the largest organization delivering water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) service across the world.

Project background

UNICEF is a global leader in menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) activities through development and humanitarian programs across the world. We commit to building programs that increase confidence, knowledge, and skills – and improve access to materials and facilities – for adolescent girls, women, and transgender and non-binary individuals to manage their menstruation safely and with dignity.

We work in four key areas for improved menstrual health and hygiene: 1) Social support; 2) Knowledge and skills; 3) Facilities and services; and 4) Access to absorbent materials and supportive supplies. UNICEF primarily supports governments in building national strategies
across sectors, like health and education, that account for menstrual health and hygiene. Our programs are developed to reinforce gender equality.

Description of proposed work

The intern will support UNICEF to map stakeholders active in the MHH space, and identify opportunities where UNICEF can take leadership in the sector and can collaborate with others. The intern will also support review and analysis of existing indicator lists that are developed to monitor MHH. Lastly, the intern will support the drafting of a framework to track progress of the implementation of the MHH guidance and help understand its alignment to UNICEF’s shift to system strengthening approach.

Key Responsibilities

• Update and expand the existing stakeholder mapping of organizations active in the menstrual health and hygiene space, and identify overlapping agendas, gaps, and opportunities for collaboration.
• Prepare a menstrual products database, including product types, brands, specifications, location of availability. Focus will be on innovative products such as biodegradable pads, reusable pads, cups, and discs.
• Compare and analyze existing methods to measure progress of MHH at national and global level: review existing results frameworks and priority indicators for MHH (including but not limited to UNICEF’s MHH monitoring guide, global list of MHH priority indicators, MICS and DHS MHH modules, relevance of different indicators to SDGs).
• Identify best practices and champion countries for MHH monitoring and system strengthening (UNICEF and other stakeholders) and prepare a compilation of case studies.
• Draft a list of milestones and progress monitoring indicators for MHH system strengthening programs (based on the MHH guidance, case studies, and the UN Water Accelerator Framework building blocks).

Deliverables

The key deliverables of the internship are expected to be:

• Updated stakeholder mapping.
• Menstrual product database.
• Report with analysis of different MHH indicators and frameworks.
• Compilation of case studies of MHH system strengthening programme interventions.
• Draft list of system strengthening monitoring indicators for MHH.

Qualifications

Academic

• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.

Skills/Competencies

• Research and analytical skills to conduct a stakeholder mapping, research and categorize menstrual products and analysis different frameworks and indicator lists.
• The ability to think strategically and translate analysis into recommendations.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, to present information and ideas in a clear and straight forward manner, and adapt messages based on the relevant stakeholder.
• Familiar with the concept of MHH.

Other Requirements

• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.
• Are not disqualified under the UNICEF Child Safeguarding Personnel Standards (DHR/STANDARDS/2019/001), or as amended.
• Good analytical and working knowledge of computer in data management and word processing.

Language Requirements

Be proficient in at least one of UNICEF’s working languages: English, French, or Spanish, and fluent in the working language of the office they are applying to.

Eligibility: Undergraduate and Graduate students (and above)
Location: Remote
In-person/Hybrid/Remote: Hybrid
Hours and Days of the Week: 36 hours/week, Monday through Friday
Supervisor: Lindsay Denny
Duration: May to August (8-12 weeks)

Organization description

UNICEF works in the world’s toughest places to reach the most disadvantaged children and adolescents – and to protect the rights of every child, everywhere. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we do whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. UNICEF is the largest organization delivering water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) service across the world.

Project background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, hand hygiene was one the key public health measures to limit transmission. However, questions around when and how to wash hands were raised. Under the mandate to provide evidence-informed guidance to address uncertainties in public health policy and practice, WHO and UNICEF decided in 2021 to provide new guidance on hand hygiene to address these areas of discordance and gaps in existing global guidance.

In mid-2025, UNICEF and WHO will be publishing the new Normative Guidance on Hand Hygiene in Communities, in response to expressed demand from countries and partners. It will consist of eight key evidence-based recommendations which will provide important public health guidance to governments and partners, in particular contributing to ongoing efforts by WHO, UNICEF, and others to strengthen the global architecture for health emergency prevention, preparedness, response, and resilience.

For UNICEF, the next step will be for our Country Offices to support governments in implementing this guidance. Supplemental resources will be needed to make the guidance applicable to different settings and discuss strategies for changing behaviors.

Description of proposed work

The fellow will support UNICEF to develop resources to complement the Normative Guidance for Hand Hygiene in Communities, including fact sheets for specific settings (e.g., workplaces, schools, etc.), as well as behavior change.

Key Responsibilities

• Summarize readouts from the Setting Specific Workshops.
• Desk review on hand hygiene in specific settings, including a focus on UNICEF’s work to date.
• Draft setting specific fact sheets for schools, households, markets, places of worship, and businesses/workplaces.
• Feed key points from fact sheets into the additional resources under development, including the implementation package and behavior change recommendations.

Qualifications

Academic

• Have strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records or, if not available, a reference letter from an academic supervisor.

Skills/Competencies

• Research skills to conduct a desk review of existing literature on hand hygiene.
• The ability to think strategically and translate research into clear actions.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, to present information and ideas in a clear and straight forward manner, and adapt messages based on the relevant stakeholder.

Other Requirements

• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office.
• Have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to.
• Are not disqualified under the UNICEF Child Safeguarding Personnel Standards (DHR/STANDARDS/2019/001), or as amended.

Language Requirements

Be proficient in at least one of UNICEF’s working languages: English, French, or Spanish, and fluent in the working language of the office they are applying to.