Intern - Land, Housing and Informal Settlements Section

Job Description

Org. Setting and Reporting The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. UN-Habitat is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat works with partners to build inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and communities. UN-Habitat promotes urbanization as a positive transformative force for people and communities, reducing inequality, discrimination and poverty. This internship position will support the Land, Housing and Informal Settlements Section (LHIS) in the Urban Practices Branch within the Global Solutions Division of UN-Habitat. LHSS provides support to the development of norms and standards in conventions, declarations, regulatory frameworks, agreements, guidelines, codes of practice, and other standard-setting instruments, at global, regional, national and sub-national level in support of a) the equitable supply of serviced land at scale; b) efficient and effective land management systems; c) freedom from arbitrary or forced eviction and the protection of the security of tenure for all; d) the progressive achievement of universal access to housing meeting the requirements for an adequate standard of living; e) participatory urban regeneration and slum upgrading. The Land, Housing and Informal Settlements Section (LHIS) hosts the Land, Housing, Informal Settlements and Basic Services Community of Practice (LHISBS CoP) and Housing Knowledge Platform. The LHISBS CoP and Housing Knowledge Platform has the long-term goal to strengthen UN-Habitat’s normative capacity to deliver adequate housing for all. In the short-term, the objective is to create an open platform bringing together partners to exchange and learn in the field of adequate housing for all. The intern will be under the co-supervision of the Programme Management Officer and the Chief of the Land, Housing and Shelter Section (LHSS) of UN-Habitat. The internship is for a maximum of six (6) months. Applicants may request to undertake the internship remotely for a part of the internship in view of constraints regarding visa issuance, sponsorship and international travel. The work hours during the internship shall be determined based on individual discussion between the intern and the supervisor(s) taking into consideration the minimum requirements of the organization and the time difference between the hosting office and the location of the intern. The Internship is UNPAID and full-time. Interns work five days per week under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned.

Responsibilities

• Support in the data collection, literature review, analysis, interpretation and writing on housing, forced evictions and human security issues globally, including policy mapping.
• Assist substantive staff in organizing and documenting housing, forced evictions and human security related events, training and meetings.
• Support in the development, compilation, synthesis and management of knowledge materials developed by the section, including housing related project review, analysis and monitoring against the Project Review Committee Guidelines.
• Support the establishment and management of the Housing Knowledge Platform and associated tools for the LHISBS Community of Practice (CoP) to support knowledge exchange, learning and communication.
• Carry out mapping and research on selected topics relevant to the content and management of the LHISBS Community of Practice (CoP).
• Keep track of relevant partner housing policies and programmes, and their curation into case study summaries, in line with the draft recommendations of the Open Ended Inter-governmental Working Group on Housing – for review and input in the Housing Knowledge Platform implementation process.
• Provide research and technical support to developing concept notes and proposals.
• Contribute to various housing related communication and advocacy activities and initiatives, including the support of LHISBS Community of Practice (CoP).
• Perform other related tasks as assigned.