Work Location

Montreal

Expected duration

Six months

Duties and Responsibilities

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. At the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, world leaders agreed on a comprehensive strategy for ‘sustainable development’. One of the key agreements adopted at Rio was the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Convention establishes three main goals: the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits from the use of genetic resources. The Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) is located in Montreal and is administered by UNEP. The intern will be directly supervised by the Associate Programme Officer, Peoples and Biodiversity Unit, and under the overall supervision of the Head of Unit. The Traditional knowledge internship has a start date of March 2025 for a duration of six (6) months and it is UNPAID. Interns work five days per week (35-40 hours) under the supervision of a staff member in the department or office to which they are assigned. 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. Duties and Responsibilities Under the direct supervision of the Associated Programme Officer, the intern will provide support in: • Conduct research on policy frameworks for the implementation of Targets 2 and 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF), with a focus on indigenous and traditional territories. • Identify opportunities for synergies with other relevant international and regional frameworks and mechanisms for indigenous peoples and local communities on issues related to the achieving a human-rights based approach to the implementation of the KMGBF • Provide assistance in the implementation of projects and activities related to the Programme of Work on Article 8(j) and other provisions and the Joint Programme of Work on the linkages between biological and cultural diversity. • Support the organization, logistic and coordination of meetings, including online meetings/webinars; • Undertake other related tasks as assigned. Responsibilities In Articles 8(j) and related provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the international community acknowledged the importance of indigenous peoples and local communities, particularly their knowledge, innovations and practices for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. This set of provisions of the Convention serve as main entry points for indigenous peoples and local communities as partners in pursuing the 2050 Vision: living in harmony with nature. The main instrument for the implementation of the commitments related to traditional knowledge is the Programme of Work on Article 8(j) and other provisions to the Convention related to indigenous peoples and local communities. At its fifth meeting, the Conference of Parties (COP) adopted the Programme of Work, and at COP10, it was revised for the period 2010-2020. At COP16, Parties adopted five decisions to advance the agenda on Article 8 (j) and other provisions of the Convention, marking a significant step forward in strengthening the role of indigenous peoples and local communities under the Convention on Biological Diversity. One of the key decisions was in relation to agreeing on institutional arrangements for the full and effective participation of indigenous peoples and local communities in the work undertaken under the Convention. More specifically COP16 decided to establish a permanent Subsidiary Body on Article 8j and other Provisions of the Convention (SB8J). This new Subsidiary Body will replace the Ad Hoc Open-ended Intersessional Working Group on Article 8(j), providing a permanent institutional dedicated to traditional knowledge, innovations and practices of indigenous peoples and local communities.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants to the United Nations internship programme must at the time of application meet one of the following requirements: (a) Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or, (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor ‘s level or equivalent). (c) Have graduated with a university degree. Be computer literate in standard software applications. Have demonstrated 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 include willingness to try and understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. Preferred area of study: Advanced university degree in international law relating to sustainable development, environment, human rights, political science, issues related to indigenous peoples and local communities and/or the equivalent in related fields is required. Interest in the objectives and operations of the Convention as well as some prior exposure as it relates to biodiversity and indigenous peoples and local communities as well as gender as it relates to biodiversity, is desirable. 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. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this internship, fluency in oral and written English is required. Knowledge of Spanish and French is desirable. NOTE: “Fluency equals a rating of “fluent” in all four areas (read, write, speak, understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of “confident” in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

Intern Specific text

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.