Deadline:
December 31, 2026
Location(s)
United States of America Worldwide
New York HQ, Multiple locations global
Overview
UNFPA is the lead United Nations agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is intended, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. The UNFPA Strategic Plan for 2026-2029 articulates the organization’s response to a complex global environment, providing a roadmap for resilience and renewal. It is designed to accelerate the implementation of the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. This mandate is pursued through a focus on four interconnected outcomes: ending the unmet need for family planning; ending preventable maternal deaths; ending gender-based violence and harmful practices; and adapting to demographic change through evidence and rights-based policies.
Details
Objectives of the Programme
The UNFPA Internship Programme offers a small group of outstanding students the opportunity to acquire direct exposure to UNFPA operations. It is designed to complement development-oriented studies with practical experience in various aspects of UNFPA work.
Applicants should have expressed interest in the field of development; ability to adapt to new environments and work with individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Interns work under the supervision of a staff member at UNFPA. The background of the interns is matched with the needs of the organization.
About us
UNFPA Supports:
- Reproductive health care for women and youth in more than 150 countries – which are home to more than 80 per cent of the world’s population
- The health of pregnant women, especially the 1 million who face life-threatening complications each month
- Reliable access to modern contraceptives sufficient to benefit 20 million women a year
- Training of thousands of health workers to help ensure at least 90 per cent of all childbirths are supervised by skilled attendants
- Prevention of gender-based violence, which affects 1 in 3 women
- Abandonment of female genital mutilation, which harms 3 million girls annually
- Prevention of teen pregnancies, complications of which are the leading cause of death for girls 15-19 years old
- Efforts to end child marriage, which could affect an estimated 70 million girls over the next 5 years
- Delivery of safe birth supplies, dignity kits and other life-saving materials to survivors of conflict and natural disaster
- Censuses, data collection and analyses, which are essential for development planning
UNFPA is formally named the United Nations Population Fund. The organization was created in 1969, the same year the United Nations General Assembly declared “parents have the exclusive right to determine freely and responsibly the number and spacing of their children.”
UNFPA calls for the realization of reproductive rights for all and supports access to a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services – including voluntary family planning, maternal health care and comprehensive sexuality education.
Since UNFPA started its work, the world has seen progress: The number and rate of women dying from complications of pregnancy or childbirth has been halved. Families are healthier. Young people are more connected and empowered than ever before.
Opportunity is About
Eligibility
Candidates should be from:
Description of Ideal Candidate
Eligibility:
Educational requirements
- Be enrolled in a first university degree programme (such as bachelor’s degree or equivalent) and have completed one full academic year;
- Be enrolled in a postgraduate degree programme (such as master’s programme or higher);
- Have recently graduated with a university degree as defined above and, if selected, must start the internship within one-year of graduation; or
- Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional trainee programme and undertake the internship as part of this programme.Other eligibility requirements
Other eligibility requirements
- Demonstrate interest in the field of development;
- Demonstrate written and spoken proficiency in at least one of the working languages of the United Nations (English or French) and fluency in the official language (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian or Spanish) of the UNFPA office; and
- Demonstrate ability to adapt to new environments and to establish and maintain good working relations with individuals of different cultural backgrounds.
An individual whose father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister is a UNFPA staff member is not eligible for an internship with UNFPA.
Required Competencies:
Values:
- Exemplifying integrity,
- Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
- Embracing cultural diversity,
- Embracing change.
Core Competencies:
- Achieving results,
- Being accountable,
- Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
- Thinking analytically and strategically,
- Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships.
Dates
Deadline: December 31, 2026
Cost/funding for participants
Financial Support:
Interns who do not receive financial support from an outside party (such as an academic institution, university, government) are eligible to receive a stipend as a contribution towards living expenses. The stipend is based on the intern’s agreed place of work, which may be different from the duty station of the hiring office in cases of remote arrangements. The stipend is normally paid in local currency at the end of each month.
Un-save Opportunity
Internships, scholarships, student conferences and competitions.
