Internship with the OHCHR Sri Lanka Accountability Project at the UN Human Rights Office, Geneva (Unpaid, 6 Months, Apply by 20 January 2027)

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) is advertising an internship with the OHCHR Sri Lanka accountability project (OSLap), Job Opening 281381 on the UN Careers portal. The intern will work in Geneva, Switzerland, under the general guidance of the Head of OSLap and in coordination with different members of the Project.

OSLap was established by the High Commissioner after Human Rights Council resolution 46/1 (March 2021) asked OHCHR to collect, consolidate, analyse and preserve information and evidence and to develop possible strategies for future accountability processes for gross violations of human rights or serious violations of international humanitarian law in Sri Lanka. The Council extended this mandate in resolution 51/1 (October 2022) and again in resolution 60/1 (October 2025).

Daily responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, assisting with:

• reviewing, cataloguing and analysing information relevant to OSLap's mandate, including extracting and consolidating it into structured datasets;
• maintaining and updating internal repositories of documentation, reports and research materials on human rights violations in Sri Lanka;
• analysing and organising datasets and contributing to statistical outputs and visualisations, where appropriate;
• supporting the development of information management systems;
• desk research on national and international accountability frameworks applicable to Sri Lanka, with particular attention to enforced disappearances;
• collecting and summarising information and best practices from UN entities, NGOs and academic sources on accountability in Sri Lanka;
• research and analysis of open-source information relevant to human rights violations and core international crimes;
• supporting the planning and coordination of meetings, events and other activities, and other related duties assigned by the supervisor.

At the time of application, applicants must:

• be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or
• be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first-level university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's degree or equivalent).

A background in law, political science, international relations, social sciences, records management/archival studies or a related field is preferred. No professional work experience is required. Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Tamil or Sinhala would be an advantage. Applicants must be able to commence the internship on the date indicated in the letter of acceptance.

The advertisement sets no nationality restriction. OHCHR's internship programme page asks applicants to confirm that they can obtain the necessary visa and arrange travel to the United Nations, so Indian students and graduates who meet the academic criteria may apply. Under Swiss law, asylum seekers may not take up any internship.

The assignment is offered for six months. The advertisement mentions an initial commencement date of 1 September 2026; because the opening stays open until 20 January 2027, well after that date, applicants should state their period of availability in the cover letter, and the start date will be the one given in the letter of acceptance.

The internship is non-remunerated and full-time. OHCHR's internship programme page states that travel costs and living expenses (approximately CHF 1,800 per month) are borne by the intern or a sponsoring institution, that interns arrange their own travel and visas, and that selected interns must show valid medical insurance for their stay in Switzerland and a medical certificate.

The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.

Apply online through the UN Careers portal using the Job Opening 281381 page linked on this post. The application cover letter should state your present matriculation status and period of availability. Only selected applicants are contacted by the hiring manager.

The opening closes on 20 January 2027 at 11:59 pm New York time (10:29 am IST on 21 January 2027); the deadline on this post is set to 20 January 2027 IST to keep you on the safe side.