English
ItalianoPer la protezione e la promozione dei diritti umani, della democrazia, dello stato di diritto e della giustizia internazionale
Internship Placement Program
Internship Placement Program
No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) Internship Placement Program aims to provide interns with practical experience in human rights and international law issues, focusing on NPWJ’s core programmatic areas or campaigns: International Criminal Justice, Gender & Human Rights with a particular focus on female genital mutilation and other forms of gender-based volence such as child marriage, Supporting the democratic transition in the Middle East and North Africa region, as well as Accountability for the environmental and human devastation in Amazonia. Through their involvement in NPWJ’s work on each of these issues, and with the close supervision and support from senior staff members, interns will not only learn about, but also gain practical experience dealing with, contemporary legal and human rights-related issues.
Duration and Location:
Placements involve approximately 40 hours of work per week and last for an ideal period of six months, although shorter or longer durations may be exceptionally accepted. Starting dates are preferably in March, June, September and December.
Work will be undertaken primarily within NPWJ’s main office in Brussels and there may be opportunities for work-related travel. Past interns have assisted in missions abroad, including to: Iraq, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, and Uganda.
Qualifications:
The Internship Program is open to professionals, recent graduates and graduate students in relevant disciplines, but in exceptional cases NPWJ will also consider final-year undergraduate students. Participants must be fluent in spoken and written English, which is the operating language of our Belgian office. Fluency in Arabic, Italian or French is an asset. Legal expertise is encouraged but is by no means mandatory – however participants must demonstrate strong interest in the protection and promotion of human rights.
Training:
NPWJ will assign work to participants in all three of NPWJ’s core thematic areas, taking into account individuals’ interests. Work will largely consist of substantive tasks, including but not limited to: drafting and publishing of press releases; grant-writing; maintaining external contacts; research and drafting of concept or position papers in relation to various NPWJ policy initiatives; planning of conferences and in-country activities; translating documents from or to English/French/Italian; and website and newsletter publications and support. Participants will be involved in all aspects of the work of NPWJ, and will be included in staff meetings and functions. NPWJ will provide full support and supervision by a senior staff member. In addition to the experience gained by working side-by-side with NPWJ staff, participants will benefit from attending the “NPWJ Brown-Bag Series”, consisting of monthly lectures and seminars by prominent speakers and experts in a subject within the sphere of NPWJ’s activities. NPWJ also encourages enrollment in French and/or Flemish language courses and will provide flexible working hours in order to accommodate such learning. Finally, interns who express interest will occasionally have the opportunity to attend conferences and meetings hosted by the European Union, European Parliament and other local institutions. NPWJ is supportive of and will accommodate intern attendance at such educational gatherings. For students able to obtain university credit towards their degrees for their work as interns, NPWJ will provide written assessments of their undertakings at the conclusion of the Program, together with any other documents required by their respective universities. All participants will also be expected to prepare detailed reports on the work they have undertaken as interns at NPWJ, including structured assessments of NPWJ’s Internship Placement Program.
Funding:
As internship placements are unpaid, interns will be required to find external sponsors to fund their stays in Brussels. Possible sources of funding may include university grants or, for European candidates only, the Lifelong Learning Program’s Erasmus Placement Program and Leonardo Program. A declaration of sponsorship for an external source is normally required, but exceptionally, a statement of self-sponsorship may also be sufficient. NPWJ will not provide travel or living expenses unless travel is undertaken for specific missions for and on behalf of NPWJ.
Visas:
Visa applications are the sole responsibility of the intern, although NPWJ is willing to provide documentation or support as required. EEA, EU and Swiss nationals do not need visas or work permits to enter Belgium, however a long stay visa will be required for citizens of all other countries. Australia, Canada and New Zealand also have Working Holiday Arrangements with Belgium, and past interns from these countries have benefited from these arrangements for their internships. Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders must file their applications for Working Holiday Visas to the Belgian Embassy or Consulate in their respective countries.
Applications:
For further information on the selection process, please contact NPWJ enclosing a cover letter, Curriculum Vitae and writing sample in English, such as an essay or publication on a topic which relates to the work of NPWJ. The preferred starting period should be clearly stated. Please note that only complete applications that include the aforementioned three items will be considered. If applicants do not receive a reply within a month, they should review their applications and resubmit them with any missing document(s). Click here to view the profiles of current NPWJ Interns.