There are a number of rules governing the Tribunal's Regular Internship Programme, in particular, the required eligibility of applicants and the procedural operation of the Regular Internship Programme, as listed below.
Internship Availability and Duration
The Tribunal will define the number and nature of internships on a continuous basis according to its needs and possibilities. As a consequence, the selection and recruitment procedure continues to be on an ongoing basis.
The duration of the Regular Internship can range from a minimum of three months to a maximum of six months.
Registry and Chambers
The selection procedure for candidates wishing to join the Registry or Chambers is not fixed to cycles. Applicants are advised to submit their application approximately six months prior to their suggested date of internship.
Office of the Prosecutor
The selection procedure for candidates wishing to join the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) Regular Internship Programme is divided into two cycles. Preference is given to those applicants to the OTP who are able to complete an internship for its maximum duration (approx. six months).
Important note: Please be informed of the following deadlines for applications to the OTP:
Applications for January to June 2010 must be received no later than 15 September 2009
Applications for July to December 2010 must be received no later than 30 November 2009
Eligibility Criteria for the Regular Internship Programme
A majority of the internship positions available at the Tribunal are of a legal nature. Applicants must have a university degree, or be in the final stage of their undergraduate studies. Preference is given to law graduates who are acquainted with one or more of the following disciplines: public international law, international humanitarian law, human rights law, private international law, criminal law, comparative law, and criminology.
Applicants applying for a non-legal internship need post-secondary education or training relevant to the section they wish to apply for e.g. journalism, translation and interpretation, information technology, engineering, logistics, or human resources management.
Applicants must be proficient in English and/or French, both written and oral. Knowledge of other languages, particularly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, is an asset.
There is no age restriction for applicants, although generally candidates are between 20 and 35 years of age.
Applicants should be nominated by an educational institution, government body or private organisation, in conjunction with the application form.
Selection Procedure for Regular Internships
Applicants must submit the following documents all together in an application (documents should be in English or in French):
1. A completed application form (including Acceptance and Undertaking and Certification of Nominating Institution or Organisation form);
2. A covering letter stating the reasons for applying;
3. Two written references;
4. A sample of your written work in a field relevant to the work of the Tribunal (maximum 10 A4 pages, machine typed) - required by applicants for legal internship positions only;
5. Copies of University degrees and/or diplomas or a list of courses taken.
6. Copy of insurance cover.
Applicants must clearly rank their top three preferences (1st, 2nd, 3rd) within the Tribunal where they would like to complete their internship. While all sections indicated would be given a copy of the application, priority will be given to the applicant's first preference.
Applications that are not submitted in accordance with the requirements set out above are regarded as incomplete and will not be considered for the Programme. Please note that the Tribunal is not able to return any documentation included in the application and will not chase candidates for missing documents.
Incomplete applications will not be accepted since the HRS department does not have the resources to puzzle parts of applications together. This means you should include all necessary documents in the application and not have, for instance, referees send their references separately.
Suitable applicants are short-listed for consideration by the Internship Panel, composed of representatives from the Registry, Chambers and the Office of the Prosecutor.
The Registrar reviews the Panel's recommendations and selects participants for the Programme. If an applicant is selected, he/she will be informed by the Registrar of that decision.
Due to varying needs and capacities within each section of the Tribunal, it is not always possible to assign interns to the section that they originally requested. This should not be interpreted as comment on the individual's application, but merely reflects the working requirements of the Tribunal.
Further Rules and Conditions Governing Regular and Restricted Internships
The Tribunal is unable to provide participants in the Internship Programme with remuneration, nor is it possible to provide any reimbursement for any expenses incurred during the internship. Accordingly, applicants must have the necessary resources or other financial support for the duration of the internship for which they have been selected.
Interns are not considered in any respect as officials or staff members of the United Nations. The United Nations accepts no responsibility for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during an internship. Consequently, interns are responsible for securing adequate insurance coverage.
Interns are bound by the same duties and obligations as staff members. Information to which an intern has access in the course of the internship must not be divulged. Interns must not publish any written work, which contains information obtained during the internship, without prior explicit authorisation from the Registrar of the Tribunal. In this connection, each prospective intern must sign the Acceptance and Undertaking Form included in the Application Form.
There should be no expectancy of employment by the United Nations following the completion of the internship. Interns cannot apply for employment at the Tribunal during the period of their internship and during the six months immediately thereafter.
Interns must provide written notice to their supervisor(s) should illness or other unforeseen circumstances prevent them from completing the internship.
On completion of the Internship Programme, interns are required to complete a substantive report on their assignments. This will be included in their files and will be forwarded, upon request, to the sponsoring institution, government body or private organisation.
Selected candidates must obtain a visa authorising their stay in the Netherlands before they depart for The Hague to begin their internship. While this is the overall responsibility of the selected candidate, the Registry will provide information and supporting documents in this regard.
