LGBT Rights Program Intern

Internships are unpaid. However, students may be able to arrange academic credit, as Human Rights Watch internships often offer direct exposure to the workings of an international human rights organization, close supervision by HRW staff, and interaction with other US and international organizations and foreign and domestic government officials. Students should check with their individual academic institutions for requirements. 

Students will also have opportunities to attend lectures, trainings, professional development workshops, and/or special events relating to human rights, as well as network with other HRW interns, volunteers, and employees. As an HRW intern, students will take skills acquired in school and apply them in a professional setting.

 Responsibilities:

The internship will focus on the following:

Research: The intern will conduct various short and long-term desk research assignments using sources in English and Arabic. The intern may help HRW staff conduct phone and/or in person interviews with victims of and witnesses to human rights violations under close staff supervision and guidance. The intern may have opportunities to attend conferences and events in Beirut related to ongoing projects. The intern will use databases and contribute to the production and release of reports and press releases.

Monitoring and Advocacy: The intern will monitor and summarize LGBT rights developments in the MENA region. The intern may have opportunities to attend internal advocacy strategy meetings.

Other assignments and projects will be assigned as they arise.

Qualifications: This internship is open to graduates or students in law, social studies, international relations, political science, or related subjects with strong writing and research skills. Excellent oral and written command of English and Arabic are essential. Applicants should demonstrate precise attention to detail, a positive attitude, a proactive approach, and good judgment. Applicants should be well-organized, self-motivated, and reliable with a strong interest in human rights in general and LGBT rights more specifically. Computer skills (i.e., Microsoft Office, internet applications) are required. Applicants must have valid authorization to intern in Lebanon. 

Human Rights Watch is strong because it is diverse. We actively seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. Human Rights Watch does not discriminate on the basis of ability, age, gender identity and expression, national origin, race and ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or criminal record. We welcome all kinds of diversity. Our employees include people who are parents and nonparents, the self-taught and university educated, and from a wide span of socio-economic backgrounds and perspectives on the world. Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer.

Human Rights Watch is an international human rights monitoring and advocacy organization known for its in-depth investigations, its incisive and timely reporting, its innovative and high-profile advocacy campaigns, and its success in changing the human rights-related policies and practices of influential governments and international institutions.