Internship Description: Human Rights Watch's ("HRW") Europe and Central Asia Division is seeking a student intern for the organization' New York office. Undergraduate internships are primarily administrative and clerical in nature, but other projects can be assigned as they arise and match the student's interests and abilities, including research, drafting documents, translating, and helping researchers prepare for missions.

Internships are generally unpaid, although work-study funds are available.  Students are often able to arrange academic credit, as HRW internships offer direct exposure to the workings of an international human rights organization, close supervision by the HRW staff, interaction with other U.S. and international organizations and foreign and domestic government officials, and opportunities to attend lectures, trainings, and special events relating to human rights.  Students should check with their individual academic institutions for requirements. 

Qualifications: Applicants should be well-organized, self-motivated and reliable.  Interest in human rights and the Europe and Central Asia region is highly desirable.  Computer skills (i.e., Microsoft Office, Internet applications) are required.  Foreign language skills, especially knowledge of Russian, are also desirable. A minimum commitment of at least three days per week is requested, although a more significant time commitment is preferred.

How to Apply: Please apply by emailing a letter of interest, resume, names or letters of reference, and a brief, unedited writing sample (no calls or email inquiries, please) to eca@hrw.org.  Please use "ECA Internship Application" as the subject of your email.  Only complete applications will be reviewed.  It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email.  If emailing is not possible, send materials (please do not split a submission between email and regular post) to:   

Human Rights Watch
Attn: Search Committee (ECA Internship Application)
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY  10118-3299
Fax: 212-736-1300  

Human Rights Watch is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate in its hiring practices and, in order to build the strongest possible workforce, actively seeks a diverse applicant pool.

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.

Human Rights Watch began in 1978 with the founding of its Europe and Central Asia division (then known as Helsinki Watch). Its primary goal was to monitor the implementation of human rights provisions established by the Helsinki Accords within the Soviet Union. Today, the division's work has expanded well beyond monitoring the Helsinki provisions to include gathering detailed information on human rights abuses throughout Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.  In addition to publishing reliable and comprehensive reports, the ECA division effects change through advocacy. The ECA holds accountable not only governments who abuse internationally recognized human rights, but also those who support abusive governments. The ECA division seeks to expand the implementation of human rights law in all of Europe and Central Asia.