Internship Description:  The Middle East and North Africa ("MENA") division is seeking an intern to provide research assistance and some administrative support to the MENA team for at least three days per week from January 2010 onwards. The internship will be at least three months in duration and scheduling can be flexible. The successful candidate can be based in Human Rights Watch's ("HRW") New York or Washington, DC offices.

This internship is unpaid. Students are often able to arrange academic credit, as HRW internships often 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, with excellent attention to detail. Computer skills and experience using the Internet as a research tool are required. Applicants will have a strong knowledge of politics and human rights issues in the MENA region. Proficiency in oral and written Arabic, Farsi, and/or Hebrew is required. Both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as non-students, are welcome to apply. Graduate students, or those with a graduate degree in a relevant area of study or relevant work experience are especially encouraged to apply.  
 
How to apply:   Please apply immediately by sending a letter of interest, resume, names or letters of reference and a brief, unedited writing sample (no calls or email inquiries, please) to barhoun@hrw.org. Please use "MENA Internship (Winter)" as the subject of your email. Only complete applications will be reviewed. It is preferred that all materials be submitted via email, however, applications can also be sent to:

Human Rights Watch 
Attention: MENA Division (Internship)
1630 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009

Or:

Human Rights Watch
Attention: MENA Division (Internship)
350 Fifth Ave, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118

Letters of interest should indicate the candidate's skill level in Arabic, Farsi, or Hebrew as well as the preferred office location and any relevant coursework and/or work experience. Due to the large number of applications expected, we regret that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.  
 
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.