The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) Internship Program
The period to apply for an internship at the IACHR is now open. The deadline is October 6, 2013, and the period for the internship is January 12 to May 2, 2014. The internships are unpaid.
The IACHR has opportunities for law students and recently graduated lawyers. The IACHR also receives students and recently graduates in translation who can work in at least two of the four official languages of the OAS (English, Spanish, Portuguese and French).
The Inter-American Commission’s internship program is managed in conjunction with the OAS Internship Program. It gives young law students and lawyers recently graduated from the OAS Member States the opportunity to learn about the IACHR and work in applying the protection mechanisms provided by the inter-American human rights system. One of the benefits of this program is that after the internship, the acquired knowledge is used in the intern’s home country.
During the internship, the participants have the opportunity to work with the Executive Secretariat’s professionals and staff on the various activities carried out by the IACHR. The specific assignments are given by the Executive Secretariat.
Over the years, dozens of young people have been interns or fellows at the IACHR. Many of them have gone on to defend human rights in their home countries, perhaps by representing victims of human rights violations, filing petitions and requests for precautionary measures with the Commission, advising civil society organizations that represent victims in the inter-American system, or working with government bodies and Ombudsmen’s Offices. The knowledge these young students and attorneys acquire on how the inter-American system works, through their experience at the IACHR, plays a role in their professional development in international human rights law, and also has a multiplying effect that takes place when they return to their home countries.
How to Apply:
Interested applicants should apply via the OAS Internship Program web page where an electronic application is accessible during the open application periods, which are indicated on the Program’s web page. In this electronic application please be sure to indicate your interest in the IACHR. It is important that applicants review the requirements for applying and upload all required documentation to the electronic form.
Please see Symplicity for additional details and information.