The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) is looking for a Disaster Risk Reduction Intern (Disaster Risk Governance) at its Regional Office for Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. The internship is unpaid, full-time, in person and lasts 6 months, and applications close on 10 November 2026. At Youth Works Hub, we went through the whole job opening, and every duty, requirement and condition is set out below.
Job Opening 285533 at a Glance
🆔 Job Opening ID: 285533
🏛️ Organization: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)
🌍 Office: UNDRR Regional Office for Africa (ROA)
📍 Location: Nairobi, Kenya
🏢 Work Location: In person
⏱️ Expected Duration: 6 months
🗓️ Schedule: Full-time, five days per week
💼 Remuneration: Unpaid
What UNDRR Is and What It Does
UNDRR was created in December 1999 and is the designated focal point within the United Nations system for coordinating efforts to reduce disaster risk. It ensures coherence among disaster reduction activities across the United Nations, regional organizations and partners in both developed and developing countries.
Leadership, Staff and Offices
👤 Led by the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) for Disaster Risk Reduction
👥 Over 150 staff members
🏙️ Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland
🗺️ Regional offices worldwide
UNDRR and the Sendai Framework
UNDRR guides, monitors, analyzes and reports on the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030. It supports regional and national implementation of the Framework and catalyzes action to strengthen resilience and reduce disaster risk.
Who UNDRR Works With
The organization works closely with UN Member States and a wide range of stakeholders:
🤝 Civil society
🏭 The private sector
🏛️ Parliamentarians
🔬 The science and technology community
Where the Internship Sits and Who You Report To
The internship is located in the UNDRR Regional Office for Africa. The intern reports to the Programme Management Officer Risk Governance and works under the supervision of a staff member.
The Three Themes You Will Work On
Under delegated supervision, the intern contributes to ROA's work on:
📜 National and local DRR policy landscapes
🏘️ City-to-city learning exchanges
🫂 The all-of-society approach, with a focus on gender integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities
Research and Case Study Development
🔎 Conduct desk research on the three themes, including how women and persons with disabilities take part in DRR planning and leadership
✍️ Draft case studies that document successful practices and lessons learned in risk-informed governance
✅ Support validation of case study content with colleagues, city focal points and partners
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Data, Information and Knowledge Management
🗂️ Organize the data and sources used in the research, disaggregated by sex, age and disability where available
📈 Visualize key findings through simple charts, maps or infographics for use in case studies and knowledge products
📚 Contribute to maintaining the team's knowledge repository of case studies and lessons learned
📰 Contribute to turning findings into knowledge products for different audiences, such as briefs and web content
Other Duties
🧩 Perform other related duties as assigned by the supervisor
Academic Requirements for a UN Internship
To qualify for an internship with the United Nations, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:
🎓 Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (university degree or equivalent, or higher)
🏅 Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent)
Put another way, applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master's or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor's, Master's or Ph.D. Programme.
Preferred Fields of Study
Candidates must be pursuing or have pursued their degree in areas related to this job opening. Preferred fields include:
🌪️ Disaster risk management
🌱 Environmental studies
🌐 Development studies
🔢 Statistics
💻 Data science
🏛️ Public policy
➕ Related fields
Do You Need Work Experience?
No professional work experience is required for applicants to the UN Internship Programme. However, a field of study closely related to the type of internship you are applying for is required.
Working Across Cultures
Applicants must have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes a willingness to try to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views.
Language Requirements
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat.
🗣️ Required: fluency in spoken and written English
🌏 Desirable: knowledge of another UN official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish)
Costs, Travel and Visas: What Interns Cover
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. The following are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions:
🧳 Costs and arrangements for travel
🛂 Visas
🏠 Accommodation
🍽️ Living expenses
Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.
No Fee at Any Stage
The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process: application, interview meeting, processing or training. It also does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts. Our guide to paid internships abroad and how to spot fake offers explains the warning signs to watch for.
How to Apply
📎 Indicate which academic criterion you meet in your application and attach proof to it
📜 Be ready to provide an official certificate at a later stage
📬 Only successful candidates will be contacted, due to the high volume of applications received
You can find more internships and traineeships on Youth Works Hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the UNDRR internship in Nairobi paid?
No. The internship is unpaid, and interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.
Is the internship remote or in person?
The internship is in person at the UNDRR Regional Office for Africa in Nairobi, Kenya. It is full-time, with interns working five days per week under the supervision of a staff member.
How long does the UNDRR internship last?
The expected duration is 6 months.
What will the intern work on?
The intern supports ROA's work on national and local DRR policy landscapes, city-to-city learning exchanges and the all-of-society approach, with a focus on gender integration and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Tasks include desk research, drafting case studies, organizing disaggregated data, visualizing findings and contributing to knowledge products.
Who does the intern report to?
The intern reports to the Programme Management Officer Risk Governance at the UNDRR Regional Office for Africa.
Which degrees are preferred?
Preferred fields of study are disaster risk management, environmental studies, development studies, statistics, data science, public policy or related fields. Your degree must be in an area related to this job opening.
Do I need professional experience to apply?
No professional work experience is required. You must be in the final year of a first university degree, or enrolled in or have completed a graduate programme, in a field closely related to the internship.
Do I need to speak French?
Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of another UN official language, such as French, is desirable but not required.
Do I need a visa for the internship in Kenya?
Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their visa requirements before accepting the offer, and visa costs and arrangements are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions.
Will I hear back if I am not selected?
Due to the high volume of applications received, only successful candidates will be contacted.
Deadline
⏳ 10 November 2026
Links
📄 Job opening: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/285533?language=en
