At Youth Works Hub, we reviewed this remote Internship at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), focused on Development as Defense: stakeholder mapping, partnerships and financing. It is a 6-month, home-based internship in the Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) with a monthly stipend of USD 500, open to graduate students, final-year bachelor's students and recent graduates.
About UNDP
UNDP works in about 170 countries and territories, helping to achieve the eradication of poverty, and the reduction of inequalities and exclusion. It helps countries to develop policies, leadership skills, partnering abilities, institutional capabilities and build resilience in order to sustain development results.
UNDP is working to strengthen new frameworks for development, disaster risk reduction and climate change. It supports countries' efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, which guide global development priorities through 2030. The 2030 Agenda principle of leaving no one behind and stamping out inequality is at the core of everything it does.
UNDP focuses on helping countries build and share solutions in three main areas:
🌱 Sustainable development
🏛️ Democratic governance and peacebuilding
🌊 Climate and disaster resilience
In all its activities, UNDP encourages the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women, minorities and the poorest and most vulnerable.
Why Development Is Called the First Line of Defense
UNDP Administrator Alexander De Croo has described development as "the first line of defense." The argument runs both ways. Conflict, violent extremism and instability reverse development, erasing years of progress in health, education and livelihoods. At the same time, investment in resilient institutions, services and economies reduces the risk of crisis in the first place.
As defense budgets rise and development budgets come under pressure, UNDP needs to make this case to a new set of stakeholders: defense ministries, national security institutions, security alliances and the defense industry. These audiences have their own priorities, language and funding streams. Engaging them effectively requires a clear understanding of how they define security threats and where development fits.
The Internship Background
The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance to support the results of UNDP's Strategic Plan. BPPS staff provide technical advice to Country Offices, advocate for UNDP corporate messages, represent UNDP at multi-stakeholder fora including public-private dialogues, government and civil society dialogues, and South-South and Triangular cooperation initiatives, and engage in UN inter-agency coordination in specific thematic areas. BPPS assists UNDP and partners to achieve higher quality development results through an integrated approach that links results-based management and performance monitoring with more effective and new ways of working, in close coordination with the Crisis Bureau.
The Front Office of BPPS is responsible for the smooth and seamless management of the substantive flow of information to and from BPPS, coordinating internal communications with BPPS teams, other Bureaus and the UNDP Executive Office, as well as communications with external partners. It plans and coordinates the BPPS Director's and Deputy Director's internal and external interactions based on priorities and agendas, and is also responsible for coordination with the Crisis Bureau.
The Three Objectives
The objective of the internship is to identify how UNDP can position itself with defense and security stakeholders, develop concrete partnerships and access new sources of financing. The work has three objectives:
💬 Evolve UNDP's message: identify how the development-as-defense narrative can connect with the priorities and language of the defense and security community.
🤝 Identify partnership opportunities: map where UNDP could partner with defense and security actors in government and industry.
💵 Identify financing opportunities: map defense and security-related funding streams that could support UNDP's work, and how to access them.
The work covers four thematic angles: climate and health resilience; governance systems; digital systems and AI; and economic security.
🌍 Remote internship open to applicants worldwide. Browse more on Youth Works Hub Learn.
Duties and Responsibilities
Map Defense and Security Narratives
📚 Review national security and defense strategies, alliance and regional security frameworks, defense ministry and parliamentary statements, and defense industry and think tank publications.
🗂️ Document how these actors define threats and priorities, and how they describe the role of development, resilience and prevention.
Climate and Health Resilience
🌡️ Map how defense and security actors treat climate change and health emergencies as security threats, including climate-related instability, disaster response and biosecurity.
🔗 Identify where UNDP's resilience work aligns with these concerns.
Governance Systems
⚖️ Map how security actors approach fragile states, stabilization, counterterrorism and preventing violent extremism.
🧩 Identify where UNDP's governance, rule of law and stabilization work complements security objectives.
Digital Systems and AI
🔐 Map defense and security priorities on cyber resilience, disinformation, critical infrastructure protection and AI.
🤖 Identify where UNDP's work on digital public infrastructure, information integrity and AI governance connects with these priorities.
Economic Security
⛽ Map how security actors frame economic resilience, supply chain security, energy security, youth unemployment and private sector recovery in fragile settings.
👷 Identify where UNDP's work on livelihoods, jobs, energy access and private sector development speaks to these priorities.
Message Gap Analysis
🔎 Compare UNDP's current framing with the language and priorities of defense and security audiences.
📝 Recommend how messaging can evolve to build credible connections without compromising UNDP's development mandate.
Partnership Mapping
🏢 Identify potential partners and entry points across defense ministries, security alliances, national security agencies and the defense industry.
🚀 Look for opportunities in joint analysis, early warning and data, stabilization and recovery, civil preparedness, economic resilience and technology.
Financing Opportunities
🏦 Map defense and security-related financing that could support UNDP programming, including resilience and civil preparedness commitments within defense spending, stabilization and peace and security funds, security cooperation budgets, and co-investment with the defense industry and private sector.
🧮 Assess eligibility, entry points and the positioning UNDP would need to access these resources.
Required Skills and Experience
Education
Applicants to UNDP internships must at the time of application meet one of the following academic requirements:
🎓 Be enrolled in a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher).
📘 Be enrolled in the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum Bachelor's level or equivalent).
🏁 Have graduated with a university degree (as defined above) and, if selected, start the internship within one year of graduation.
📑 Be enrolled in a postgraduate professional traineeship program and undertake the internship as part of this program.
The preferred fields of study for this internship include Development Studies, Economics, Governance, Health or Development, or other related fields.
IT Skills
💻 Knowledge and proficient use of Microsoft Office productivity tools.
📈 Familiarity with digital platforms, AI tools and data visualization tools is desirable.
🧮 Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office, including advanced Excel skills.
Language Skills
🇬🇧 Fluent English, both written and spoken, is required.
🗣️ Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.
Other Competencies and Attitude
🌐 Interest and motivation in working in an international organization.
🧠 Good analytical skills in gathering and consolidating data and research for practical implementation.
⚡ An outgoing, initiative-taking person with a goal oriented mind-set.
👥 Communicates effectively when working in teams and independently.
🗓️ Good at organizing and structuring various tasks and responsibilities.
🧭 Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality and age sensitivity and adaptability.
👂 Responds positively to feedback and differing points of view.
😊 Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
Internship Conditions
📋 UNDP will not pay interns for the internship but provides a stipend of USD 500 monthly in accordance with the UNDP internship policy.
🩺 Interns, whether engaged in-person or remotely, are responsible for securing adequate medical insurance for the duration of the internship and must provide self-certification of good health before starting. UNDP does not reimburse the medical insurance, and any costs arising from accidents and illness during the internship are the responsibility of the intern.
💻 When completing a remote internship, interns provide their own equipment (such as a laptop), internet and communication access and workspace.
🪪 Interns are not staff members and may not represent UNDP in any official capacity.
⏰ Interns are expected to work full time, but flexibility is allowed for education programmes.
🛂 Visas are not provided for remote (home-based) internships.
For a comparison of the different programme types, see fellowship vs internship vs traineeship.
Equal Opportunity and Candidate Notes
UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where it operates and encourages qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority, and all selected candidates undergo relevant checks. UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement and may retain applications for other similar positions. Applicants are invited to read UNDP's guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in recruitment and selection. UNDP does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the UNDP Development as Defense internship paid?
UNDP does not pay interns but provides a stipend of USD 500 monthly in accordance with the UNDP internship policy.
Is this internship remote?
Yes. The location is Home Based. Interns provide their own equipment, internet and communication access and workspace, and visas are not provided for remote internships.
Who is eligible to apply?
Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate programme, be in the final academic year of a first university degree, have graduated and start within one year of graduation, or be in a postgraduate professional traineeship programme.
How long is the internship?
The internship lasts 6 months, and interns are expected to work full time, with flexibility allowed for education programmes.
Which language skills are required?
Fluent English, both written and spoken, is required. Knowledge of other UN languages is an advantage.
What will the intern work on?
The intern maps defense and security narratives, partnership opportunities and financing streams across four angles: climate and health resilience, governance systems, digital systems and AI, and economic security.
Deadline
⏳ 15 November 2026
Link
Browse all internship opportunities on Youth Works Hub.
🔗 Apply: https://estm.fa.em2.oraclecloud.com/hcmUI/CandidateExperience/en/sites/CX_1/job/37982
