The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), in coordination with the Organization of American States (OAS), began with the call for an internship program that offers the opportunity to students, or recent graduates, to work on the application of the mechanisms of protection and promotion provided by the Inter-American Human Rights System (SIDH).
According to official information, the objective of these internships is that the selected people “have the opportunity to learn about the work of the Commission, as well as to carry out a professional internship in the field of human rights.”
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The international organization opens its doors to students and people who recently graduated in law, international relations, political science, graphic design, communication, international cooperation and translation in at least two of the four official languages of the OAS (English, Spanish, Portuguese and French).
In the internship, young people will have the opportunity to work in the company of professionals and officials of the Executive Secretariat during the different activities carried out by the IACHR.
Some of the conditions to take into account is that this internship program does not offer any type of payment or remuneration and those interested will only be able to apply during the three sessions that are held annually, within their established dates and time limits.
Requirements to apply when programming
If you wish to participate in the internship program, the IACHR needs you to meet the following requirements: Have a grade average of 3.0 out of 4.0 on the American scale, which means being in the top 25% of your course). If you are an undergraduate student, You must have completed at least your second year of studies at the time of applying.
You also need to send and provide the IACHR with these documents: Grade history issued by the university or higher education institution, which must include all subjects taken and grades. You do not need to send a copy of your degree certificate or other courses.
If the internship will be validated as professional practice by your academic institution, you must attach an official document proving this. This document is not mandatory, only recommended if you will need it in your case.
You must attach in a single document, in PDF format, your Curriculum Vitae (CV) along with a Cover Letter, addressed to the OAS Internship Program. Take into account that your CV must have a photograph and its respective cover letter, otherwise it will not be accepted and will disqualify your application.
The international organization also points out that “participants who were fulfilling a university requirement with a specific duration, Documentation from the university detailing the duration is required.
Benefits of working with the IACHR
One of the advantages that this program includes is that, subsequently, the knowledge received during the internship is applied in the intern’s country of origin.
Throughout the history of this program, the IACHR highlights that dozens of interns and scholarship recipients have dedicated themselves to defending human rights in their homeland, either by “presenting petitions and requests for precautionary measures before the Commission, advising civil society organizations that represent victims in the SIDH and working in government agencies and Ombudsmen’s Offices.
«The knowledge that the interns acquire about the functioning of the IAHRS, through their experience at the IACHR, plays a role in their professional training in international human rights law and, in addition, has a multiplying power that is projected when they return. to their countries of origin,” says the humanitarian organization.
If you are interested, or know someone who could become a next human rights defender, you can apply through the website Internship Program of the OAS.
On this website, you can access online the electronic application form. It is important to note that access to this form will only be possible during the application periods, which are set between May 20 and June 7, 2024.
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When entering the form, the person must indicate their interest in working in the IACHR area. The internships will take place between September 5 and November 29 of this year.
The IACHR has had a significant impact on the protection of human rights in the Americas. He has documented violations, including those that the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo continues to perpetrate in Nicaragua, has supported justice and reparation for victims, and has influenced the creation of national human rights policies.
