Americans for Democracy & Human Rights in Bahrain (ADHRB) is seeking creative, organized, passionate, and hard-working applicants for a full-time six-month Advocacy Internship, based in Amsterdam/Hague, Netherlands. We are happy to work with students seeking academic course credit for their work. This is an unpaid internship that reports directly to the Executive Director.
Starting date: November/ December 2021 – January 2022
Duration: Six months
Occupational rate: 40 hours per week
Through this program, interns can expect to gain valuable hands-on advocacy experience, domestic and international. Domestically, interns will advocate for the Netherlands to take a stronger unilateral stance towards abuses in the Arab Gulf in its foreign policy. Interns will push for the Netherlands to adopt a stronger multilateral stance towards abuses in the Arab Gulf through increased engagement at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva. They will engage with members of the Dutch parliament, as well as non-governmental organizations. Interns will learn how to request and prepare for meetings with policy makers and civil society organizations. In learning how to conduct the meetings, interns will develop talking points and create tailored briefing documents for dissemination with policy makers. In supporting their advocacy work, interns will draft blogs and dispatches addressing important issues concerning human rights in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf as well as the Netherlands’s relation to the Arab Gulf. Through supporting ADHRB’s Geneva work through advocacy in the Netherlands, interns will learn about the United Nations Human Rights Council and the mechanisms of the UN, as well as the broader international approach to rights abuses in the region.
Responsibilities
Interns will:
- Research human rights crises and issues in the Arab Gulf region and their relations to the international human rights legal framework;
- Draft policy papers and advocacy letters to the Dutch parliament and Ministry of Foreign Affairs in support ADHRB’s mission;
- Assist in ADHRB’s preparations for engaging with the United Nations Human Rights Council;
- Attend and report on events, briefings, and other relevant meetings in the Dutch parliament and Ministry of Foreign Affairs during legislative and parliamentary sessions;
- Attend meetings with international and national actors, including NGOs, to discuss human rights in Bahrain;
- Attend meetings with policymakers to discuss human rights in Bahrain and the Arab Gulf region;
- Organize events and panels at local universities and in parliament to brief policymakers, NGO partners, and members of the public;
- Strengthen national NGO partnerships through regular coordination and cooperation;
- Support social media activities and provide administrative support where needed.
Qualifications and Skills
The ideal candidate will be currently enrolled in a graduate program and have an undergraduate degree in Political Science, International Relations, Law, or a related field with:
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
- Motivation, strong organizational skills, and ability to be self-starting;
- Proficiency at Microsoft Office and social media platforms, in particular Twitter;
- An interest in the Middle East and North Africa, or democracy and human rights promotion;
- Ability to commit full-time – up to 40 hours per week.
Languages and Location
- Candidates must be fluent in written and spoken English;
- Candidates must be based in Amsterdam/Hague.
How to apply
For more information about ADHRB, see www.adhrb.org.
Interested in the position?
Please send us your CV and cover letter in PDF format named SURNAME_Name_CV-CL to habdulla@adhrb.org with subject line European Advocacy Intern.
