UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture.., coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, hope

The purpose of the UNICEF internship programme is to provide a framework by which students pursuing or having recently completely a tertiary education are assigned to UNICEF offices to enhance their education experience through practical work assignments; to expose them to the work of the UNICEF; and to provide UNICEF offices with the assistance of qualified students or recent graduates specialized in various professional fields.

Childhood is being reshaped by artificial intelligence (AI) faster than the institutions designed to safeguard it can respond. Children are learning with AI tutors, confiding in AI companions, and growing up in systems that increasingly shape their development and well-being. Yet the decisions governing these technologies are still being made largely without their input.

Meanwhile, the Gulf has become a third global AI pole — Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar have committed trillions in state investment to build full AI infrastructure at a pace private markets cannot match. Governance is being written now, and it is child-silent (for the most part) — AI laws, child digital safety regulations, and a unified GCC AI strategy are in active drafting with no meaningful child-specific provisions.

 

How can you make a difference? 

This internship will support the work on compiling current models of UNICEF engagement with governments in the GCC on AI and researching potential models for further engagement, covering:

• Governance, convening, evidence — contributing technical expertise to AI laws and strategies, using UNICEF's neutrality to bring sovereign AI investors and child-protection actors into the same room, and co-producing Gulf-specific evidence.
• Piloting, scaling, and resource mobilisation — co-designing child-centered AI solutions scalable through UNICEF's global network, and partnerships with Gulf funds, sovereign vehicles, and Islamic finance instruments.
• Use of AI in humanitarian settings and in the response to emergency while safeguarding children’s best interests

 

Main tasks and responsibilities:

Since UNICEF views AI as a transformative tool to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in improving the lives of children worldwide, UNICEF AI strategy emphasizes the following three core areas:

• Program Impact: AI is used to deliver scalable, effective outcomes for children and communities. This includes predictive analytics to anticipate humanitarian needs, digital education platforms, and real-time guidance for community health workers.
• Operational Efficiency and Effectiveness: AI supports internal operations, such as workforce planning, resource allocation, and AI-driven chatbots for customer service. These tools enhance staff productivity and decision-making while optimizing organizational resources. 
• Child Rights Advocacy: UNICEF integrates AI expertise with global governance to ensure children’s voices are represented in AI policy. The strategy identifies gaps in AI regulation, promotes collaboration with partners, and implements safeguards to protect children from potential harms

 

Therefore, the intern will support in tasks related to first and third core areas mentioned above by:

 

• Studying the UNICEF AI strategy and preparing a presentation to the partners.
• Researching the focus of GCC countries on AI with and for children
• Supporting the design of a model of work with each of the GCC countries on AI with a partnership and programme approach.
• Suggest the model for engaging young people in the AI discourse.

 

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Applicants must be currently enrolled in, or have graduated within the past two years from, an undergraduate, graduate, or Ph.D. Degree programme, preferably in international development.
• Exposure to political and ethical discussions about AI and expressed interest in AI
• Proficiency in at least one of UNICEF’s working languages: English, French or Spanish and fluent in the working language of the office of assignment
• Strong academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records
• Have no immediate relatives (e.g. father, mother, brother, sister) working in any UNICEF office; and have no other relatives in the line of authority which the intern will report to 
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old.

 

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact

(4) Innovates and embraces change

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity

(6) Thinks and acts strategically

(7) Works collaboratively with others 

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF’s Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

 

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.