Federal Job:

United Nations

By:

Emily Long

Why Sociology Majors?

* Because it applies exactly what we know…

– We know human rights issues around the world– We understand social inequities and social movements;

therefore, we can study ways to overcome/ make changes– Able to communicate well with people and we understand

patterns of human to human interaction– Able to research and work with statistical data in order to come

up with better policies for the betterment of the public good– We are dedicated to the improvement of humanity

I could go on…

Let’s Remember the UN…

• The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

• The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, in order to provide a safer world for this and future generations.

**The UN played a role in bringing about independence in more than 80 countries that are now sovereign nations.

How it Works

According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:

to maintain international peace and security

to develop friendly relations among nations

to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;

and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

Main Bodies• General Assembly

The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the UN and is composed of representatives of all Member States.

• Economic and Social Council The Economic and Social Council is the principal organ to coordinate the

economic, social and related work of the United Nations.

• International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice, is the principal judicial organ of the United

Nations.

• Security Council The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the

maintenance of international peace and security. A reform of the Security Council, including its membership is under consideration.

• Trusteeship Council The Trusteeship Council was established to ensure that adequate steps were

taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence.

• Secretariat The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the Organization.

• Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs The Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs is a legal publication

containing analytical studies of the decisions of the principal organs of the United Nations.

UN Job Benefits

• The Organization offers attractive remuneration packages and benefits.

• Subject to the type of appointment, staff may be entitled to receive various allowances and fringe benefits.

Field Vacancies

United Nations field missions require talented, highly motivated and qualified people.

They offer unique opportunities to contribute to world peace and stability.

While mission work can mean long hours and living under difficult conditions, it can also be the most rewarding job you will ever have.

Field missions require specialists in such areas such as:• Political Affairs• Legal and Civil Affairs• Public Information• Humanitarian Assistance• Human Resources

Applying to Field Missions

Application Instructions: All UN Jobs require applicants to fill out a Personal History Profile

– Step 1. Examine the occupational groups and consider which one matches your skills.

– Step 2. Review the generic profile for the chosen occupational group and if you meet the requirements, fill out the on-line application provided.

– Step 3. You will be contacted via email within two to three months if your skills match their needs.

Recruitment Exams

NATIONAL COMPETITIVE EXAMINATIONS:

– Junior professionals (P1/P2) and professionals (P3) are recruited through National Competitive Recruitment Examinations.

– The examinations are administered in a number of occupational groups, including administration, economics, electronic data processing, finance, legal affairs, library, political affairs, public information, social development, and statistics.

– In order to qualify for P1/P2 positions, a candidate must possess a first level university degree and be 32 years of age or younger.

– For P3 positions, a candidate must possess an advanced university degree, four years of professional experience, and be 39 years of age or younger.

– Fluency in either English or French is required for both P1/P2s and P3s.

UN Languages

There are Six Official Languages of the UN:– French– Spanish– English– Arabic– Chinese– Russian

LANGUAGE EXAMINATIONS:– Examinations are held to establish a roster of qualified

candidates from which to fill language positions.

Quiz

True or False: An employee of the UN in field missions can be stationed in more than one country?

Quiz

Can you name three of the six official languages of the UN?

Quiz

Which part of the UN body carries out the day-to-day work of the organization?

a) General Assembly

b) Secretariat

c) Security Counsel

d) International Court of Justice

HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN

RIGHTS

Human Rights Officer, P-3

• Responsibilities:– Plan and coordinate activities related to country– Mandates on human rights; Conduct substantive research and analysis of human rights

issues/events and assess their impact on the human rights situation in assigned region or country

• Competencies:– Good knowledge of and exposure to a range of human rights issues, to include approaches

and techniques to address sensitive problems. Good knowledge of institutional mandates, policies and guidelines related to human rights.

• Education:– University Degree (Bachelors or equivalent), preferably in law, political science, international

relations or other disciplines related to human rights. *SOCIOLOGY!

• Experience:– 5 years of work experience in assigned geographic locations at national and international

levels in the human rights field, including in the cause and resolution of human rights conflicts in accordance with international standards.

Leaving Home…

• A human rights officer is typically dispatched to work in a specific region or country. Once in the field, this professional works under the direct supervision of a local authority who may be either a representative of the organization or the local government.

• This individual directs and manages the officer in the performance of his tasks.

Plan of Action

• Once deployed to a region, a human rights officer works in tandem with her local colleagues to develop a plan of action. This spells out a variety of initiatives including the identification of potential partners, the development and curriculum of training plans, as well as the policies and procedures surrounding reporting.

• The primary responsibility of a human rights officer is to monitor all activities related to human rights within the region. The purpose of this exercise is to identify any current or potential violations of individual human rights. These activities are then reported to the management of the organization.

Training

• To reduce and eliminate human rights violations in the region, human rights officers partner with local government agencies and social service organizations to provide education and training to residents and businesses in the region regarding a variety of human rights subjects, such as human trafficking and inappropriate use of child labor.

Relationship Building

• A human rights officer must work diligently to build and maintain relationships with individuals, businesses and government agencies throughout the region. The purpose of these partnerships is to foster local involvement in the eradication of human rights violations within the area.

Skills Needed

• To become a human rights officer, a candidate must typically possess a graduate-level degree. Common areas of study include political science, law and international relations.

• Prior to becoming an officer, applicants typically perform entry-level work in the field.

• Many of these positions require officers to work in multiple foreign countries.

Salaries

• Average UN Job Salary: $51,000 (varies due to location, industry and experience)

• Average Human Rights Officer Salary (New York): $98,000

The Truth:

The UN seeks to not discriminate at all based on gender, disability, race etc. However…

• In the UN recruitment policy (ST/AI/2006/3, Section 9.3) there is an eligibility advantage to women.

• If you are a female who has been placed on a roster, you will remain there for three years thereby continuing eligibility for appointment during that period.

• On the contrary, males are removed from the roster after two years.

Important to Consider…

• Be aware that working for the United Nations may not necessarily be the challenging, glamorous, “save the world” job you’re looking for.

• Do your research and look at books written by people who have worked in the United Nations.

• While the pay and benefits are great, many employees are quickly disenchanted by the stifling bureaucracy, lack of creativity, inability to utilize initiative, and nepotism.

***All the same, things won’t get better unless idealistic, strong-minded and determined people get in there and change it for the better!

Corruption

• "We periodically review news sources, particularly following user complaints, to ensure Google News offers a high quality experience for our users," it said. "When we reviewed your site we've found that we can no longer include it in Google News."

The UN Exposed

• In 2006, for example, he drew attention to human-rights abuses by the Ugandan People's Defense Force during a U.N. disarmament program, including incidents in which four people were killed and over 100 homes destroyed.

• In November 2007, during a press conference in which Google announced its partnership with the UNDP to achieve anti-poverty goals, Lee earned a less-than-friendly response when he asked why the Internet company hadn't signed a global human-rights and anti-censorship compact —elements in the U.N.'s Millennium Development Goals.

Sources:

• www.innercitypress.com

• Stephen Lambert: Great Jobs for Sociology Majors