Dear IFMSA,
Here comes an opportunity for a possible internship experience in the WHO Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Global Coordination Mechanism (GCM) at the Geneva Headquarters of the World Health Organization!! The WHO NCD/GCM is still a new body in WHO and there are lots of new interesting projects going on. The internship length usually lasts 3 to 6 months and the internship period should be comprised between November 2017 to December 2019.
About NCDs
World leaders acknowledged, in 2011, that NCDs, primarily heart and lung diseases, diabetes and cancers, represent one of the major challenges for global development in the 21st century. Premature mortality from the four major NCDs is linked to four key risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, and the harmful use of alcohol.
Scope and purpose of the WHO GCM/NCD
The WHO GCM/NCD is a global Member State-led coordinating and engagement platform, established in 2014 by the World Health Assembly to help counteract the growing global health threat of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
The GCM/NCD contributes to accelerating the implementation of the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases 2013-2020, and the NCD-related Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets by fostering high-level NCD commitments through multisectoral and multistakeholder engagement at local, national, regional and global levels. The GCM/NCD connects and convenes a diverse group of 327 participants comprising WHO Member States, United Nations organizations and non-State actors around a shared goal to support countries to reduce premature mortality and unnecessary suffering from NCDs.
The intern will perform a range of tasks, which can include a selection from the below but are not limited to these:
- Literature review on inclusion of NCD into other programmatic areas and on how to align international cooperation on NCDs with national plans.
- Assist in identification of resources and partners, commissioning and collation of policy briefs and background documents (information notes, fact sheets and discussion papers) before, during and after the meetings of the working groups.
- Support the review and update content of the cooperate WHO GCM/NCD website and portal (under development); create and update relevant web pages; prepare content for the GCM/NCD web pages; e.g. on the inclusion of NCDs into other programmatic areas (NCD in SDG), multisectoral action at country level and alignment of international plans with national plans, NCD and health literacy, NCDs & Gender, NCDs and Youth.
- Assist with the collation of research and information
- Support the development of documents including background papers
- Assist in drafting reports
- Compile meeting documents in preparation of meetings for posting on the GCM/NCD website.
- Assist in the implementation of an agreed framework for the establishment of communities of practice
- Assist in the establishment and management of a web-based platform with the different content referred to in the two work plans
- Support the work of knowledge exchange and dissemination in accordance to the WHO GCM/NCD work plans
- Support the development and implementation of a global communications campaign for a world free of the burden of NCDs, including continued development and dissemination of its two web sites: http://www.gcmportal.org/ncds-and-me/ and http://www.who.int/beat-ncds/en/
- Assist in the preparation of country visits of the Integrated Support team with the whole of organisation and officials in the countries
- Support in social media and communications planning and strategy
- Support with graphic design and desktop publishing
- Support the collating of an image gallery
- Capturing new stories for the NCDs&Me microsite (see above)
- Help in mobilizing relevant and selected participants to conduct 12 country case studies
- Support the conceptualization of side event at key for a like the UN General Assembly and the UN High Level Political Forum, UN Commission on the Status of Women
This Internship opportunity is open to students who are members of IFMSA National Member Organizations.
Such a student:
- Should be aged between 20 to 34 years’ old
- Must be enrolled in a course of study (graduate or post-graduate) at a university or equivalent institution towards the completion of a formal qualification, preferably with a minimum of three years of study
- Must have excellent oral and written skills in English (a necessary requirement)
- Must possess basic knowledge of graphic design
- Should have good understanding of the field of NCDs
- Should have the ability to produce results within deadlines and work well under pressure, be flexible and independent and possess problem solving skills
- Should be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and social media
- Must possess a passport of a WHO Member State
Please check all the requirements, eligibility criteria, and conditions at http://www.who.int/employment/internship/en/.
Kindly note that WHO is not able to provide funding for or payment to interns. Attached is a full description of the terms of reference of this internship programme.
Interested applicants should submit the following to lwho@ifmsa.org before August 27th 2016, 23:59 GMT:
- Completed online application form(click here)
- Motivation Letter (maximum 2 pages)
- Curriculum Vitae(maximum 1 page)
- Candidature Form signed and stamped by both the applicant and the NMO president certifying your membership in IFMSA (attached to this mail)
- Letter from University certifying your student status
Please put“[WHO NCD GCM] Internship Application 2017-2019 – Name of the applicant” as the subject of the e-mail. All application papers will be forwarded to the WHO department for screening and selection. Incomplete and late applications will be deemed invalid.
Only selected applicants will be informed, and follow-up will be done directly from WHO with my support. Only candidates shortlisted for interview will be contacted.
Should you have any question, please do not hesitate to contact me. I’m looking forward to reading your applications!