Communications Spring Intern
The American Bar Association (ABA) Center for Human Rights is the ABA’s focal entity for critical human rights concerns in the United States and around the world. The ABA Center for Human Rights (the Center) works to promote and protect human rights worldwide by mobilizing lawyers to help threatened advocates and vulnerable communities; rallying leading experts on vital issues; and holding abusive governments accountable under law.
The Center is seeking an experienced communications intern to promote the work of the regional staff attorneys, human rights groups and pro bono attorneys that provide legal assistance to human rights defenders who are the subject of harassment in retaliation for their advocacy efforts. The Intern will gain invaluable insight into human rights litigation and advocacy, and program management. The intern will work across the five regional teams (Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa) to help promote the work of CHR. This will be a remote, virtual internship. This is an unpaid opportunity. The intern is expected to begin in January 2021 for a 3-month internship period. Intern is expected to commit 10 – 20 hours per week to the internship.
Interns should expect to do several of the following tasks:
- Draft, disseminate and pitch media materials and press releases
- Create supplemental flyers, videos, and promotional materials
· Attend press conferences, briefings, and/or other informative webinars
· Draft editorials and blogs on key human rights issues
· Monitor ongoing human rights abuses internationally via human rights listservs and other news sources
Basic Qualifications:
· Currently pursuing a BA or an MA at an U.S.-based institution
· Excellent oral and written communication skills in a second language is preferred. Knowledge of Spanish, French, Arabic, or Russian is a plus.
· Demonstrated commitment to public interest and knowledge of international law.
· Prior experience working on issues of human rights and/or human rights defenders in the one or more of our five regions.
How to Apply:
· Applications must include the following:
o Cover letter - Please indicate any preference for regional assignment.
o Resume - Please indicate any language proficiencies.
o Legal writing sample
o List of three (3) references, including phone number and email address.
· Please submit all application materials in a single pdf to justicedefenders@americanbar.org and title the email, “Last Name: Spring 2021 Intern Application”. Please copy Lian Najjar at lian.najjar@americanbar.org .
· Deadline to submit application: November 30, 2020
· Intern is expected to begin in mid-January 2021