PLACEMENT REPORT
UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Student: Stina Rosin
Student Number: S3650570
Placement Coordinator: Ms. Chamutal Afek-Eitam Placement Supervisor: Ms. Audrey Bernard
Internship Duration: 10/03/2019- 10/03/2019
Submission date: 06/03/20
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Table of Contents
Introduction ... 2
Before the Internship ... 2
Finding an Internship ... 2
Expectations Prior to the Internship ... 4
During the Internship ... 4
UNHCR ... 4
Work Tasks as a UNHCR Case Worker ... 5
Supervision ... 9
Reflection on the Connection between the Internship and the Degree Programme .. 10
After the Internship ... 11
Expectations vs Reality ... 11
Future Career Orientation and Prospects ... 12
Tips for Future Students ... 12
Financial Support ... 13
Living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia ... 13
Conclusion ... 14
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Introduction
I completed an internship with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) field office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia as a part of my Master’s degree in International Relations with a specialisation in International Security. The internship lasted for a duration of three months between 10 December 2018 to 10 March 2019. I interned as a registration officer at the Registration Unit (REG Unit) where my main mission was to interview and register asylum seekers on a daily basis.
This report is divided into five different sections that explores and evaluates the following aspect of the internship: 1) the application procedure and preparations before the internship; 2) the work tasks, responsibilities and supervision during the placement; 3) reflections after completion of the internship; 4) financial aspects of doing a placement abroad; and 5) living and working in Kuala Lumpur. The last section is followed by my concluding remarks.
Before the Internship
Finding an Internship
My main motivation for pursuing a Master’s degree was to help accelerate my career within the field of international security and migration. I chose to apply for the Master’s programme in International Security at the University of Groningen partly because of the possibility of doing an internship as a part of the degree. An internship provides valuable practical skills and experiences which in combination with the academic research skills make up for a solid foundation to build a career on. Before I started my Master’s degree, I worked as an asylum case worker for the Swedish Migration Agency. This job greatly inspired me to continue working with and learning more about refugees and migration. The Swedish Migration Agency works closely with the UNHCR in every aspect of its work. The UNHCR guidelines for refugee protection are the cornerstone of the Swedish Aliens Act. The organisation also produces key documents about ongoing conflicts around the world as well as about the situation for refugees worldwide. The UNHCR is instrumental in the resettlement process where the UNHCR’s field offices identify refugees that qualify for resettlement to a third country such as Sweden. My work experience at the Swedish Migration Agency opened up my eyes to the work of UNHCR and further inspired me to apply for an internship at one of the UNHCR’s field offices.
The UNHCR has a clear connection to the field of International Security. The UNHCR processes asylum applications from a wide range of individuals that are fleeing their homes due to war, conflict and persecution. The UNHCR operates on the ground to ensure that the human security needs of refugees and asylum seekers are met. The organisation also plays a key role in facilitating refugee protection on a policy level globally. The organisation deals with a wide range of security issues such as interstate wars, intrastate conflicts and persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group.
When I began searching for internships with the UNHCR, I realised that there is rarely
an official application procedure for internship positions with the UN field offices.
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Therefore, I sent emails directly to the offices I was interested in. In the initial phase, I made a list of places and offices that I wanted to apply for. Thereafter, I went through the list of offices and made sure that they were located in countries that correspond with the travel recommendations provided by the Dutch Foreign Ministry. When interning internationally as a part of your degree it is important to check what rules and conditions are in place for you as a student. At the University of Groningen, a student is not allowed to undertake an internship in a country that is listed as unsafe by the Dutch Foreign Ministry. Initially, I was interested in applying for the UNHCR’s field office in Amman. However, due to the current travel recommendations for Jordan, this office had to be taken off my list. Instead I decided to apply for offices located in South East Asia. I chose this region primarily because of the long-lasting conflict in northern Myanmar. The UNHCR field offices in Thailand and Malaysia have a key responsibility for processing the applications made by the large number of Rohingya refugees in the region. Since I never worked with Myanmar cases in my previous job, this particular context was very appealing to me. I sent out applications to both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. I received a reply a few weeks later from Bangkok saying that they were not able to accept interns. It took another couple of months before I heard back from the office in Kuala Lumpur. When they replied, I was told that they would distribute my CV to all the different units working in the office to see if any of them were interested in taking me on. A few days later, I was informed that the Registration Unit (REG Unit) needed an intern and that they thought my background was perfect for the job.
Once the intern position had been established, I spent more than one month trying to sort out all the practical and administrative details together with the UNHCR’s admin staff. This was a long and tedious process. The UNHCR has several demands regarding medical certificates and financial sponsorship (see section 5). Once all the documents were sorted, I was able to book my ticket to Kuala Lumpur. I was only in contact with one of the administrative staffs prior to starting my internship. I never had direct contact with the REG Unit when signing the contracts which I thought was a bit odd.
I did not hear back from the office during the month leading up to my departure and I was never contacted by the receiving unit. One week before my departure, I requested to get the email address for my supervisor at the REG Unit and sent her an introductory email to make sure that she was aware of my arrival. Once it was confirmed by the head of the unit knew that I was coming, I felt more at ease. I asked them to send me some information and reports so that I could prepare for the internship. The head of the unit also put me in contact with one of their interns. This was very helpful as the other intern was able to answer most my practical questions before starting the internship.
The initial phase of preparing for the internship and establishing contact with the office
was quite stressful and not particularly organised. There were a lot of uncertainties
concerning the internship and my work tasks before I started. However, once I arrived
at the office on my first day, it was very well organised. The UNCHR in Malaysia has
a long tradition of taking on interns and they have a well-established induction
programme for all new interns. The team at the REG Unit was very inclusive and they
made me feel part of the team from day one.
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Expectations Prior to the Internship
Before starting the internship, I was informed that my role as a registrations officer would include the following tasks:
• Assist in interviewing asylum seekers and collecting data for the purpose of registration;
• Assist in managing the reception of asylum seekers and refugees at the Office;
• Conduct vulnerability assessment;
• Collect data and handle documentation and files;
• Provide appropriate counselling to asylum seekers and refugees, as required;
• Manage physical files;
• Perform other duties as required.
Based on the information provided prior to the internship, my expectations in terms of the nature of the work was high. With my background in working with asylum law in Sweden, I expected the office to make use of my abilities and skills in the best possible way. My hope was to have clearly outlined role in the organisation where I could actively contribute to the organisation as a whole. I expected to have an active role in the office and that I would be given complex work tasks and responsibilities. I also expected the UNHCR to make a clear distinction between interns and case officers to ensure that the intern agreement (nature of work and work hours etc.) were fulfilled. I also wanted to gain a general understanding of the wide range of work carried out by the UNHCR in Malaysia.
During the Internship
UNHCR
The UNHCR works to assist and protect refugees and asylum-seekers worldwide. The
overarching mandate of the UNHCR is to ensure that the right to seek asylum is
maintained and that asylum-seekers and refugees are able to rebuild their lives in safety
and dignity. UNHCR operates worldwide but has a particular responsibility in
countries that have not yet ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention. The Malaysian
government has not ratified the 1951 Refugee Convention. As a result, asylum-seekers
and refugees are often wrongfully perceived by the Malaysian authorities as illegal
migrants. Thus, asylum-seekers and refugees are at great risk of being deported back
to the countries from which they have fled persecution and/or war. In order to combat
this issue, the UNHCR is working actively with the Malaysian government in order to
find durable solutions for the asylum seekers and refugees living in the country. Since
there is no system in place for registering and processing asylum applications in
Malaysia, the UNHCR has taken on this responsibility. The UNHCR filed office in
Kuala Lumpur administers all asylum applications made in Malaysia. The office
registers the asylum-seekers and determines whether the applicants qualify for refugee
status or not. The UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur works closely with civil society partners
in in order to provide humanitarian support for the refugees. These services include
education, healthcare and community support to ensure that all needs are met during
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their stay in Malaysia. The UNHCR also has a responsibility for seeking long term solutions for refugees. Resettlement to a third country or assistance during voluntary return to the country of origin are two long-term solutions for refugees that the UNHCR facilitates.
The UNHCR’s field office in Kuala Lumpur is divided into several different units that cooperate to fulfilli its mandate. The Registrations Unit is the first point of contact for all applicants. This is where the asylum application is received, processed and where the applicant is registered into the UNHCR system. The Refugee Status Determination Unit has the key responsibility for determining whether an applicant qualify for refugee status. This unit conducts in-depth interviews with the applicants in order to assess the nature of their claims. The Livelihood Unit, the Child at Risk/Education Unit, the SVGV (Sexual and Gender based Violence) Unit and the Protection Unit ensure that the needs of the applicants are met throughout their stay in Malaysia. These units have a long-term responsibility to protect an assist vulnerable applicants that need assistance and/or counselling. Lastly, the Resettlement Unit works to find durable solutions for the applicants. Once an applicant has obtained refugee status, they are eligible for applying for resettlement to a third a country. The Resettlement Unit assesses their case and determines if they qualify for resettlement in a different country. Other than the operative units, UNHCR has several units that carries out both administrative work and policy related missions. The general director of the UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur has a key responsibility to connect with and cooperate with other UN organisations that operates in the country.
Work Tasks as a UNHCR Case Worker
As an intern in the REG Unit, I was expected to take on the role of a registration case officer and work alongside my colleagues. My main task was to conduct registration interviews and vulnerability assessments with applicants on a daily basis.
The UNCHR in Malaysia has a long tradition of taking on interns and they have a well- established induction programme for all new interns. During my induction, I got given a substantial introduction folder that contained information about the UNHCR, the REG Unit, country reports and practical information about case related administration.
During my first week, I shadowed all the different components that make up the REG unit. This includes the staging area that welcomes the applicant at the gate and checks if the applicant has an appointment with the UNHCR. They also make sure that the applicant is let in to the waiting area and given an appointment number upon arrival. I was also introduced to the EDP office which is responsible for all case related administration. This is the team that creates and hands out the UN documents to the applicants after the registration interview is completed. I was also given a tour around the annex where all the other units are located. It was valuable and interesting to see how the units cooperate and how the work is interlinked.
The most important part of my induction was carried out within the core of the REG
Unit. I got the opportunity to shadow all the different cases that the unit processes on
a daily basis. The interviews and processes handled by the REG unit are described in
more detail below.
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Rohingya Refugee Determination Interviews
The majority of the asylum applications received by the office in Kuala Lumpur are made by Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. The UNHCR has set up a particular system for processing applications from Rohingya refugees. The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority in Myanmar. The violence, conflict and persecution of Rohingyas has been going on for decades. However, the conflict has intensified over the past few years. Over the past few decades over one million Rohingya refugees have fled the violence. The majority of Rohingya refugees have fled across the Myanmar border to Bangladesh but many refugees have also fled to Thailand and Malaysia.
Rohingya refugees rarely carry any forms of identity documents which makes them particularly vulnerable in Malaysia and a common target for the Malaysian authorities.
Given the acute nature of the Rohingya cases and the large number of applications received, the UNCHR’s has imposed a specially designed registration procedure in order to expedite the application and refugee status determination procedure to ensure that Rohingya refugees obtain refugee status and UN documentation as quickly as possible. Normally, refugee status is determined by the Refugee Status Determination Unit (RSD). However, the REG case officers are in charge of the Rohingya Refugee Determination interviews.
Non-Rohingya Registration Interviews
The Non-Rohingya cases refer to the remaining case load. These interviews are carried out with asylum seekers from all over the world. These applicants go through the standardised registration. During this process, the applicant is registered in the UNHCR system. The caseworker starts by registering all the biodata and biometric data for the applicant. Once the applicant has been added to the system, the REG officer conducts a condensed interview where the applicants claim is captured. The claim refers to the applicant’s reason for seeking refugee protection. During the interview, the caseworker also screens for potential exclusion triggers (crimes against humanity, war crimes or non-political crimes). During the registration, the case worker conducts a vulnerability assessment which seeks to identify vulnerabilities and issues that the asylum seekers might be facing in Malaysia. These vulnerabilities are categorised as follows: Women and Girls, Elderly, Legal Protection, Health, and Children. If a vulnerability is identified, the case worker informs the applicant about the services available at the UNHCR and further refers the applicant to the specialised units that provides appropriate counselling and/or assistance.
Derivative Status Determination Interviews
The REG unit carries out so called Derivative Status Determination (DS) procedures
when an already registered applicant wishes to include a family member in his/her case
(often a child or a spouse). It is common for family members that are seeking refugee
protection to arrive in Malaysia at different times due to financial and practical reasons.
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The DS interviews are put in place to verify the relationship between the principal applicant and the person s/he wishes to include. If the relationship is verified, then the case officer can determine whether the family member should derive the status (refugee status/ asylum seeker status) based on the principal applicant. During a DS interview, the case officer conducts separate interviews with the principal applicant and the newly arrived family member. The questions asked during the interview generally concern their situation in their country of origin as well as their situation in the country of asylum. Once the interview is complete, the case worker compares the answers to make sure they are consistent, reviews the documentation provided (birth certificate, marriage certificate etc.) and assesses whether the relationship can be verified.
Late Renewals
Once the applicant is registered, s/he is issued a UNHCR document. The applicant is informed that s/he needs to approach the UNHCR office on the expiry day in order to be issued a new document. If an applicant approaches the office long after the set-out expiry date, the case worker must conduct an interview determining the cause of the late renewal. During this process, the case worker specifically checks whether the applicant has returned to their country of origins or has plans to do so in the near future.
As an intern, I primarily worked on non-Rohingya cases. Interns exclusively work on non-Rohingya cases since interns are not allowed to take part in any decision-making procedures. The status of the non-Rohingya cases are determined by the Refugee Determination Status Unit after the registration is carried out. During my first week I shadowed multiple interviews in order to learn about the registration procedure and the interview techniques used. On my fifth day at the REG unit, I was able to conduct my first supervised interview. My supervisor assisted me during the first interview and ensured that the registration was complete. During the second week, I started conducting interviews independently. My case load was slowly increased from 2 cases a day to 6 cases a day over the weeks that followed. The daily target for all caseworkers and interns is 6 registration interviews per day.
During a registration interview, I stared by calling the applicant’s appointment number in the waiting area. Thereafter, we proceeded to the registration room where the registration interview was held. An interpreter is present during the majority of the interviews to ensure that the applicant can communicate freely. I started off by introducing myself and I gave a rough outline of the interview format. The first step of the registration is to capture the biometric data of the applicant. I registered all the basic information in the UNHCR system (name, age, ethnicity, religion, family members, address, ID-documentation, work, education, languages etc.). I also enrolled the applicant in the biometric information system where the fingerprints, iris and photograph are captured. After this, I generated the official application form and the vulnerability assessment form which are the two main components of the interview.
During the interview, I outlined the travel route of the applicant and determined where
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the person had been before arriving in Malaysia. I also had to check whether the applicant had previously applied for refugee status with a government or the UNHCR in a different country. If an applicant had applied for refugee protection previously, I had to make a request to obtain the documents from that specific UNHCR office or government.
The most important part of the interview is capturing the applicants claim which is where the applicant lists and argues why s/he should obtain refugee status. This part of the interview requires attention to details and knowledge about the countries and contexts from which the applicant is fleeing. It is important for the case worker to capture a claim which is clearly and chronologically presented in writing. Any inconsistencies must be questioned and investigated further. Throughout the interview, the case worker is obliged to screen for exclusion triggers. Exclusion triggers refers to indications that a person might have committed a war crime, crime against humanity or a serious non-political crime.
After the claim was captured, I conducted a vulnerability assessment which aims to identify the level of vulnerability of the applicant in Malaysia. Since the Malaysian government has not signed the 1951 Refugee Convention, refugees are often wrongfully labelled by authorities as illegal migrants. Since they are not issued documents or visas, asylum seekers and refugees are very vulnerable in Malaysia.
They are at constant risk of being detained and deported and the police often harass them and demand money in order to release them. Other than the general fear of the authorities, applicants can have other vulnerabilities that make them exceptionally vulnerable in Malaysia. Commonly identified vulnerabilities are single women or mothers without a family network, serious chronic illness, PTSD and depression, sexual exploitation and violence, elderly individuals without family support and unaccompanied children. This part of the interview requires the interviewer to be attentive, empathetic and calm. It can be very difficult for an applicant to discuss the issues they are facing in the country of asylum. Oftentimes, they have never told anyone about the issues they are facing as refugees in Malaysia.
Once the interview was completed, I informed the applicant about the services that are available to them within the UNHCR system. They were instructed to wait for their case to be processed and for their UN document to be issued. I took copies of all documents presented by the applicant during the interview and made sure that the applicant and the interpreter signed all the documents. I printed out all the documents and put together a case file which was later passed to my reviewer who made sure all the necessary information was included in the file and the claim. When the reviewer had approved the case, the file was sent to EDP who issued the UN document and handed it over to the applicant.
I primarily worked with conducting registration interviews. However, I also conducted
DS interviews on a regular basis. During a DS interview, I conducted separate
interviews with the principal applicant as well as the person that s/he wished to include
in their file. Questions were asked regarding their life in their home country and their
life in Malaysia. The questions were directed so that the answers could be compared
in order to determine their relationship. Once the interview is complete, I made a
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recommendation together with my reviewer where we would argue whether or not the relationship was credible. On some rare occasions, I also conducted interviews for late renewals.
Supervision
I had two different supervisors in the office. Audrey Bernard, who is in charge of the whole unit, had the overarching responsibility for me as an intern. However, she did not provide any daily supervision since she is not always directly involved in the case related work tasks. When I started the internship, I had an introductory meeting with Audrey who provided me with all the general information about the unit and the internship. She also held a debriefing interview with me once the internship was completed. During the debriefing meeting she provided me with feedback from the unit and also requested my feedback and suggestions on how the REG unit can improve their work and the structure of the internship.
I was also assigned another supervisor (a so-called reviewer) who was my point of contact for all practical matters and case related tasks. When I started the internship, my reviewer went through all the different forms used in the registration process and signed me up for online training courses. My first interview was supervised by my reviewer who gave me advise and feedback throughout the process. Caseworkers and interns are supposed to be paired with a reviewer so that they can work as a team to ensure an effective and rewarding working environment. During my time at REG, I have worked with the majority of reviewers. There were many holidays and changes in the staff during my three months at REG which meant I was teamed up with different reviewer for shorter periods of time. On the one hand, working with different reviewers ensured that I got a wide array of perspectives and knowledge about interview techniques and case work. On the other hand, the different requirements and criteria set by different reviewers often created a stressful working environment for me. Once I had formed a bond and learned the interview preferences of one reviewer, I was passed to another reviewer who had different requirements and preferences. The lack of standardised reviewing in combination with the high work load often caused a lot of stress for me and other caseworkers.
Overall, having teams of caseworkers and reviewers is a formidable system since it
ensures that each case is administered and processed by at least two staff members. As
a caseworker you are directly interacting with the applicant. You are therefore more
prone to being affected by the emotions and interactions in the interview room. The
reviewer generally has a more objective insight in the case and can provide valuable
guidance when needed. Some of my reviewers kept me updated on the cases that had
been referred due to identified vulnerabilities. As a caseworker, you never see the
applicant after the interview is completed. During the interview, applicants may open
up and talk about destressing and heart-breaking issues. It was rewarding and
important to get an update from the reviewer on how the case proceeded after the REG
interview since it provides a sense of closure knowing that the applicant was receiving
the help s/he needs.
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The internship has been a highly rewarding experience. I have gained an insight into the work of the UNHCR’s field offices and operative work on the ground. Continuing my work with refugee and migration issues in a different context has further deepened my knowledge about conflicts, wars and persecution around the world. I have been able to interact with and interview people from contexts and countries that I have never encountered before. The UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur is a diverse workplace where people form all around the world gather, meet and work together. I have experienced the Malaysian work culture and made valuable contacts for my future career. Most importantly, I have made a lot of new friends. Practically, I have improved my interview techniques, analytical ability and organisation skills.
Reflection on the Connection between the Internship and the Degree Programme
The UNHCR has a clear connection to the field of International Security in several ways. The UNHCR is a humanitarian agency that works to ensure the safety of refugees around the world. On an operational level, the UNHCR’s field offices work primarily with the human security elements of the asylum-seekers and refugees. The UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur has a key responsibility in ensuring the physical security of the applicants where the organisation actively works to ensure that there is access to food, shelter, education, healthcare and legal protection.
In the process of determining the refugee status of the applicants, the caseworkers must have a nuanced understanding of the contexts and countries from which the applicants are fleeing. On a daily basis, I was registering and interviewing applicants from all over the world. In each case processed, it was my responsibility to have a good understanding of security level and the nature of the ongoing conflicts in the country from which the applicant was feeling from. The majority of applicants that I registered were from countries such as Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria and Pakistan. These are all countries that have been torn apart by war and conflict. Reading and learning about these conflicts was a prerequisite for being able to carry out effective and accurate registration interviews. In this sense, the work at the UNHCR also concerns other elements of security such as national security, intrastate conflicts and interstate war.
My previous job at the Swedish Migration Agency inspired me to apply for an
internship with the UNHCR. My objective was to see how the UNHCR’s work is
carried out in the field. I specifically choose Kuala Lumpur since I figured that the
office would be processing applications from countries and contexts that I may have
not come across when working in Sweden. The UNHCR’s office in Kuala Lumpur
works primarily with Rohingya refugees. There are also many refugees from Yemen
and Pakistan. During my time as a case office in Sweden, I rarely came across
applications from Myanmar, Yemen or Pakistan. It has been very rewarding and
interesting getting learn about conflicts and issues in new contexts that I have not
processed before. Unfortunately, I was not able to process Rohingya applications due
to the specific registration system put in place for these applicants. This was
unfortunate since I truly wanted to work closely with these applicants. Even if I did
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not get to conduct the registration interviews for the Rohingya refugees, I still learned a lot about the ongoing conflict just from working in the office.
It has been particularly interesting interviewing applicants from Yemen as I have never had a chance to process Yemeni cases in Sweden. I wrote my Master’s thesis about the war and starvation crisis in Yemen. I finalised the thesis during my stay in Malaysia. It was overwhelming and deeply rewarding to get the opportunity to meet with and listen to the stories of Yemeni refugees. I was able to document and capture the claims of the people that are fleeing a war which I have been reading about and analysed for several months. My academic insight and knowledge about the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Yemen that I gained when writing my thesis has been highly valuable during the interviews with the applicants. In this respect, I feel like my practical experiences during the placement at the UNHCR truly complimented my academic knowledge of the field
.After the Internship
Expectations vs Reality
My expectations in terms of the nature of the work prior to starting the internship were high. By placing me in the REG unit, I feel that the UNHCR truly made use of my pre- existing abilities and skills in the best possible way. Since I have previously conducted asylum interviews, I had a fairly smooth transition into the work. During my first weeks of the internship, I questioned whether I might have been better suited to intern at the Refugee Status Determination Unit (RSD). The RSD unit conducts in depth interviews and writes the formal assessments that determines whether or not the applicant should obtain refugee status. This kind of interview is more in line with the work that I have done before. However, I quickly realised that the interns at the RSD unit are not allowed to conduct interviews given the complex nature of the work. When I applied for an internship at the UNHCR, I wanted to be involved in the operative work. Therefore, it was clear that my skills were best used in the REG unit where I was allowed to conduct the interviews myself.
My hope was to have clearly outlined role in the organisation where I could actively contribute to the organisation as a whole. I felt like I was included in the team at the REG Unit from day one. As an intern at the REG unit, I basically functioned just like any other case worker. I was given similar responsibilities as my colleagues and my tasks were clearly outlined from the start. I have not had a single moment where I did not have anything to do. Over the course of three months, I registered over 250 asylum applicants. Whilst I am incredible grateful for the rewarding experience of working as a registration officer, there were times when I felt like the line between interns and employees was almost inexistent. There was not really a clear distinction between interns and case officers to ensure that the intern agreement (nature of work and work hours etc.) was fulfilled. My caseload was just as high as the full-time employees and the pressure of meeting the target of 6 interviews per day often caused a lot of stress.
I worked overtime almost every single day and I rarely had time to eat lunch. During
the months I spent at REG, I did not have any weekly or monthly meetings to discuss
the work situation with my supervisor. There were no team meetings or individual
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meeting. This meant that I had no opportunity to discuss the work or the workload.
There were weeks when the work was overwhelming and I would have needed someone to talk to. During the debriefing meeting with the unit supervisor, I presented this critique which she accepted and appreciated.
Future Career Orientation and Prospects
I wish to continue working with refugee and migration issues in the future. It is a field of work that has endless and diverse opportunities and that never fails to inspire and motivate me to carry out my work. My experience with the UNHCR has made it even clearer that this is a field of work that I am well suited for. I am convinced that my experience of working in one of the UNHCR’s field offices will help accelerate my career within this field. One of my future career goals is to work as a country analyst for the Swedish Migration Agency. In order to obtain this position, I am required to have international experience in working with refugee issues and excellent references.
The UNHCR is particularly meritorious. Regardless of where I decide to work in the future, the experience from the UNHCR will be highly beneficial. The organisation stands out on the CV and the internship has equipped me with important skills and knowledge that can be translated into various lines of work. The UNHCR cooperates with several organisations (International Organisation for Migration, International Rescue Committee etc.) in the field to fulfilli its mandate. I have been able to network with other organisations that have opened my eyes to other potential future employers.
Tips for Future Students
One of my key tips for future students applying for internships within the field of International Relations and International Security is to dig deeper and beyond the internship positions listed on official websites. If you wish to do an internship with the United Nations, you will find that the officially announced positions in the main offices in Geneva and New Work will be highly competitive and nearly impossible to obtain.
Another downside to these highly sought for intern positions is that they tend to be announced for very specific time periods. If you want an experience with the UN, there are multiple opportunities if you apply for one of the UN’s field offices. The majority of the UN organisations have field offices around the world that take in interns on a regular basis without announcing it on the UN’s official websites. Not only do you get to choose which UN organisation you wish to work with but you can also choose the country in which you wish to gain this experience. Unlike the larger UN offices, the field offices tend to make great use of their interns. You will likely be included in the daily work and treated as a fellow colleague. By working in a field office for the UN or any other international organisation, you will get to see and experience the operative work in the field and on the ground.
The UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur has a long tradition of accepting interns. There is a clear and well-developed structure for introducing the intern into the work. Once the introduction is done, the intern is expected to work alongside the other colleagues. The main objective of doing an internship is to gain valuable work experiences and skills.
Regardless of which unit you get accepted with at the UNHCR, you will be able to
contribute to the work of the organisation as a whole. You will gain important practical
and analytical skills and you will be expected to take on great responsibilities. Whilst
the work can be overwhelming and stressful at times, you will leave the internship
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feeling like you have contributed to the overall goal of the organisation. You will also gain highly useful knowledge and skills for the future. The UNHCR field office in Kuala Lumpur is always looking for interns to join their team. You do not need any prior experience in working with refugees or migration to be accepted. I would highly recommend the UNHCR as a placement provider.
Financial Support
Since January 2017, the United Nations is no longer allowed to accept interns that have no financial support. The UN either have to pay the intern or the intern must provide proof to the office that they have sufficient financial support from an institution or scholarship. The cost of living varies depending on where in the world the UN office is located. Thus, the financial requirement will vary depending on the location of the internship. The UNHCR office in Kuala Lumpur recommended that I should have financial support of roughly €1000 per month. I applied for and was granted a Marco Polo stipend of €900. The Marco Polo Stipend can be applied for if you are doing an internship outside of Europe. In addition to the stipend, the Swedish government provided me with €250 per month. Since my internship lasted for 3 months, my monthly allowance came down to €550 a month. On top of that I had my student loan which in total exceeded the €1000 threshold. I sent in my financial statements to the UNHCR prior to being accepted as an intern and let the them determine if it was enough to meet their financial criteria. The UNHCR accepted my application even though my whole monthly allowance was not sponsored.
Living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur is a large global city that has everything to offer. It is a highly modern city and all kinds of services are widely accessible. The cost of living in the city is fairly high but it is lower compared to many European capitals and cities. Since internship contracts normally lasts for 3-6 months, it can be difficult to find affordable accommodation in the city. Especially if you are not enrolled with a Malaysian university that can provide you with accommodation. It tends to be difficult to get a rent contract for a shorter period in the city. During my time in Kuala Lumpur, I used Airbnb where I found many affordable offers around the city. I rented a room in a three-bedroom apartment with shared access to the bathroom and kitchen. I paid €280 per month which included access to the gym and pool in the building. This is a common set up for many apartments and Airbnbs in Kuala Lumpur. I even got a discount on the price since I booked for a longer stay. I would highly recommend this kind of accommodation since it is nice to have your own room and access to a kitchen when you are working full time.
Public transport is widely accessible and affordable in Kuala Lumpur. Commuter
trains run in all directions of the city and there is a monorail option when travelling in
the city centre. The public transport is airconditioned and very punctual. Since Kuala
Lumpur is a very large city, there is limited access for pedestrians which makes
walking difficult. There is a local taxi system called Grab Go which is similar to Uber
and can be used around the city. Grab Go is an app where you can order taxi services
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