My name is Elaina Estrin, I am a junior at the School of Diplomacy and International Relations, with minors in Economics and Modern Languages. I am interning with the United Nations Foundation (UNF) as a United Nations Relations and Policy intern. UNF is a nonprofit organization that combines the work of the UN with the work of others around the world to help tackle global issues.
One of my main responsibilities is to compile the daily update that is sent out to UNF staff and partners. The daily update includes any new information put out by the UN, including new appointments, reports released by various UN missions, updates from UN organizations, all briefings conducted at the UN, as well as any up to the minute news from countries in conflict around the world. This newsletter is a great source of news for anyone working in or with the UN. Other responsibilities at the UNF also include attending events at the UN that align with the goals of UNF, compiling briefings, and updating the staff about these events. I have been able to follow announcements on the Syria negotiations, post Paris Agreement talks, highlights of Davos (the World Economic Form), humanitarian financing, events predating the World Humanitarian Summit, and the Secretary General’s Plan of Action to prevent violent extremism just to name a few.
My classes at the School of Diplomacy have guided and prepared me for this internship opportunity. From classes like International Relations, which laid the groundwork for my knowledge in the field and introduced me to some of the issue areas that I am most passionate about today; to Institutions of Global Governance, which introduced me to the different actors in the international system, global problems, and global policymaking. The School of Diplomacy also introduced me to Public International Law and how different agreements at the UN translate legally, as well as what constitutes a human rights violation or a war crime. This understanding of the international community and international law is vital to work in the fast-paced environment of the UNF.
When UNF was first launched in 1998, its main purpose was to support UN causes. Over the years, UNF’s role has transformed from encouraging support for the UN to creating huge global campaigns in partnership with the UN on some of the biggest issues that humanity is facing in the 21st century. A lot of the work I do is in support of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are the world framework for the next 15 years. Some of the other issues UNF focuses on are child health, climate change, energy, technology, women and girls, and population.
I not only learned about the inner workings of a nonprofit organization, but also about the UN and its noble causes. Interning with UNF greatly improved my writing and critical thinking skills, which will be valuable in any profession. The knowledge I gained from researching different international issues for UNF has been the biggest takeaway; it has increased my passion and drive to create change for women and girls an in education.
