Internships at the IACHR

2025 Winter/Spring Session (Washington, D.C.) & Session I (Country Offices)

Applications: Aug 26 - Sep 13, 2024

Internship sessions: Jan 09 - Apr 25, 2025

The Inter-American Commission has an internship program that is managed in conjunction with the OAS Internship Program. It gives young students and those recently graduated from the OAS Member States the opportunity to learn about the IACHR and work in applying the protection mechanisms provided by the inter-American human rights system. One of the benefits of this program is that after the internship, the acquired knowledge is used in the intern’s home country.

The IACHR has opportunities for law students and recently graduated lawyers, as well as for students or recent graduates of international cooperation and fundraising, journalism, graphic design, computer information technology and translation. The IACHR Press Office receives students and recent graduates in journalism, graphic design and Web design, offering the opportunity to learn and work in the promotion of human rights in the region. In addition, the IACHR receives students and recent graduates in translation who can work in at least two of the four official languages of the OAS (English, Spanish, Portuguese and French), as well as computer information technology majors.

During the internship, the participants have the opportunity to work with the Executive Secretariat's professionals and staff on the various activities carried out by the IACHR. The specific assignments are given by the Executive Secretariat. The program has three sessions each year, with established dates. The internships are unpaid.

Over the years, dozens of young people have been interns or fellows at the IACHR. Many of them have gone on to defend human rights in their home countries, perhaps by representing victims of human rights violations, filing petitions and requests for precautionary measures with the Commission, advising civil society organizations that represent victims in the inter-American system, or working with government bodies and Ombudsmen’s Offices. The knowledge these young students and attorneys acquire on how the inter-American system works, through their experience at the IACHR, plays a role in their professional development in international human rights law, and also has a multiplying effect that takes place when they return to their home countries.

Objectives

The objective of the internship is to provide law students and recent law school graduates (or other disciplines mentioned above) from OAS Member States the opportunity to learn about the Commission’s work. It is also an opportunity to acquire practical training in the area of human rights.

During the internship, the participants have the opportunity to work together with the lawyers of the Executive Secretariat in different activities that are carried out by the IACHR.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should apply via the OAS Internship Program web page where an electronic application is accessible during the open application periods, which are indicated on the Program’s web page. In this electronic application please be sure to indicate your interest in the IACHR. It is important that applicants review the requirements for applying and upload all required documentation to the electronic form.    

Information of Interest

The internship program is administered by the General Secretariat of the OAS and does not offer any payment or stipend.

The internship program has established dates and durations. For participants fulfilling a university requirement with a specific internship length, documentation from the university specifying the length is required.

For additional information please visit the Program’s web page.


Equal Employment Policy

As an international organization that promotes human rights, the SG/IACHR is fully committed to equal employment opportunity, based on their individual merits.

The Organization of American States does not discriminate against any individual, employee, or application for employment on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or status as a parent.