Organisational Unit
Victims and Witnesses Section, Registry
Duty Station
The Hague
Contract Duration
6 months
Deadline for Applications
31 December 2026
Due to the volume of applications received, only successful applicants will be contacted by the Court.
Please note that the purpose of this vacancy announcement is to provide hiring managers with a list of suitable candidates from which they may make a selection throughout the year. To this end, candidates are required to specify their availability in the relevant field when applying.
Required Documents for this Application
Please note that you will need to have the following information ready in order to complete your application:
- A completed “Duties and Responsibilities Form” (refer to step 1 on your eRecruitment Profile page).
- Motivation letter (maximum of 400 words in French or English).
- Two reference letters (one academic).
- Scanned copies of university degrees and/or diplomas.
- Scanned copies of official academic transcripts that state your courses, subject, results and completion date.
- One short essay on a subject relevant to the political, or security situation in the areas of operation of the International Criminal Court (maximum of 750 words, single spaced, type written, in French or English).
Contract Duration
Interns are required to work full time for a period between three and six months (to be agreed to prior to commencement). Internship placements shall usually not be extended beyond six months.
The Opportunity
The International Criminal Court (ICC) investigates and, where warranted, tries individual charges with the gravest crimes of concerns to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and crimes of aggression. The Court is participating in the global fight to end impunity, and through international criminal justice, the Court aims to hold those responsible accountable for their crimes and to help prevent the crimes from happening again. You can contribute to this cause by joining the ICC.
Organisational Context
In accordance with article 43 paragraph 6 of the Rome Statute, the Victims and Witnesses Section (VWS) shall provide protective measures and security arrangements, counselling and other appropriate assistance for witnesses and victims who appear before the Court and to others who are at risk on account of testimony given by such witnesses. The Section, placed within the Registry, may advise the Prosecutor and the Court on appropriate protective measures, security arrangements, counselling and assistance as referred to in article 43, paragraph 6.
The Section is responsible for ensuring that the witnesses appear in the court appropriately protected and supported and as scheduled by the Chambers. Furthermore, the Section is responsible for the management of the ICC Protection Programme and may cooperate with States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations in providing any of the protection and support measures stipulated by the Statute.
Duties and Responsibilities
- Media and news monitoring; analysis of information, as well as press research;
- Conduct open sources research on situation countries and on topics of relevance to the Victims & Witnesses Section;
- Assist with translation of documents
- Assist in drafting reports, preparing and giving presentations on assigned topics;
- Conduct general administration tasks;
- Any other task as entrusted by the Head of the Team.
- Due to confidentiality and security reasons, during the internship, the intern will not directly interact with victims/witnesses and will not travel to the field to conduct assessments. The internship will take place entirely in the HQ and aims at supporting the Analysis team in its tasks.
Required Qualifications
Education
All Candidates must have a degree or be in the final stages of their studies in political science, international relations or security management. Candidates are expected to have a very good record of academic performance.
Work Experience
Internship placements focus on candidates in the early stages of their professional careers, therefore, practical experience is not an essential prerequisite for selection. However, practical experience that is relevant to the work of the Court may be considered an asset. Applicants must have less than three years of relevant full-time professional experience to be considered for an internship. Practical experience in one or more of the following areas are an asset:
- Countries affected by armed conflicts;
- Information analysis; research;
- Security and risk management.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strong drafting skills are required.
- IT software/research skills are considered an asset.
- Adaptability to a multicultural and multilingual working environment encompassing the principal legal traditions of the world.
- Ability to work effectively in a team as well as independently.
- A very good standard of computer literacy (especially Microsoft Office applications)
- Other important qualities are discretion and respect of confidentiality, reliability, intellectual rigor, precision, perseverance, honesty, creativity, co-operative spirit and integrity.
Languages
Proficiency in one of the working languages of the Court, French or English, is required. Working knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of Arabic, Russian or Georgian is considered an asset.
Other criteria
It is the Court’s objective to have diversity and gender balance. In line with the ICC’s efforts to improve geographical representation among staff, nationals of non-represented and under-represented countries at the ICC are encouraged to apply. The list can be found here.
Remuneration
Please note that internship and visiting professional placements at the ICC are unfunded. The ICC is not able to provide participants in the Internship and Visiting Professional Programme with any remuneration, nor is it possible to provide reimbursement for expenses incurred prior, during or after the internship or visiting professional placement.
Applicants must therefore be able to support themselves for the entire duration of their internship or visiting professional placement.
