International Center for Transitional Justice - ICTJ internship program

Internship opportunities are offered year round and are designed to place students in a rich learning environment while providing practical experience working in the nonprofit sector. Exceptional intern alumni have been hired at the ICTJ on a permanent basis; many go on to pursue further education on transitional justice or work in the nonprofit sector.

Projects vary by department, but generally include administrative, analytical, research and special project support. Interns attend weekly discussions hosted by the heads of each thematic unit, and have the opportunity to be part of a roundtable discussion with ICTJ Executive Director Fernando Travesí.

Internship positions are reviewed on a rolling basis. Positions are available in the following areas:

• Communications and Publications
• Design Monitoring Evaluation
• Gender Justice
• Reparations
• Right to Truth
• Development

Please email a cover letter, resume, and brief (3-5 pages) writing sample to internships@ictj.org. Please include semester (ex. Spring 20xx) and the department you are applying to in the subject line. Students should check with their academic institution to see if they are eligible to receive academic credit for their internship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.

About us

The International Center for Transitional Justice works for justice in countries that have endured massive human rights abuses under repression and in conflict. We work with victims, civil society groups, national, and international organizations to ensure redress for victims and to help prevent atrocities from happening again.

Transitional justice work unfolds in unique and most challenging of conditions, in societies shaped by widespread violence, polarized politics and fragile institutions, where we invest our knowledge, effort and commitment to help heal fractured communities and restore confidence in the rule of law.

From full blown national and international conflicts to repressive governments ordinary people are very frequently the victims of abuses – and on a massive scale. Such violence may involve mass killings, forced disappearances, torture, rape, massive displacement, forced recruitment of children and myriad other crimes. It leaves societies devastated, with crumbling institutions that cannot serve its citizens and consequences lingering for generations. Transitional justice is about societies seeking to recover from such profound and systemic failure.

ICTJ brings more than 15 years of experience in over 40 countries to try to answer the difficult questions about what can be done in these terrible circumstances to ensure the dignity of victims is recognized and respected, and measures are taken to prevent the recurrence of violations.

While many groups working on human rights focus on exposing and denouncing violations and atrocities, our focus is on what often proves even more challenging – trying to put the pieces of a broken society back together again on foundations of justice and the rule of law. This requires staying in the struggle for the long haul and being an active part of the solution. Our work often begins when the cameras leave.