South Africa: Internship opportunity in conflict resolution

The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), a South African-based civil society organisation, is currently accepting applications for its Internship Programme. ACCORD works across Africa to bring creative African solutions to the challenges posed by conflict on the continent. ACCORD’s primary aim is to influence political developments by bringing conflict resolution, dialogue and institutional development to the forefront as an alternative to armed violence and protracted conflict. ACCORD specialises in conflict management, analysis and prevention and intervenes in conflicts through mediation, negotiation, training, research and conflict analysis.

ACCORD’s internship programme is a unique experience that allows interns to work directly on conflict resolution matters in Africa through an immersion in high profile and challenging environments. As a crucial component of ACCORD’s work, interns are highly valued and are expected to provide substantive support to the activities implemented by the organisation.

Applications are currently being considered by the organisation’s Peacemaking, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Units.

About the Units

- The Peacemaking Unit: The overall goal of the Peacemaking Unit is the prevention of violent conflict, and the promotion of dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts. The Unit is engaged with proactive and reactive peacemaking interventions through myriad categories of activities that include policy development, capacity building initiatives such as training forums, study tours, confidence building initiatives, institutional capacity building, contributing conflict analysis briefings, and others. At the time of writing particular attention was given to the situations in Sudan, Somalia, Madagascar and the Comoros.

-The Peacekeeping Unit: The Peacekeeping Unit, through its Training for Peace Programme, is one of the leading programmes on civilian peacekeeping. In the last 15 years, it has contributed towards capacity building within the broader ambit of regional and international peace operations at the practical and conceptual level in Africa. The Unit has given a crucial support to the development of African peacekeeping policies, particularly concerning the implementation of the civilian dimension of the African Standby Force.

- The Peacebuilding Unit: The Peacebuilding Unit has a strong focus on training, research, and policy development in the African peacebuilding field. In particular, its African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme (APCP) seeks to contribute to enhanced levels of coherence and coordination in peacebuilding, and to support the attainment of greater levels of local ownership of peacebuilding processes in African countries transitioning from conflict. Specifically, the Programme focuses its work on the peacebuilding processes currently underway in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Liberia and Sudan. The Peacebuilding Unit has been working with a multitude of countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Liberia, Sudan and Angola.

About the Internship

Candidates are required to have a graduate or post-graduate degree in social science (e.g. politics, international relations, and conflict resolution) and in the case of a graduate degree, preferably be enrolled in a post-graduate course (but not necessarily). The intern should be fully fluent in English. For the Peacebuilding and Peacemaking Units positions fluency in French would be a benefit. Previous working experience in the field is not a requirement but it is preferred that the candidate exhibits a strong commitment and understanding of the focal areas of the Unit he or she is applying for.

The internship is based at ACCORD’s Headquarters in Durban, South Africa. Interns are expected to start around early March. However, both the starting dates and the duration of the internship can be negotiated, according to the availability of the intern and/or ACCORD’s needs.

For more information on ACCORD and the internship programme, please find the attached document or access our website