At a glance
- Help us research some of the country’s biggest human rights and social challenges alongside experienced professionals.
- You’ll deal with topics that have had a major effect on local communities, such as: domestic violence, alcoholism, and children’s rights.
- A supervisor will guide you whilst you gain a deeper insight into championing human rights in a developing country.
Start Dates:
Anytime
See DatesMinimum Duration:
Two Weeks
Ages:
18 or over
You should be a law or social work student, or have a background in law or human rights.
Is this Human Rights internship in Mongolia right for me?
The Human Rights Internship in Mongolia is perfect for any student pursuing studies related to human rights work, like law and social work. It’s also ideal for students who enjoy research and analysis, and want to get experience working with NGOs. This kind of experience gives your CV an extra edge, and will give you interesting points to talk about in interviews and application essays.
Research is a huge part of this internship, so you need to be willing to hone these skills here. There may also be an opportunity to get involved in outreach campaigns and advocacy work.
To join this internship, you should be a law or social work student, or have a background in law or human rights.
This internship is available all year round so you can join whenever it suits your schedule. We recommend staying for as long as possible to get the most out of your placement.
What will I do on this project?
We work with both local and international partner NGOs. Each placement has a different focus, but they all work towards addressing social problems in Mongolia. Here are some examples of the work you can do:
- Help with research on human rights abuses taking place currently in Mongolia
- Assist Mongolian human rights organisations with training
- Participate in advocacy work by leading a campaign and presenting it to staff
- Take part in helping raise the funds needed for community work
Your work will be split into four main areas:
Help with research on human rights abuses
You will create research documents which address serious social issues in Mongolia. These include topics like family violence, alcoholism, human trafficking, or the need for more prisoners’, children’s, and nomad rights. Your research can be used to create proposals, which are needed for funding. With enough funds, more human rights research can take place.
Assist human rights organisations with training
One of our placements promotes civic education and social wellbeing for individuals, groups, organisations, and communities. They do this through training, counselling, research, and advocacy work. Another placement focuses on the promotion and protection of human rights and social justice in Mongolia. During training sessions, you will accompany teams as they prepare and work with locals. You may also be asked to prepare presentations on the human rights issues in your home country, and discuss how they are similar or different to Mongolia.
Participate in advocacy work
At your placement, you are encouraged to lead your own campaign on a topic that you’re passionate about. You will research the topic and present it to your colleagues.
Almost all of our human rights placements in Mongolia take part in advocacy work. Part of your internship involves working with dedicated staff as they lobby and advocate for marginalised groups in the country. You’ll help them build strong cases and educate people on their rights.
Take part in community work fundraising
As part of your human rights work in Mongolia, you can also take part in helping raise funds for much-needed community development work. The funding will help disadvantaged families and placements in need. These funds will buy things like the paint needed to refurbish school walls. Participating in fundraising activities like this lets you make a tangible difference.
Where will I be working in Mongolia?
Ulaanbaatar
Depending on your interests and background, there are a number of Human Rights placements in Mongolia available for you:
- A centre for human rights and development
- An organisation promoting civic education (the duties and rights of citizens) and social well being
- A centre against violence (this placement requires you to work for longer than three months, be a native English speaker, and have a background in law)
All of our Human Rights placements in Mongolia are based in Ulaanbaatar.
Ulaanbaatar is filled with history and culture. You can learn about the famous Genghis Khan, founder of the Mongol Empire, or use a weekend to visit the wandering nomads. Your internship in Mongolia is the perfect opportunity to see as much of the country as possible during your free time.
A typical day as a Human Rights intern in Mongolia
A typical day in Mongolia runs from 10am - 5pm, Monday to Friday. You’ll start by eating breakfast with your host family before heading out to your placement. With your personal laptop in your bag and dressed smartly, you can take a bus, walk, or use a trolleybus. On your first day, we’ll show you the easiest way to get to work.
You will work with a supervisor who guides your tasks and challenges you to do more, and better. Ask questions and learn as much as you can from the team.
Most of your work will revolve around research for your placement, on topics like domestic violence, women's rights, child protection, sexism in the workplace, rights for nomads and so much more. Punctuality and the correct dress code are important because your internship takes place in a professional environment.
During your free time, explore, plan a trip to visit nomadic families who live far outside the city centre, visit a Mongolian monastery, meet volunteers from around the world, or relax at your host family home. Use each moment of your time abroad wisely!
What are the aims and impacts of this project?
The aim of this internship is to assist Mongolian NGOs with quality research, and help improve the legal system in the country. You will play an active part in this process.
Domestic violence, alcoholism, and a lack of rights for women, disabled persons, or prisoners are some of the social challenges facing Mongolians. You will research topics that assist ongoing advocacy work for marginalised groups in Mongolia.
You will work alongside professional supervisors with backgrounds in social work, management or human rights activism. This is a perfect opportunity to put your academic theory into practice, while working with dedicated and passionate teams in a developing country.
During your internship, you will also see the impact of Mongolia’s shift from communism to a more democratic system and the effect this has had on its people. This will give you an all round view of the country.
Help us with the work we do by joining us as an intern, while also gaining human rights work experience in Mongolia.
Measuring our impact
Our projects work towards clear long-term goals, with specific annual objectives. Every volunteer and intern we send to these projects helps us work towards these goals, no matter how long they spend on our projects.
Every year we take a step back and look at how much progress we've made towards these goals. We put together a Global Impact Report, which documents our achievements. Find out more about the impact our global community of volunteers, interns and staff make, and read the latest report.
Food and accommodation
You'll stay with a host family in Ulaanbaatar. They will welcome you into their home, eager to share their customs and have you teach them about your own culture. We believe that this is the best way to immerse yourself in the culture of Mongolia and have a truly unique experience.
We will always try to let you live alongside at least one other Projects Abroad volunteer or intern at the same host family. Your room will be modest, but comfortable, clean, and safe.
Your programme fee includes three meals a day.
Find out more about our accommodation.
Leisure activities and free time
Mongolia is one of the most remote countries in the world. Volunteering here is a chance to experience a completely different way of life.
Our projects are based in Ulaanbaatar, the country’s capital. This city is an eclectic mix of modern and traditional. The Government Palace is a perfect example of this, with it’s old-world style architecture and glowing blue and gold lights.
Even when you’re in the city, you’re never far from the countryside. Just a quick trip can take you out to a nomad settlement, where you can meet travelling families who live in traditional gers. We recommend going on a horse ride or trek to take in the beauty of the endless countryside horizons.
The famous statue of Genghis Khan is a must-see. You can also learn about the country’s history at the National Museum of Mongolia.
We run a range of different projects in Mongolia so there will likely be other volunteers in the country with you. So you can travel alone or explore the country with a group of like-minded new friends.
Safety and staff support
Your safety and security is our prime concern. We have many procedures and systems to ensure you have the support you need to enjoy your trip with peace of mind. Our Projects Abroad staff are available 24 hours a day to help, and will be on hand to make sure you settle in well at your accommodation and placement. If you encounter any problems, they will be available to help at any time.
Find out more about safety and backup.
This placement is fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.
Meet the team in Mongolia
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