Fall 2013 UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP Women’s Rights Project, NY

Fall 2013 UNDERGRADUATE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITY
NOTICE TO UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
Women's Rights Project, NY

For more than 92 years, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation (ACLU), has been at the forefront of virtually every major battle for civil liberties and equal justice in this country. Principled and nonpartisan, the ACLU has offices in all 50 states, Washington, DC and Puerto Rico, and brings together the country's largest team of public interest lawyers, lobbyists, communication strategists, and members and activists in the advancement of equality, fairness, and freedom, especially for the most vulnerable in our society.

The Women's Rights Project (WRP) of the ACLU's National Office in New York City seeks undergraduate interns for Fall 2013.

OVERVIEW

Founded in 1972 by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the Women's Rights Project (WRP) has been a leader in the legal battle to ensure women's full equality in American society. WRP is dedicated to the advancement of the right of women to lead lives of dignity free from violence and discrimination, including discrimination based on gender stereotypes.

WRP focuses on women's rights in the following priority areas: education (including single sex education, the rights of pregnant and parenting teens, and gender-based violence and harassment in schools), violence against women (including battered women's rights to be free from discrimination in housing, employment, and government services and including the right to hold institutions, including government and employers, accountable for preventing and responding to gender-based violence), employment (including the rights of women in female-dominated industries such as childcare, women in non-traditional employment, pregnant and parenting women, and women with criminal records), and civil liberties and human rights issues affecting women and girls (including criminal justice issues affecting women and girls, as well as the rights of women and girls to bodily dignity and integrity). Cutting across these core priorities, WRP seeks to bring an international human rights framework to its litigation and advocacy. Through litigation, community outreach, advocacy, and public education, WRP pushes for change and systemic reform in those institutions that perpetuate discrimination against women.

The Women's Rights Project has overall responsibility for implementing ACLU policy in the area of gender discrimination. WRP conducts direct litigation, files amicus curiae briefs, provides support for ACLU affiliate litigation, serves as a resource for ACLU legislative work on women's rights and seeks to advance ACLU policy goals through public education, organizing and coalition advocacy. WRP has been an active participant in virtually all of the major gender discrimination litigation in the Supreme Court, in Congressional efforts to promote gender equality, and in significant communications and public education efforts on behalf of women and girls.

INTERNSHIP OVERVIEW

The Fall 2013 undergraduate internship requires a 10-12 week commitment. The internship is part-time, with weekly hours that are negotiable. Because this is an unpaid internship, students are strongly encouraged to seek outside funding for the internship. Arrangements can be made with the student's school for work/study stipend or course credit.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The undergraduate internship program is designed to provide interns with the opportunity to learn about public interest work. Interns will be under the direct supervision of the Project's staff and will have the opportunity to work on a range of significant issues and projects. Interns will gain experience by:

• Providing assistance in the preparation of court filings and public education materials.
• Handling inquiries from those seeking legal assistance.
• Providing assistance in the maintenance of case files and the compiling of press files.
• Working on other projects as assigned.

EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The internship is open to recent graduates or students who are currently enrolled in an undergraduate program and will have completed at least one year of college.

Applicants must possess:

• Strong research skills, including internet research.
• Strong writing and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated initiative to see projects through to completion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Strong interest in women's rights, social justice and civil liberties issues.
• Please include any additional language skills and/or computer skills in your application.

The ACLU is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status.

We encourage applicants with disabilities who may need accommodations in the application process to contact:Recruitment@aclu.org. Correspondence sent to this address that is not related to accommodations will not be reviewed. Applicants should follow the instructions above regarding how to apply.

The ACLU comprises two separate corporate entities, the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation. Both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are national organizations with the same overall mission, and share office space and employees. The ACLU has two separate corporate entities in order to do a broad range of work to protect civil liberties. This job posting refers collectively to the two organizations under the name "ACLU".