The office for Projects Abroad's Human Rights internships in Mongolia.

Human Rights Internship in Mongolia

Get practical work experience and do important human rights research at NGOs in Ulaanbaatar

Destination

Mongolia

Age

18+ y/o

Minimum Stay

2 weeks

Start Date

Anytime

Accommodation

Homestay

What’s Included

24/7 Support

Round-the-clock support on the ground and 24/7 back up from our global teams.

Accommodation & Amenities

Clean, safe, and welcoming accommodation. A home away from home with comfortable amenities.

Activities, Training & Equipment

All programme activities and equipment, including training and workshops from experienced professionals.

Certification

Certified record of service hours, workshops, and activities for your CV.

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Starting at £1,675 for 2 weeks

Flexible 0% Interest payments

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Trip Overview

Gain human rights experience

Work alongside experienced professionals in Ulaanbaatar, contributing to research, advocacy, and training initiatives focused on human rights issues.

Learn about Mongolian law

Gain practical knowledge of Mongolian law and human rights practices, researching social issues and contributing to legal reform efforts.

Explore Mongolian culture

Live with a caring, local host family, enjoy traditional Mongolian cuisine, and experience the warmth and hospitality of the local people.

See the eternal blue sky

Explore the Steppes of Mongolia and the one-of-a-kind capital, Ulaanbaatar, while learning about the country’s rich history and cultural heritage.

Develop advocacy skills

Enhance your research, communication, and advocacy skills while contributing to human rights initiatives and broadening your global perspective.

What you need to know

Overview

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.

A Day in the Life

A typical day in Mongolia runs from 10 am – 5 pm, 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’s home. Use each moment of your time abroad wisely!

Aims & Impact

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-around 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.

Activities

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 nomadic 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.

Map & Location

Mongolia, known as “The Land of the Eternal Blue Sky”, is a true one-off. Discover a country rich in history and culture, where one-third of people live as nomads, moving their traditional ger homes with the seasons. Witness an ancient way of life and enjoy stunning landscapes.

With 250 sunny days a year, it’s perfect for outdoor adventures. Attend the Naadam festival, a showcase of wrestling, horse racing, and archery. And don’t miss the world’s largest equestrian statue, a tribute to Genghis Khan.

Ulaanbaatar

Home to half of Mongolia’s population, the capital city of Ulaanbaatar is a fascinating blend of old and new. Located in north-central Mongolia, it is at a crossroad between it’s better known neighbours, China and Russia.

You will see skyscrapers and traditional tents side-by-side, workers in suits and monks in conversation, and surviving monasteries from pre-soviet occupation.

It is the world’s coldest capital city, but often reaches warm temperatures in the summer!

Food & Accommodation

Settle into your home away from home in Mongolia. We provide everything you need for a comfortable and enriching stay, including a clean bed, three meals a day, and access to clean drinking water. You’ll be welcomed into the home of a carefully vetted local family, hand-picked by Projects Abroad, who will introduce you to a brand new way of life.

Your host family’s house will be safe, secure, and clean, giving you somewhere to relax and rest with other Projects Abroad participants. Speak with your host family, share your culture, and experience theirs while enjoying delicious home-cooked food.

Transport to and from your placement is organised entirely by our team, so you’ll never need to stress about navigating somewhere you don’t know.

Free Time and Leisure

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, the largest equestrian statue in the world, 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.

Your Arrival Made Easy

When you arrive at your respective airport, a member of Projects Abroad staff will be there to meet you. You can find more detailed information on arrival airports, orientation, and visas on our Mongolia Arrival Procedures page.