Internship Opportunity at the Transnational Legal Clinic Defending a Living Earth

Location: Lund, Sweden, in-person at the RWI or Sociology of Law Department, Lund University. Remote internship is also an option*.* If the internship is part of your academic studies, such as a course, it can be full-time. Otherwise, it will be part-time, up to 50 %. Unpaid internship. Duration: spring 2026 and/or fall 2026

Join Dr. Claudia Ituarte-Lima (RWI) , Dr. Ana Maria Vargas Falla (Lund University) and Dr. Maria Andrea Nardi (RWI) as an intern of the Defend-Bio Legal Clinic.

Defend-BIO legal clinic has as main objectives to: catalyse legal empowerment, promote active learning among university students, generate awareness training and transitional accountability. The focus being on developing legal empowerment tools for defenders in the Global South, utilising South to South and EU and Global South collaborations.

About the Internship

After an introductory training period, you will contribute to generating fresh insights into the role of biosphere defenders as agents of change in the implementation of law and policy. You’ll explore how these defenders trigger integrated responses to biodiversity stewardship and human well-being. Additionally, you will analyse how law and policy actors from both the Global South and Europe can support biosphere defenders in nature-based solutions and human rights for just sustainability transformations.

A key part of this internship involves contributing to the DEFEND-BIO transnational research project, focused on "Biosphere Defenders Leveraging Legal and Governance Tools for Just Sustainability Transformations." For this project, RWI and Lund University are in partnership with leading institutions from Belgium, Switzerland, The Netherlands, and Denmark, and have strong collaborations with Global South partners. See more information here: https://defendbio.eu/

Main areas in focus will be:

• Conduct research, reviews, and analysis on academic and policy reports related to human rights, environment and defenders
• Collect, systematise, and analyse data on case studies across various countries
• Contribute to the co-development of legal empowerment tools with civil society groups
• Participate in discussions on legal and governance innovations related to the right to a healthy environment and other human rights
• Develop outreach materials, such as news articles and blog posts, based on findings

Please note, RWI and Lund University are not responsible for visa applications or any related administrative procedures.

Upon successful completion, the intern will be asked to write a brief report, and a certificate will be issued.

✅ Requirements

We welcome applications from Master’s level students from diverse disciplines, including Human Rights, Environmental Law, Business Law, European Law, Sociology of Law, Sustainability Science, Economics and Business, Communications, Journalism, Human Geography or other related disciplines.

Candidates should have the ability to work independently, as well as collaboratively within a team. Fluency in written and spoken English is required, and knowledge of additional languages, particularly Spanish, is an asset.

Application procedure

In your application, specify if you are interested in conducting a one or two semester internship. In case of only one semester, specify if it is Spring 2026 or Fall 2026.

To apply, please send your CV and cover letter (maximum one page) by no later than 15 Jan. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early.

For further information, please contact: Dr Claudia Ituarte-Lima at claudia.ituarte-lima@rwi.lu.se, Dr. Ana Maria Vargas at ana_maria.vargas_falla@soclaw.lu.se or Dr Maria Andrea Nardi at maria_andrea.nardi@keg.lu.se

The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law is a world-leading organisation dedicated to promoting human rights, humanitarian law, and sustainable development. Through research, education, and collaboration, the Institute works globally to strengthen respect for human rights and foster fair and inclusive societies.