UN-INTERN/SWITZERLAND Unpaid UN intern who Swiss media say lived in a tent to cut costs, quits job

Record ID: 144233

  • Title: UN-INTERN/SWITZERLAND Unpaid UN intern who Swiss media say lived in a tent to cut costs, quits job
  • Date: 12th August 2015
  • Summary: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 12, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HEADLINE ON FRONT PAGE OF SWISS NEWSPAPER 'TRIBUNE DE GENEVE' DATED TUESDAY, AUGUST 11 READING (French): 'UNPAID INTERN AT THE U.N., DAVID LIVES IN A TENT' WATER FOUNTAINS IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNPAID INTERN AT THE U.N., DAVID HYDE, SAYING: "I am announcing my resignation from the United Nations Internship program. I want to make it very clear that the U.N. did not ask me to leave or pressure me to make this decision in any way. It's my own decision and I choose to resign because I feel it would be too difficult to continue, to focus on my work as an intern at this stage." WATER FOUNTAINS IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNPAID INTERN AT THE U.N., DAVID HYDE, SAYING: "After graduating, I began to apply for jobs, but all I could really find was internships. And in every interview, the same questions always came up towards the end: 'Can you afford to fully fund yourself for the duration of this internship?' When I answered this with an honest 'No', my application was declined. And so, when I applied for this role with the U.N., I did not fully disclose my true financial situation. I said I had enough to support myself when really I didn't. And I got the job." WATER FOUNTAINS IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNPAID INTERN AT THE U.N., DAVID HYDE, SAYING: "The U.N. was clear about their internship policy from the start. No wage or stipend, no transport help, no food allowance, no health assistance. I understood this and in that regard I have to take responsibility for accepting the internship in the first place." WATER FOUNTAINS IN FRONT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HEADQUARTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNPAID INTERN AT THE U.N., DAVID HYDE, SAYING: "At this stage, I think that the focus needs to move away from me. Interns all over the world need to come together and push for the recognition of our value and our equal rights that we deserve. Because, as the declaration of human rights states so clearly: Everyone, without discrimination has the right to equal pay for equal work. Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration. I hope to see the United Nations become a role model for all on the issue of internships in the future. Thank you." VARIOUS EXTERIORS OF U.N. HEADQUARTERS VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN U.N. CORRIDOR GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 11, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF NEWS BRIEFING UNDERWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.N. SPOKESPERSON, AHMAD FAWSI, SAYING: "The whole issue here, is why don't we pay interns? The answer to that question is very simple. In the U.N. secretariat we don't pay interns because there is a General Assembly resolution that prohibits us from paying interns. We are not allowed to, even if we want to, and believe me, we want to. And we would welcome a change to that resolution." GENEVA, SWITZERLAND (AUGUST 12, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF U.N. HEADQUARTERS
  • Embargoed: 27th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Switzerland
  • Country: Switzerland
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2ZLJZTDTNSL6B3M780LN8HSYA
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: An unpaid intern at the United Nations, who says he lived in a tent because he could not afford the high rent in Geneva, said on Wednesday (August 12) he had resigned from his job.
    David Hyde from New Zealand has been spending his nights in a tent mounted on a patch of grass near Lake Geneva since he started his internship, according to Swiss newspaper Tribune de Geneve.
    Reading out a written statement to media gathered in front of the United Nations headquarters, Hyde said he had decided to quit his internship of his own accord, because it would be too difficult to continue in his role.
    The 22-year-old has a degree in international relations and spent a semester at French university Sciences Po in Paris before coming to Geneva, the Tribune de Geneve reported.
    Hyde said he had been turned down from intern placements in the past when he admitted to not having sufficient resources to finance himself.
    "After graduating, I began to apply for jobs, but all I could really find was internships. And in every interview, the same questions always came up towards the end: 'Can you afford to fully fund yourself for the duration of this internship?' When I answered this with an honest 'No', my application was declined," he said.
    "And so, when I applied for this role with the U.N., I did not fully disclose my true financial situation. I said I had enough to support myself when really I didn't. And I got the job," he added.
    Hyde said he knew what he was signing up for when the U.N. specified his job would be unpaid with no additional perks.
    "The U.N. was clear about their internship policy from the start. No wage or stipend, no transport help, no food allowance, no health assistance. I understood this and in that regard I have to take responsibility for accepting the internship in the first place," he said.
    Hyde said the system of unpaid internships was unfair and that interns all over the world need to come together and push for the recognition of their value and equal rights they deserve.
    "As the declaration of human rights states so clearly: Everyone, without discrimination has the right to equal pay for equal work. Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration. I hope to see the United Nations become a role model for all on the issue of internships in the future," he said.
    Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, United Nations spokesperson Ahmad Fawsi said a U.N. General Assembly resolution prevented interns from getting paid.
    "The whole issue here is why don't we pay interns? The answer to that question is very simple. In the U.N. secretariat we don't pay interns because there is a General Assembly resolution that prohibits us from paying interns. We are not allowed to, even if we want to, and believe me, we want to."
    He added the U.N. would welcome a change to the resolution.
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