Why cant you just pay us!

One year of hunting for paid internships in international organisations has made me anti-social, frustrated and sick. How does any international organisation expect qualified professionals to work for nothing, especially those coming from low socio-economic backgrounds? Interns work as much as (and at times more than) staff members do. Their obligations towards the organisation and the tasks they perform are in no way different from those of the staff members. Yet, they are expected to travel from their home countries to wherever the organisation is, find accomodation, travel, eat and survive for three-six months all by themselves. It is different in the case of students undertaking summer internships during their undergraduate/graduate studies (which is generally in their hometowns) as these are primarily for gaining practical experience than monetary gain. In case of internships undertaken after graduation or after a few years of work experience calling for unpaid work is unfair and irrational, especially in international organisations.

Take the internships in certain international tribunals in the Hague - how can anyone rationalise the unpaid nature of these internships? How can any young graduate be expected to survive in Den Haag for six months with no pay (even with the generous stipend that ICC gives me, I feel like I am walking on a tight rope)? The argument of these organisations is that they are being funded by State Parties, who allow payments only for staff members in their budgets and that they are taking interns for the sole purpose of enabling them to get an insight into the working of the organisation. These organisations also argue that after three-six months of unpaid work, a large number of interns are generally given contracts or at times even hired as permanent employees and most interns do not have anything to complain about.

Of course they would not have anything to comment about as most unpaid interns in international organisations come from affluent backgrounds or have a sponsorship from their educational institution. In case of developing and less developed countries, the possibility of obtaining sponsorship or funding from an educational institution does not exist at all. Universities in countries like India have enough trouble managing their own existence and cannot be expected to extend their finances for funding internships.

Most international organisations are located in Europe or in the United States of America (and are flooded with interns from Europe and America). This makes it extremely difficult for Asian and African students to make it to these organisations. While these organisations strive to establish equality, abolish discrimination and help the third world countries, the policy of having unpaid internships (and thereby indirectly discouraging candidates from such countries) seems to be paradoxical.

Organisations like the International Criminal Court, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Labour Organisation (and a very few other organisations) have a policy to pay interns who come from a developing country or a low socio-economic background. This has enabled a lot of interns from various countries in Asia and Africa to gain international experience, which they otherwise would not have. These organisations do not lose anything out of paying interns. On the other hand, they would be saving costs (compared to what they would have to pay if they wanted a staff member to do the intern's tasks). It is time these organisations understood that if they really are against discrimination, they should be paying their interns.

Drafting Conventions on minimum wages and right against discrimination and not paying their own interns - I just cant understand what these organisations are playing at!