There are hundreds of past and present UN interns in Geneva and you will surely receive lots of good advice, but one thing you must understand and accept right away is that UN staff are not allowed to undertake any employment, paid or otherwise, outside the UN system.  Equally, employers are not allowed to offer employment to them.

So do your sums now and make sure you have the wherewithal to live, work, and play in Geneva without moonlighting on the side.

Yes, I do know that’s tough news but that’s the way it is.

Meanwhile, all the very best for happy and positive experiences during your time in Geneva.

R.

If you employ a baby-sitter who doesn’t have a Red Cross qualification and there is any kind of incident or accident,, you can find yourself in real trouble with local authorities to say nothing of any insurance claims that may be involved.

Hi Richie and Brett!

Thank you kindly for your responses. 

My internship description states that interns do not count as UN STAFF. But of course, I will discuss all the practicalities related to al this with HR. 

However, Richie, if you could forward me the source of your information regarding babysitting and/or the legal aspects of job seeking, I would be very grateful. 

And Brett, it comes as a surprise to me too, but as I don't know much about the laws of Switzerland for autonomous work, I wouldn't know what to say. I think, ultiamtely, it comes to what the parents want and pay for, like everywhere else?

Have a good evening!

I think you might find the Geneva Interns Association’s website a useful source of practical information.

Best, R.

The bottom line is that virtually all (except UNOPS and UNICEF) UN agencies do not pay interns, do not provide a stipend, housing or any financial support, but expect you to shoulder all your expenses. Yet, they will expect to count with all your time and energy during the time you are here.

You need to be aware that living expenses in Geneva are very high. Unless you come from a wealthy background and/or you will have support from your family or have sufficient savings, you will be facing a real challenge. What you need to do is to have a very realistic budget, and reduce your expenses as much as you realistically can. Living in France can help, as housing and living costs are lower.

You may be able to find ways of having some income - although you are not supposed to have parallel employment -, but you should not come with the expectation that you will. In addition, if you want to benefit from the opportunity, you will have to devote sufficient time to your internship, and that will leave very little time for any side employment. What may be realistic is to find an arrangement with a family (preferably UN staff) who is willing to provide you with housing in exchange for helping with their children.

Are you aware of David Hyde's case? It brought attention to how bad it can get for UN interns. This article in the Nation discusses the issue quite adequately.

Here is a very negative opinion on internships and their presumed benefits from a UN staff member. I disagree with that article, but as you will see in the comments, many UN staff and former interns agree with it.

You do walk away with the experience and contacts, but you should be aware that you can not seek employment in the UN for 6 months after the end of your internship, and that, depending of where you want to seek employment afterwards, many employers are not as impressed as you and I are with the UN.

To get the most out of the internship, you should be clear and realistic about what it is that you want to get out of it. While there are many generous supervisors who will look after you, there are also many who will just use you. The clearer you are about you objectives, the more you can get out of your internship.

As a citizen of a EU country and a UN Intern, there is no legal aspects that you should worry about. Public transport is quite good, though a bit expensive.

Thank you for your detailed response and perspective, JR!

All the interns I have interacted with, as supervisor (at TGF, where they do receive a stipend), or as friend (WHO) enjoyed and profited from the experience. When I read the news about David Hyde, and the public discussion that ensued, I thought the interns had a point. Aside from whether interns should be paid, though, which I think they should, given the existing circumstances, it is those who came with realistic expectations and prepared for them best, who enjoyed the experience the most.

David Hyde acknowledged in this article, which I really recommend:https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33893384

You are doing the right thing, by seeking information and preparing in advance, and by checking with HR at the OHCHR. Good luck.