Document3

Internal Voices No 3/ May 2008

Disclaimer: This publication is created by interns from UN agencies in Brus-sels. The views and opinions presented in this publication are those of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of the United Nations.

Bridging the Atlantic through debate 3

Lomborg, climate contrarian or green hero? 5

Agency Special: UNHCR 10

« Opinions and interests of a total of 20 interns from 11 different countries »

Drawing: Doriane Poulet


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« Even Condi started out as an intern ». Those were the words of Terry Ann Paolo when we interviewed her after the intern conference at the US Mission to the EU. In many ways an intern is in a rather special phase of life. Most of us have finished our studies, but we are not yet at a stage where we can lean back and see where life takes us. An internship is supposed to help us define what field of work we are interested in, and as young graduates today we are more or less obliged to start off by doing an internship- at least if the goal is to find a job in an internatio-nal environment. This short term professional experience thus turns into some sort of ritual you have to go through before entering the labour market, armed only with your CV. Anthropologists call such an experience a rite of passage: the period of time when you are situated betwixt and between the two defini-tions- student and employee. British anthropo-logist Mary Douglas has even argued that such a social transition is perceived of as dange-rous, since the social status is temporarily undefined and vague. Fortunately, an in-ternship is also an intense learning experience where you get to know yourself and your abi-lities. Should a slight anxiety pass through your mind when considering future work pro-spects, it can perhaps be of some help to know that you are in good company: even US Secre-taries of State must have broken out in a cold sweat over a job application at some point.

This magazine features the opinions and inte-rests of a total of 20 interns from 11 different countries, ranging from Colombia to Sweden. In terms of an international collaboration (if I dare use these words), our project doesn’t represent anything new. Undertaking an in-ternship is nothing out of the ordinary either, at least not in Brussels where there seem to be thousands of us – anyway, that’s the impres-sion you get if you go out on Place Lux any day of the week. But what is new here is per-haps the combination of the two factors, ad-ding up to a magazine that we hope could work as a forum for different thoughts and interests, reflecting to some extent our cultural baggage. Read this magazine in your free time, while procrastinating during work hours, read to learn something, read to pass time, read to know what’s going on in Brussels, read to know what’s going on in Nigeria, or get the latest thoughts on soaring food prices. Or

simply read. I’ll let you get on with it. Enjoy!

Mariann Klingberg Norway

Intern at UNRIC

Editorial 2 Bridging the Atlantic 3 Food crisis in the EU 4

Climate and media 5 EU migration Policy 6

Birth registration 7

Regulars:

UN Brussels campaigns 8

Agency Special: UNHCR 9-10 Portrait: Thomas Stelzer 11 Country Special: Nigeria 12

Leisure:

Interns on internships 13

Working in Brussels 14 Brussels and Starbucks 15

Artist Special: Klaas Ornelis 16

Last August a couple of UNRIC interns came up with the idea of creating an intern magazine. Two issues later we expanded on the idea by contacting interns outside of UNRIC. The magazine you are reading now is the result of the collaboration between interns from 8 different UN agencies. No one has really asked us to create this magazine, and most of the work was undertaken in the spare time of each contributor, as well as during long hours at the office. Having articles pour into my inbox, as well as seeing the tireless effort of the lay-out team thus became all the more impressive, not to say tou-ching. I would like to extend my thanks to all the interns who contri-buted with their skills and gave their time to finalize this magazine. I, for one, will definitely look back at this experience with great joy. Thank you! We hope that this edi-tion will be the first in a long series of Internal Voices publications.

Editorial

How it all started...

Doriane Poulet, Edward Gregory-Jones, Brigitte Witzel, Agnès Tillinac, Stéphanie Roussarie, Dina Knudsen, Julia Nekipelov, Alexander Degelsegger, Deborah Weinberg, Klaas Ornelis, Carolina Figueroa, Despina Tsikoudis, Vânia Rodrigues, Jorun Arndt, Céline Croon, Sidsel Washuus, Lieselotte Cal-lebaut, Mariann Ingrid Klingberg, Effie Elefferiadou, Jakob Rindegren.

Contributors:

If you have any suggestions, comments or would like to contribute to the magazine please contact us at [email protected].


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Bridging the Atlantic - A US-EU Conference

young people interested in international issues. “Even ‘Condi’ started as an intern” she added optimistically.

Embassies and representations in gen-eral follow their own government’s policy and Terry explained that “there is no clash between an intern’s personal political view and that of his superiors. Interns are given projects which they must see to and are in no position to take stands”. Just the sort of diplomatic an-swer we were expecting.

The morning ended with a snack lunch offered by the US Mission, in full Brus-sels-networking style. Lots of phone numbers, emails, “thank-yous”, “good-to-have-you-heres” and promises of further, more informal encounters were exchanged!

*Source: State Magazine 2006

example, he said, we see Kosovo as a concerted US/EU effort. However, he noted that the extent of US-EU collabo-ration and our desire to work together has not yet filtered to the general public, which has to do both with the worries and concerns of some EU member states as well as a certain mistrust of the pre-sent US administration.

The morning then continued with the works of three separate roundtables, each led by officials of the Mission. The discussions were intended to stimulate an open debate on ongoing common issues. The themes for the different roundtable discussions were Climate Change and Energy; Foreign Policy in the Middle East: US and EU joint efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan; and finally Anti-Terrorism and Justice.

The positive outcome of the morning’s talks was mainly due to the efforts of Terry Ann Paulo, an intern at the US Mission. We asked her what in her opin-ion was the point of organizing such an event, to which she replied that “its aim was to channel EU and US interns’ flow of ideas, as well as helping to describe and understand current US policies”. This conference is not the first of its kind – the Mission has organized three other substantive briefings for EU in-terns over the last two years. Another intern event organized in Geneva by US interns in 2006 gathered some 300 peo-ple for a reception in the US Mission there. Ambassador Kevin E. Moley, permanent representative in Geneva at the time, was impressed by how effi-cient the event was in reaching a large diversity of people. Not only over-whelmed by the outreach potential of the happening, the diplomat added that it was simply one of the best parties he had ever attended!*

The morning conference in the US Mis-sion was perhaps slightly less festive, nevertheless the aim of both events was the same: to bring together the next generation of potential diplomats. “Interns are the future”, Terry explained when answering why the Mission was directing parts of its efforts to reaching

The conference fits within the frame-work of US Secretary of State Condo-leezza Rice’s policy, which emphasises stronger collaboration with EU member states, as well as with the European Union. The conference was intended for and attended by 37 interns of different nationalities, most currently enrolled as interns in EU institutions.

Following a welcome coffee provided by the friendly interns at the US Mission to the EU and the US Embassy to Bel-gium, the morning was opened by C. Boyden Gray, US Special Envoy to the EU, who explained that Brussels is in-creasingly gaining importance. Gray described how only 10 years ago the US representation to the EU dealt mainly with economic issues and that there is a lot more at stake nowadays, pointing out among other initiatives state-building efforts (e.g. Kosovo and Afghanistan), energy policies and common counter-terrorism measures. “The Mission is formally the same, but it is bigger and busier,” he said.

Regarding EU foreign policy as a whole, Gray said it was a relatively new area that began to be actively employed dur-ing the wars in the Balkans. The Special Envoy further explained that due to its legal and constitutional structure, the US is required to deal with EU member states on a bilateral level on certain is-sues, and not only with the EU institu-tions. Nevertheless, said the US diplo-mat, a common communication strategy does exist and is something we try to pursue, especially during summits. For

Photo: Mariann Klingberg

On 2 April 2008, the United States Mission to the European Union or-ganized a conference called ‘Bridging the Atlantic: Common Ground on Common Issues’.

« Interns are the future »

Edward Gregory Jones Italy

Intern at UNRIC (Spanish desk)


In January 2007, 70,000 people took to the streets in Mexico City in the ‘tortilla riot’, protesting against the rising price of tortillas. Since then, food protests have cropped up all over the world - in Cameroon and Senegal unions and taxi drivers have recently been rioting alongside hungry crowds, calling on their governments to act on the rising cost of fuel and food. In Haiti, prices have risen so much that cookies for some of the country’s poorest now are the only regular source of food - cookies made of salt, vegetable shortening and dried yellow dirt.

Starting my internship at FAO (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organiza-tion) in February, I was immediately placed in the middle of the debate on hunger, rising in the wake of the soaring food prices.

The growing global population is de-manding more food – and the appetite of economically fast-growing nations causes a surge in demand for meat and dairy products, thereby requiring more grain as feedstock. Rising oil and energy prices have created the effect of substi-tuting into bio fuels, thus diverting land from the food chain and setting food prices against fuel prices, creating com-petition between hungry cars and hungry people. The impact of climate change is also intensifying, causing droughts and floods that affect the harvests. Accord-ing to FAO these factors are some of the main reasons why food prices have soared, threatening to add an additional million to the world’s already 800 mil-lion hungry people.

In March, I had the opportunity to hear the World Food Programme’s Executive Director, Ms. Josette Sheeran, address the issue in the European Parliament. Ms. Sheeran successfully brought the urgency of the situation straight to the hearts of the parliamentarians whose stomachs were starting to crave their daily lunch. The same was true for me, and I learned that starvation is almost a politically non-controversial issue, as none of us can bear the thought of starv-

ing children. Two days before the speech The European Commission launched a 160 million Euro fund to help alleviate world hunger.

The problem, however, is that food aid cannot defeat hunger. Actions under-taken in the developing world must distinguish between immediate crisis response and longer-term interventions aimed at helping farmers grow food locally. However, the political message of investing in agriculture is less poign-ant than the need for food aid, and mobi-lizing the pressure needed to act seems to be most easily created by framing the crisis in the name of starvation. Yet the danger is that, besides under-prioritizing long-term investment in agriculture, focus is diverted away from addressing the structural causes of the problem such as consumption, climate change and bio fuels – issues posing more controversial political choices to the EU than mobiliz-ing food aid.

On such issues, FAO and other UN partners with regards to the European

Framing the ‘food crisis’ in the European Union - a reflection

Commission can take only advisory roles. These advice weigh against the industry lobby, which controls a number of the Commission’s Expert Groups on issues such as ‘biotechnology’, ‘clean coal’ and ‘car emissions’, according to a recent report by the EU-transparency network ALTER-EU. Within its own system of consultation, it therefore seems unlikely to me that the Commis-sion can launch sufficient initiatives needed to address these politically loaded questions.

But if a serious number of European citizens join the voices from the South, complementing them by insisting that the European political institutions ad-dress the policies and issues that hinder the implementation of the human right to food in the developing world – that might shake-up the EU.

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Sidsel Washuus Denmark

Intern FAO



Bjørn Lomborg has been labeled many things. Despite their contradictions Mr. Lomborg has rightfully deserved many of them. He made himself popular with world leaders hesitant to sign internatio-nal climate agreements when he, in front of the American congress, advised them to drop agreements like the Kyoto-protocol. On the other hand, environ-mentalists have scorned him for acting as a puppet to industrial society and downplaying the impact of climate change. Furthermore, a number of rese-archers have filed a complaint for scien-tific dishonesty against Mr. Lomborg rejecting his conclusions as false and biased. However, the allegations were overturned by the academy investigating his case.

Lomborg has become quite a media darling. As his input on a topic so high on the current agenda causes conflict and a sense of sensation he fulfills the selection criteria of every news media journalist. This is especially noteworthy in a debate otherwise marked by almost identical statements made by researchers wanting to capitalize on the negative consequences of climate change. With his nerve and his toothpaste smile, the news cameras love Mr. Lomborg.

The fact that his contribution to the de-bate draws daggers from his opponents, makes him even more popular with the press. And media coverage and exposu-re has proved to be key to anyone’s capability to act convincingly. In 2004, Time Magazine put him on the list of

the world’s 100 most influential people and his appointment as director of the Danish Environmental Assessment Insti-tute, acting in an advisory capacity to the Danish government, proves that he is

taken seriously. The aim of this article is not to decide which of the introductory descriptions is more suitable when presenting Mr. Lomborg. Had I all the answers in the climate change debate, I would not be an intern at UNRIC writing this text. Nevertheless, it sadly seems that both Lomborg’s popularity and notoriety are based on the media’s interpretations of his conclusions, which often seem, if not incorrect, then at least lacking nuance. An exhaustive coverage of the conse-quences of climate change has largely been absent in the Western news media.

The basic terms of a competitive news media system with constant deadlines are to report on cases standing out since the last deadline. So for a story to make the news and differ from the ones of the competitors, it needs to be astounding, catchy, and simple - even when the po-pular climate discussion desperately needs a holistic and informed perspecti-ve. Sadly, Lomborg’s media-friendly list of priorities only encourages the media to ignore the complexity and interrela-tions of the world’s problems. His mes-sage is so easily simplified that news journalists, by not deducing from his conclusions a disregard for global war-ming and climate change, could be con-sidered incompetent.

If the temperature of the globe is turning feverish, it would be suitable to charac-

A change of climate in the news media

« If the temperature of the world is turning feverish, the effort of its inhabitants could be categorized as deli-rious »

Bjørn Lomborg fathered the Copenhagen Consensus – an annual conference gathering more than 55 international economists, inclu-ding 5 Nobel Laureates, to assess solutions for the world’s biggest challenges and prioritize them according to their cost-efficiency. Among other global challenges the 2008 Copenhagen Consensus will address air pollution, global warming, malnutrition and hunger,

diseases, and water and sanitation. Previous Copenhagen Consensus as-semblies have placed global warming on the bottom of the prioritized list to much dismay of most environmentalists.

Martin Luther of the environmental movement, climate contrarian, scepti-cal environmentalist, green hero, Copenhagen con, saviour of the planet.

Photo: Lars Olesen

Cars caught in a tailback near Jardin Botanique. Through the haze of their exhaustion you can vaguely see the Basilica of Koekelberg.

terize the effort of its inhabitants to cure the illness as delirious. Groups, organi-zations, scientists and politicians all seem to blindly grope for the ideal solu-tion to the different problems of the world, focusing on one problem at a time. At least Lomborg is trying to put the current global challenges into a lar-ger perspective. Whether you agree with his priorities and like the way he plays the media is another matter, but let us bring all opinions to the table as it can-not but strengthen our own argument.

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Dina Knudsen Denmark

Intern at UNRIC (Nordic desk)


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Since 1999 and the Tampere Summit, the European Union has decided to put the migration issue high up on the agen-da and has tried to develop a common policy on the issue. However the process is not easy and the EU objectives can sometimes be hard to accommodate: for instance, how can the EU be turned into an attractive magnet for migrants, while observing the ”preference communautai-re” in the economic sphere and how can highly skilled migrants be attracted without contributing to brain drain?

While the ”Migration and Develop-

EU for the purpose of studying is a key factor in that strategy and fits perfectly within the Migration and Development logic.

The ”preference communautaire” question On the other hand, still within the fra-mework of Migration and Development, Nafi will be encouraged to go back to Senegal once her training is completed, in order to limit the brain drain impact and to enhance the local capacities for sustainable development in her country. Prompting third country nationals to return to their country of origin is in line the pattern of the US Green card, it may

be possible for Nafi to come back one day. The Blue card aims at attracting and retaining highly qualified migrants needed for the EU economy, increasing the competitiveness of the EU in the framework of the Lisbon strategy. By facilitating their admission, implemen-ting fast-track procedures, creating posi-tive conditions for the workers and their families, the EU will try to compete with the US.

Although the Blue card remains at a planning stage, it already creates a di-lemma: with such a system, how can a massive brain drain be avoided? Even if the proposal mentions “ethical recruit-ment standards” and tends to promote circular migrations schemes (i.e. ar-rangements which make it easier for migrants or former migrants to circulate, or travel back and forth, between the country of origin and the country of residence), some European Parliamen-tarians have expressed their skepticism.

Will it be possible to realize the EU vision of competitiveness and at the same promote development through reversed brain drain? The question as to whether the goals are combinable re-mains unanswered.

Portraying EU migration policy The effects of EU migration policy in the case of Nafi, a Se-negalese intern in Brussels.

As doctors are in high demand in many European countries these highly educated professionals are at the core of the migration discussion. Especially Africa is in dire need of th i s ”human capital”.

« How can highly skilled mi-grants be attracted to EU without contributing to brain drain? »

ment” and ”Circular Migration” con-cepts seem to have recently created necessary consensus, many issues are still pending. Through the case of an African intern, here is an outline of so-me recent developments in the EU field of migration.

The EU as a worldwide center of ex-cellence Nafi is Senegalese and managed to come to a EU member state to study for a Masters in international law. She had to be accepted by a European university in advance, justify sufficient resources for her stay and demonstrate a good knowledge of the host country’s langua-ge. Thus, the embassy issued her a one-year visa, for the duration of her curricu-lum. To graduate, Nafi then had to un-dertake six-months unremunerated trai-ning in a Belgian NGO and for this she managed to get a second visa matching the exact duration of her contract.

The visa facilitations granted to stu-dents, also available for researchers, lie within the framework of the communita-rian objectives to promote the EU as a world centre of excellence. Promoting mobility of third country nationals to the

with the preference communautaire logic establishing a limitation on their admission to the EU territory for em-ployment. Thus, Nafi will not, in prin-ciple, be permitted to extend her stay for the purpose of seeking employment and she will have to go back to Senegal in order not to become “illegal” by having “overstayed” on EU territory. Once back in Senegal, what possibilities remain to Nafi if she wants to work in an EU country?

The European Blue card Thanks to the new proposal adopted by the European Commission on the crea-tion of a European Blue card, following

The visa facilitations granted to students and resear-chers are part of the EU objective to promote the EU as a world center of excellence. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Agnès Tillinac France

Intern at IOM

Photo: Mike Blyth, Wikimedia Commons


violated more frequently.

In some countries the percentage of birth registration is dramatically low, e.g. only 4.2 % of children in Uganda (2000) and 9.8 % in Bangladesh (2006) are registered. Currently within the EU, 2 % of children are unregistered; while worldwide in 2006 this was the case for about 51 million children.

According to UNICEF, the costs and the distance to the registration centre are the reasons most frequently cited by parents for not registering their children. Marta Santos Pais, Director of the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre, points out

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Based on a conference at the Euro-pean Parliament Committee on Deve-lopment, 27-02-08

“Birth registration is a fundamental human right and has strong implications for the enjoyment of many other human rights” Marta Santos Pais, UNICEF

To inhabitants of developed countries,

birth registration sounds rather like an administrative detail, but in fact it is fundamental to human welfare, and furthermore to human identity. Birth registration, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child, offers rights to protection from violence and abuse and is a necessity in order to be able to vote, to have a recognized name, a fa-mily history and a nationality. Further it is needed to be able to open a bank ac-count and to receive a marriage license, social security, family allowances, a pension and the right of inheritance.

The lack of a birth certificate, meaning no proof of age and identity, means unregistered children often lack access to health and education and are vulnera-ble to abuse, child labour, prostitution, child trafficking, early marriage and enrolment into the army. This is espe-cially a concern in the least developed countries, often war affected and heavily indebted, where children’s rights are

Birth Registration and the Rights of the Child that when children are not registered they are ignored by statistics and plan-ners and are thereby invisible when policy decisions or budgetary choices are made. In general, Pais says, unregis-tered children can be characterized as living in poor families, in rural and re-mote areas, belonging to ethnic minority or indigenous groups, born to single mothers, children in war-affected coun-tries, or being children born in countries heavily affected by AIDS.

In order to raise the number of children being registered Pais outlines the fol-lowing recommendations: (1) support awareness raising and gain commitment of all stakeholders; (2) promote legisla-tive reform; (3) promote birth registra-tion as a core development issue; (4) support the provision of basic materials for registration: pens and paper, road-map to centre, etc.; (5) support training for registrars; (6) promote mainstream-ing of birth registration with other pro-grammes, e.g. during immunization or school entry; and (7) make it univer-sally available, with special attention to remote and hard to reach areas.

Though much remains to be done, some positive developments that can be men-tioned are that Cambodia, Gambia and Vietnam, show significant progress in their registration levels.

Photo: Everystockphoto.com

« Birth registration is a fun-damental human right »

Klaas Ornelis Belgium

Intern at UNRIC (Benelux desk)


extreme stances: considering the docu-ment as sacrosanct or rejecting it be-cause of its limitations. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Regional Informa-tion Centre (UNRIC) has launched a yearlong campaign to raise awareness and spread information on human rights, KnowYourRights2008, through the campaign website:

Source: M. R. ISHAY, The history of human rights, 2004 , University of California Press.

63 years ago, a group composed of delegations from the four corners of the world met with one focus: to pre-vent the repetition of World War II’s horrors in the future, through the creation of a Charter protecting human dignity. The leitmotiv of the commis-sion appointed by the newly created United Nations was “never again”.

For two years, people as different as a Chinese Confucian philosopher, the widow of the former president of the United States, and a communist delegate had to work and live together in order to produce a common document on the fundamental rights of human beings.

As Micheline R. Ishay writes in her book “History of Human Rights”: “Despite constant philosophical rivalries between Malik [the Lebanese represen-tative] and Chang [the Chinese dele-gate], coupled with political tension between Cassin [the French representa-

tive], a Jew who had lost twenty-nine relatives in the Holocaust and who was a supporter of the creation of a Jewish state, and Malik, a spokesperson for the Arab League, these strong personalities managed to work together toward the drafting of the declaration”.

What the Human Rights Commission achieved was indeed an impossible task, and its unanimous vote, unexpected even by the Commission, can be seen as a small miracle. Deeply committed to their mission, the commissioners re-sponded to their mandate by overcoming the myriad of differences that set them apart.

For the first time in history, the interna-tional community embraced a document considered to be presenting universal values. Would this have been possible in a context other than the post-war envi-ronment? Maybe not, and the Declara-tion is even more interesting because of that.

60 years later, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights remains extremely relevant and modern. However, the stories about the drafting committee are often unknown. The Declaration is more a basis and a source for complementary binding treaties than an end in itself. A balance is always desirable between two

Human rights- a small miracle

Greening the United Nations in Brussels The fight against climate change is one of the top priorities of the UN Secretary General (SG) Ban Ki-moon. To lead by example Mr. Ban has set the UN’s carbon neutrality and sus-tainability as an important objective. In July 2007, he therefore asked all heads of agencies, funds and pro-grammes of the United Nations to support his initiative to carry the UN towards a carbon neutral future.

Sustainable United Nations (SUN) is a UNEP initiative, administered by the Sustainable Consumption and Produc-tion Branch, which aims to support the UN and other organisations to achieve climate neutrality. In this framework and following its own commitments, UNEP Brussels has been encouraging and implementing green behaviour

among its staff members.

What does it mean to be a green man-ner? In general, it is about being con-scious of the impact of our daily activi-ties on the environment and how we can reduce it. It means to think about the waste we produce, the food we eat, the transport we take, the soap we use, the time we spend in the shower, etc. For UNEP Brussels it concerns particularly waste management and reducing the consumption of electricity and paper.

In line with this, not only UNEP Brus-sels but all the agencies located at UN House in Brussels, are currently aiming at obtaining the Label ‘Ecodynamic business’ by ‘Institut Bruxellois pour la Gestion de l’Environnement’. The label certifies good environmental administra-

tion and is a long-term proc-ess and UN house has already taken the first official steps to obtain the label.

The UN has 70,000 employees (not counting interns!), imagine how signifi-cant the impact of changing their behav-iour towards green actions could be. Small changes in our daily habits can collectively have a huge and positive effect on the environment.

Check out UNEP’s Sustainable Con-sumption and Production Network

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Céline Croon Belgium

Intern at UNRIC (Director's desk)

Carolina Figueroa Colombia

Intern at UNEP

CAMPAIGNS



tion centers, observes refugee determi-nation procedures, organizes participato-ry assessment with refugees, training for lawyers, NGOs and decision makers and, when necessary, intervenes in indi-vidual cases. Promotion and facilitation of refugee family reunion and advocacy for refugee resettlement are also impor-tant activities. Relations are maintained with a wide variety of actors in the Be-nelux countries, at governmental and non-governmental level.

The interns at the Protection Unit are involved in these tasks, carrying out research on country of origin informa-tion and dealing with legal issues. In this framework the intern is in contact with NGOs, state representatives and other civil society actors. The Protection unit comprises three officers, one administra-tive assistant and two interns.

The European Affairs Unit The European Affairs Unit is responsi-ble for following the developments of European Union policy and legislation in the areas of concern to UNHCR. Its main task is to ensure that European Union legislation and policies in the fields of asylum, immigration, border control and related areas reflect interna-tional legal standards of refugee protec-

UNHCR in the world The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was esta-blished on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and to resolve refugee pro-blems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that eve-ryone can exercise the right to seek asy-lum and find safe refuge in another state, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to reset-tle in a third country.

UNHCR Brussels: regional represen-tation to European institutions and Benelux The Representation is structured around four units: Donor Relations and Resour-ces Mobilization, Protection, European Affairs and Public Information. Supervi-sion is ensured by the Representative who is assisted by a secretary.

The Donor Relations and Resources Mobilization Unit (DRRM) DRRM deals only with contributions from governments and intergovernmen-tal bodies such as the European Com-mission. Its main role is to assure ade-quate funding of the UNHCR’s activi-ties globally. Unlike many other UN agencies, which are largely financed by assessed contributions, UNHCR de-pends almost entirely on voluntary contributions, with 80 per cent contribu-ted by 10 countries. Although UNHCR's Executive Committee approves the bud-get, this is not linked to an obligation to fund the budget.

The Protection Unit The Protection unit is responsible for the Benelux countries. The main objectives are to ensure that persons seeking inter-national protection in these countries will have access to the territory, to fair and efficient asylum procedures and be treated in accordance with international standards. To this end, the Protection Unit follows legislative developments, monitors asy-lum practice, visits reception and deten-

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Children in camp, (Afghan refugees / New Shamshatoo camp / School tents / April 2001) © UNHCR / Photographer: L. Boscardi. Pakistan.

tion. The Officers formulate UNHCR’s assessments on different instruments adopted by the European Commission. They also produce reports and evalua-tions on these instruments and keep UNHCR colleagues throughout the world informed about EU developments of note in the asylum policy field... this is a huge task and that’s the reason why an intern is absolutely essential!

The intern is responsible for the research and the collection of information pertai-ning to asylum from a variety of sour-ces. Tasks also include the support to advocacy officers in drafting documents and attending meetings of the European Parliament, NGO platforms, press conferences and briefings.

Focus on UNHCR

AGENCY SPECIAL


to put refugees and UNHCR under the spotlight. Creating a new toolkit and organising activities around World Refugee Day are examples of the way the Public Information Unit in Brussels tries to explain to people what it means to be a refugee and to help them under-stand the work of UNHCR.

Public awareness plays an integral role in the Private Sector Fund Raising sec-tion of the Public Information Unit. Without a strong image, and without visibility and awareness, raising funds from any sources for UNHCR programs are much harder.

UNHCR’s Public Information Unit be-lieves that it is important to create awareness of refugees’ lives. By de-scribing refugees’ stories, the human faces behind the numbers of displaced people become visible. This makes it possible for other people to understand the ordeals refugees have been through. As an intern, it has been an intense ex-perience to listen to testimonies of refu-gees. Telling their stories to all kinds of people is a way to create a more positive atmosphere and understanding of refu-gee issues.

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The Public Information Unit The purpose of the Public Information Unit is to promote a better understand-ing of UNHCR’s aims and activities. The unit establishes and maintains close working relations with the Benelux and EU media to keep them regularly in-formed on UNHCR issues and activities nationally and internationally in order to ensure appropriate media coverage. The unit also organises and gives press brief-ings and conferences as necessary, and acts as spokesperson of the Office. It needs to initiate and write press stories, press releases, information bulletins and other publications of all kinds. As an intern, this gives you the possibility to get familiar with all different aspects and units within UNHCR.

The Public Information Unit also has the task of raising awareness of the situa-tions refugees are confronted with. This involves planning and conducting cam-paigns, exhibits and other public aware-ness activities in support of the Office’s work. In April 2008, a poster campaign was launched to raise awareness about the fact that fleeing is the only option for refugees. This year, as always on the 20th of June, the celebration of World Refugee Day will take place worldwide

Acrobat Document

On April 10th, 2008, the UNHCR launched a bilingual poster campaign in Belgium, aimed at raising awareness about refugees and highlighting their need for protection. For two weeks, over 2,000 French and Dutch-language post-ers were displayed in public places in Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia.

There is widespread public confusion about the difference between refugees and migrants; refugees, who have crossed borders to escape conflict and persecution, are now frequently re-garded with suspicion. ,

The posters stress the dangers that refu-gees are escaping from, differentiating them from people arriving in places like Belgium in seek of work.

Refugees flee because their life and freedom is at risk and they have a right to find protection elsewhere. This year, with the 60th anniversary of the Univer-

sal Declaration of Human Rights, this right to seek and to enjoy asylum from persecution is as relevant as ever.

Refugee poster campaign in Belgium

Liselotte Callebaut Belgium

Intern at UNHCR Public Information Unit

Julia Nekipelov France Intern at UNHCR European Affairs Unit

Deborah Weinberg Belgium

Intern at UNHCR Protection Unit


the new and broader challenges. In addition, there is definitely an increa-sed need for dialogue and thinking in networks.

For newcomers to the UN world and the wider public, the number of fo-rums and meetings taking place often seems unmanageable. How can we avoid inefficiency while providing for the necessary space of encounter and dialogue? In trying to master this big challenge, streamlining and better reporting, in the preparation as well as in the implemen-tation phase, is required. Furthermore, accountability regarding implementation should be increased. Before being appointed Assistant Se-cretary-General, you served as the Permanent Representative of Austria to the UN Institutions in Vienna. What motivated you to take the step to New York? I felt a need for change after nearly se-ven years in my old position. Most of all, my passion for the UN and UN coor-dination questions were the motivating factors. It is my profound conviction that we have to contribute to the UN and its work to make a difference. Your advice to Brussels based UN system interns? Work hard, read a lot! Become aware of whether you really want to invest your life energies into the common good. Do as much networking as possible, cross-cutting all cultures, and remain realistic so that you do not lose your optimism and idealism!

In your new position you will, among other things, manage the so called UN Chief Executive Board (CEB), where the Secretary-General coordinates the work of all the specialized agencies within the UN system. How would you describe the Board's and your activi-ties? Twice a year, in the framework of the CEB, the UN Secretary General meets with the Heads of all the UN Family Organizations (Funds and Programmes, Specialized Agencies, "other related organizations", Bretton Woods Institu-tions and one representative of each of the five Regional Commissions) for the purpose of UN system-wide coordina-tion. The CEB adopts decisions prepa-red by three sub-structures: the High-Level Committee on Programmes (HLCP), the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) and the UN De-velopment Group (UNDG). Coordina-tion is carried out along thematic lines, e.g. climate change: CEB agreed on a Joint Action Plan on Climate Change, thus enabling the Secretary-General in Bali to speak for the entire United Na-tions.

In an age of global challenges that are cross-cutting and impossible to treat separately, coordination within the UN system appears to become more and more important. What vision do you have for your work in this context? Nowadays, most global issues are cross-cutting, e.g. climate change. Within the framework of UN coordination, all UN entities need to define relevant niches within which they can add their specific comparative advantages and thus add value to the UN activities. Do we need new UN agencies for new and broader challenges, or new part-nerships, dialogue and thinking in networks etc.? There are always considerations regar-ding new agencies or upgrading Pro-grammes into Specialized Agencies. I do not see an urgent need for new struc-tures. New partnerships of all relevant stakeholders, including states and go-vernments, civil society, academia as well as the corporate world are increa-singly pooling their resources to meet

From Vienna to New York

PAGE 11

« Nowadays, most global issues are cross-cutting, e.g. climate change. »

UN Assistant Secretary General Thomas Stelzer and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Photo with permission from Mr. Stelzer.

Recently appointed UN Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, Thomas Stelzer holds a profound conviction that we have to contribute to the work of the UN to make it better. We asked him about the UN system, current UN issues as well as for advice to hopeful interns.

PORTRAIT

Alexander Degesegger Austria

Intern at IOM


Photo: Wikimedia Commons

PAGE 12

difficult to improve their situation. Add-ing to the harsh living conditions in slums, national and local authorities, fearing the spread of criminality, some-times forcibly evict slum dwellers. Since 2000, about 2 million people have been forcibly evicted from their homes in Nigeria, including almost 1 million alone from the city of Port Harcourt in 2001.

UN-HABITAT’s main goal is to help national and local authorities develop sustainable ways to deal with urbanisa-tion and to fight urban poverty. Help can range from technical support in the field of urban governance and planning, to financial support to improved water and sanitation infrastructures. However, in order to make a significant improve-ment, further efforts are needed from the entire donor community. The challenges of reducing both ethnic tensions and poverty in Nigeria’s changing demo-graphic landscape are huge. Addressing these challenges by looking at the poten-tial of urbanisation might not be the only solution, but it is probably an increas-ingly important one.

90 million in 1990, 117 million in 2001, 126 million in 2003, 135 million in 2007 and an estimated 204 million in 2030. When looking at the popula-tion size of Nigeria, it becomes clear that it matters what year you look at.

With a 3 % annual population increase, Nigeria is one of the fastest growing countries in the world. With a current population of 135 million this means that one in five Africans live in Nigeria. While its large population size gives Nigeria importance as a regional and global actor, population growth also presents the country with a number of serious challenges.

One such challenge is the increasing tension within Nigeria’s remarkable, multicultural society. Nigeria boasts

over 250 ethnic groups, 550 languages (although English is the official lan-guage), three schools of law (English common law, Sharia law and traditional law) and a 50-40 percentage division between Muslim and Christians. Exist-ing difficulties in accurately counting the population is a cause of conflict as population size is a strong determinator in the distribution of both power and funds. The feeling of being underrepre-sented is likely to contribute to calls for compensation in a country where cor-ruption is widespread.

Another challenge for Nigeria is to make its large oil reserves benefit the growing population. Nigeria is today the world’s fourth biggest exporter of crude oil, representing 95% of its exports. Yet 70% of the population still live below the poverty line and the country’s GDP per capita of $2,200 means that Nigeria ranks as number 174th in the world.

Fortunately, the economic growth still exceeds the country’s population growth.

A third challenge, linking the previous two, is urbanisation. 2007 was the first time in history where the world’s urban population exceeded the rural popula-tion. Nigeria is no exception. A younger urban population and rural to urban migration mean that Nigeria’s urban growth of 5 % even exceeds its overall population growth.

By 2030, Nigeria’s urban population is estimated to double equalling today’s total population of 135 million. This means that cities, normally seen as en-gines of growth, will be attracting a large number of Nigeria’s multicultural population to relatively small areas. And herein lies the challenge and potential of urbanisation.

Urbanisation in developing countries is often synonymous with the lack of water and proper sanitation, social exclusion, criminality and vulnerability to natural disasters. However, as hubs of com-merce, production and know-how, cities also have the potential to elevate devel-oping countries from poverty.

However, this development is far from certain since most new urban residents are born, or arrive, in slums and find it

Nigeria’s urban challenge

In the centre of Africa, Nigeria has the largest population of the continent.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

COUNTRY SPECIAL

Jakob Rindegren Sweden

Intern at UN-HABITAT


PAGE 13

Despina (Greece)

“In Greece intern-ships are not wi-dely spread ex-cept for those that are part of uni-versity studies. You get the op-portunity to have great experiences as internships are really nice, and get a first glance of the work life”.

Dina (Denmark)

“Internships are an opportunity to start

working without having too many responsibili-

ties. Our government wants us to finish our

studies as soon as pos-sible, yet companies want us to get expe-

rience before hiring us. As students in Denmark are rather “old” when

starting college, they get even more deman-

ding as for intern-ships”.

Céline (Belgium)

“Internships are usually part of our studies. It does

not matter much if they are not paid, yet interns should get some help for transport

and accommodation. Howe-ver, employers should not

demand that applicants for a job must have done a long period of unpaid internship

because it is not easy to afford that”.

Interns on internships Antoine (Belgium)

“It is contradictory: once you are done with your studies, people

judge you on your language skills and the number of internships you

have done, although internships are not necessarily conclusive”.

Klaas (Belgium)

“Internships should be included in hig-her education to give students practi-cal experience with their studies. This is also an advantage when they enter the job market. Interna-tional sciences and international rela-tions policy makers in Belgium should consider this possi-bility”.

Joao (Portugal)

“You need some experience to get a job, but no one will give you the chance to get that experience! So far internships have mostly been unpaid, and all about bringing coffee and making copies, yet, it is changing now as national and international internship programs are being created”.

Intern at the UN….. « Wow!!!....Now, that’s something I HAVE to love…but wait….am I able to do that? ...Do I have the skills required? The United Nations Regional Information Center… And they offer ME, random French student in Toulouse, the great opportunity to do an internship in Brus-sels?!! ... What exactly will I have to do? How is it going to be like? The United Nations has such a great, yet mysterious image that it seemed hard at first to really know what I would be asked. Then you get to meet your desk officer and all the people you are going to work with. And

everything is put in place. The nebulous organization turns out to be more acces-sible, human than I would have thought. A worldwide-respected international organization living through people like you and me. Such a warm welcome, such a good atmosphere. Lots of people from various backgrounds and countries working together, numerous languages being used. And, unlike in many other organizations and firms, interns at the UN are not asked to bring coffee or to make copies for others...not even once….!!! Thanks to the daily press reviews I get to know everything that is

happening worldwide. Translations keep my knowledge about foreign languages “updated”. I feel more useful and enri-ched every day. Such a learning expe-rience. Welcome to the United Nations! »

Drawing: Vânia Rodrigues

Stéphanie Roussarie France

Intern at UNRIC (French desk)


September 2007, Tuesday afternoon, I arrived at the Brussels International airport. It was raining (surprise, sur-prise!). I took a taxi to my youth hos-tel, paying 60 euros to the Moroccan origin driver only to find out later that the tariff was 30 euros.

At the hostel I was served by a very helpful Chinese receptionist, bought a bottle of water from a Pakistani corner shop and had a walk in the Arab neigh-bourhood where my youth hostel was located.

After a few months, I feel I have adap-ted quite well to Brussels, eating exclu-sively sandwiches and waffles and car-rying an umbrella in my bag on a daily basis –which however is useless most of the time, since it has often stopped rai-ning once I get it out of my bag and open it.

I have to admit that incidents like a Wal-loon’s (ethno) regionalistic delirium one October evening at the metro, a Flemish guy’s nationalistic hate speech at the laundry service one Saturday morning and Belgian flags hanging from the windows, surprised me even though I’m from the Balkans. I didn’t expect this

from a people living in a small, wealthy country at the heart of Europe and host of the EU, the organisation promoting unity.

After a few months here, I still cannot figure out if Belgium exists or not, but I do know that somewhere between

In Brussels, it is not only the job hunting…

PAGE 14

One of the numerous comic strip walls in Brussels

France and Netherlands lies the capital of Europe.

Shattering the stereotypes of a dull, eurocratic urban center, “Bruxelles Ca-pitale” is a “multi-culti”, lively city. To me, the colourful comic strip murals decorating the buildings, the irresistible sweet smell of waffles from a street vendor, the “petits chef-d'œuvres” made from chocolate, grown ups reading co-mic books on the bus and of course the little-naughty-peeing landmark of Brus-sels, all create a childlike, unique atmos-phere surrounding the Art Nouveau architecture of the city.

And then for the job hunters, here are some links that may be useful to those looking for a traineeship opportunity in Brussels. Once you find what you have been looking for, you will realise on your own that not only living, but also working in Brussels, is a unique experi-ence in itself!

And finally a tip for the newcomers: do not feel discouraged if you don’t speak/pronounce English/French cor-rectly. You are in Brussels, nobody does! ;-)

We have gathered some links for you here below.

Traineeships at the European Institu-tions: Council of the European Union European Commission European Parliament Court of Justice European Economic and Social Com-mittee European Ombudsman Joint Research Centre (JRC) Community Training Programme for Junior Experts in the Commission Dele-gations

European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO)

European Organizations independent from the European Union: Council of Europe

United Nations: UNbrussels

Other Organizations: NATO International Organization for Migration (IOM) Assembly of European Regions (AER)

Other useful links: Eurobrussels Jobsite

Flemish Public Employment Service (VDAB) Stepstone search engine Eurojobs Orientation Employment portal (French) Actiris (French/Dutch) Arbajob search engine (French/Dutch) European Job Mobility Portal Expatica

Looking for an internship or a job in Brussels?

Photo: Magnus Langli

Effie Elefferiadou Greece

Intern at UNFPA


PAGE 15

Despite the fact that Brussels is vigorously proud of its coffee culture, I still miss my Starbucks coffee. It is not so much the coffee- it’s the whole experience.

«I have been to Brussels so many times and even though I enjoy having an espresso with each waffle, with each specu-loos and after each meal, there is still something missing…

Nowadays, I am living in Brussels and am not a tourist any-more. I have a regular life, but what I call “the missing sen-sation” has increased. I miss ordering, (in Starbucks’ unique language) a “tall chai latte” or a “grande americano“ on my way to work; or alternatively, sitting in one of their “love seats” for hours while I read a book or chat with friends enjoying the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

However, I am Brazilian and very loyal to espressos so it took me a while to get used to the “bucket style” (as my dad

calls it each time he comes to see me), as well as to adapt to the habit of visiting a place where I burn my tongue each time I drink a brewed coffee. Nevertheless, everything I have mentioned above and the feeling of greeting the same Starbucks employee every morning while going to work becomes part of my “working day” or part of my “weekend treat”. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it becomes part of my routine. Some could argue that routines are boring; well, I truly invite you to try “the Starbucks’ routine” and send me an email later!»

I would like to share a point of view that may appear original in this magazine, that of an “indigenous” per-son… a Belgian.

Brussels is not only a city built forever (and ever), teeming with mountains of waffles, or holding kids constantly peeing. For me, Brussels is also the scene of an endless ar-gument between two communities, the Flemish and the French-speaking, it is the life of a particular dialect created from these two languages and it is a city possessing an inti-mate and friendly atmosphere, but yet alternative.

In August 1830, Brussels was the stage of a “revolution”. The opera Muette of Portici with a theme of patriotism and liberty was being staged at the national theatre. The similari-ty between the plot and the Belgian situation generated some “enlightenment” and led the population to rebel against the Dutch power. A few weeks later, the Dutch army fled the country during the night, covering the hooves of their horses with textile for a silent escape. Belgium was born…

Maybe because of these origins, Belgium has often been seen as a land of freedom among artists such as Maurice Béjart or Victor Hugo. The composition of Belgium is unique: one small country but with 3 official languages (French, Dutch and, after WWII, German with the annexation of a German province), 3 regions (Wallonia, Flanders and Brussels), 3 communities (French-speaking of Belgium; Flemish and German-

speaking), 7 parliaments and 5 governments. Well, it seems that one of the principles of Belgium is “not being simple”. And may-be because of that, a characteristic of the Belgian people is to not pay too much attention to political problems. 6 months without a government? Never mind, life goes on…

One of the best qualities of Belgians is, in my view, our self-mockery. The daily cartoons that can be found in the national newspapers about Belgian politics literally illustrate this feature.

A French political specialist once described Belgium as a model of rationality: even if there are many problems and intrinsic diffe-rences, they do not turn to war because they use the philosophy of negotiation and compromise as much as possible.

Brussels has a lot to offer, and some places I like to go to are the Museum of the Cinema, where you can find projections of mute films accompanied by live piano music, the national theatre and opera La Monnaie, the museum of contemporary art Bozar, Bota-nique- a concert venue, and finally Rue Haute (close by place Louise) with its special cafés and antique dealers.

I invite you to sample that particular atmosphere which makes Brussels so unique.

Birgitte Wizel Brazil

Intern at WHO

Céline Croon Belgium

Intern at UNRIC (Director's desk)


PAGE 16

TÜà|áà fÑxv|tÄ

Klaas Ornelis is Bel-gian, from the Flanders region and an intern at the United Nations Re-gional Information Cen-tre for Western Europe,

working for the Benelux desk. He holds a Master in Political Sciences – Interna-tional Relations and Europe and a Mas-ter in Applied Ethics (International Eng-lish Programme), both from the Univer-sity of Leuven.

« As far as I can remember I have been drawing and painting. As a child, I was fascinated by coloured pencils and the world around me. Later as a hobby dur-ing high school, I went to the art acad-emy for three years, and in University I

still found the time in the evenings and the weekend to obtain my second year of the higher degree in the art of painting at the Art Academy of Zot-tegem.

It was in my last year at the academy that I made the sketch of the bear in charcoal and later in oil paint. The oil painting took several weeks, since it first had to be drawn in correct pro-portions, and then by painting layer by layer the creation eventually be-came the warm and colourful bear it now is. »

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