Video: Brussels protest against unpaid EU internships

EU interns gathered outside the European External Action Service building on Place Schuman on Monday to protest against unpaid internships.

The demonstration in Brussels coincided with gatherings elsewhere in the world and was coordinated with the Global Intern Coalition on the UN day of social justice.

Nadya Dedikova is a paid intern with the EU's Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency, but she chose to attend the protest because she has had unpaid internships in the past.

She says interns do valuable work and deserve some compensation: "If you don’t pay them, it’s kind of a privilege. And not everyone can have the chance to do an internship if they don’t get the salary to sustain themselves while working."

Bingo, Brussels Interns NGO, was one group that helped organise the protest. Alvaro Ferrer, a member of the group, said young people all over the world are doing great work for free.

"The movement has started already," Ferrer said. "Actually, there is a discussion within the parliament already. As a society, we cannot afford to waste the talent of young people and keep promoting an unequal society.