Today, 20 March, is the first International Day of Happiness. It is a day for us all to recognize the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and the importance of including them in public policy objectives.  

New measures of global progress and sustainable development, which go beyond Gross National Product-driven measures, are needed. This includes well-being, volunteering, and civic participation. Read

Lomé, Togo: 750 new Togolese volunteers took an oath during the 12 March ceremony in Lomé organized by the National Volunteering Programme in Togo (PROVONAT) and the Government of Togo. PROVONAT was established and implemented by a team of UN Volunteers with funding from UNDP and technical support from UNV. Read

Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo: UNV and MONUSCO organized a race of Tshukudus through the streets of Goma (DRC) to celebrate peace and solidarity. Tshukudus are modified bicycle cargo carriers unique and essential to the area's economy. Read

United Nations Headquarters, New York: During the recent meetings of the Commission on the Status of Women in March, UNDP, UNFPA, UN Women and UNV combined efforts to host the side event "Why do men use violence and how do we stop it? New evidence on men's use of violence against women and girls and its uses for enhanced prevention."  The event presented the latest research from their Partners for Prevention Regional Joint Programme in Asia and the Pacific. Read

Oslo, Norway: Last week Richard Dictus, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, joined distinguished guests such as the Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and the Norwegian Minister of International Development, in speaking at Fredskorpset’s Youth Leadership Conference in Oslo. Read

Benin: Online volunteers are supporting the Benin-based NGO, Fondation Joseph the Worker, in making documents that promote democracy and human rights available in the most widely spoken languages of West Africa. “Translation is crucial to making knowledge accessible at the grassroots level”, says Joseph Mevognon, the foundation’s Executive Director. Read

Cairo, Egypt: The Governments of Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen have endorsed a project agreement with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme to facilitate youth volunteerism as a positive and sustainable mechanism for social change.  Their endorsement follows a year-long process of national consultations with youth in the region and marks the transition to the implementation phase of the project. Read

The International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation, 6 February, is a time to make the world aware of female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights. Visit site

Bouake, Côte d'Ivoire: During the eight months Agnieszka Napierala was working as an election advisor for the Peacekeeping Operation in Côte d'Ivoire (ONUCI) as a UN Volunteer, she managed to talk with victims of female genital mutilation (FGM). The result of her meetings with 10 women came in the shape of a photo essay on FGM, and with one of her pictures being awarded at two of the most prestigious professional photojournalist competitions in Poland (BZ WBK Press Foto and Grand Press Photo). Read more about Agnieszka’s experience and view her photo essay below. Read

Bonn, Germany: H.E. Mr. Takeshi Nakane, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Germany from Japan made an official visit to Richard Dictus, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme. Read