UN Headquarters, New York : The Executive Coordinator of UNV, Ms. Flavia Pansieri, and Mr. Nikhil Seth, Director of the Division of Sustainable Development at the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), are jointly launching today the Volunteer Action Counts campaign, to count people’s action around the world for sustainable development. Read

Bonn/London: A new partnership between the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and VSO, announced today, will maximize the potential of volunteering to help citizens drive development forward themselves. The UNV-VSO partnership aims to increase the positive impact that volunteering can have on empowering marginalized communities. Read

“It is a known fact that retirees and older people are a vital resource for societies. We only need to find ways to tap into their life experience and talents... Online volunteering is one way of doing that.

Retirees have left behind their work place but not their professional and human talents. They want to remain engaged and to be useful in one way or another.” Read

“The invaluable experience and expertise of older people should be tapped into by companies, institutions, local and central governments, schools and universities, engaging them as consultants in diverse areas.” Read

“Give us a chance. Some of the seniors have much to offer but don't know how to start, where to go online, and whom to contact. Once we get involved, it is like resurrecting...we find again a purpose for our lives.” Read

Côte d'Ivoire: “A strong stance on gender-based violence was taken, in an area were rape has been used as a weapon in the internal armed conflict as well as in the post-conflict environment” Read

The project, ‘Gender Budgeting and Volunteering through Civic Engagement: A Contribution to Democratic Governance and Gender Equality in Latin America’, aims to measure and make more visible women’s volunteer contributions to civic engagement through three case studies in Argentina, Bolivia and Ecuador. Read

Sudan: "Sudan made me understand just how crucial it is to support those who are trying to make a change and give a voice to women and girls." Read

Jordan: “We talked with the Directorates of Employment and Development and the municipality.  We had proposals and wanted to know how they could help in the future.  We didn’t want promises and words, we wanted action.  And we can feel that some changes have happened.” Read

Tanzania: "Working for UNICEF was very interesting, meaningful and important. It made it clear to me that this is the line of work I want to be in. The memories of living and working in Tanzania will stay with me for life. It gave me valuable insight into complex development issues many, particularly African nations, face today." Read