05 October 2009

Geneva, Switzerland: In an address to the sixtieth session of the UNHCR Executive Committee, UNV reaffirmed the partnership between the two organizations and pointed out synergies for the future.

UNV “fully supported” the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) across its strategic priorities, said UNV Deputy Executive Coordinator Naheed Haque, noting a convergence between the two organizations’ key fields of assistance.

“Our volunteers are proud of working hand-in-hand with UNHCR all over the world,” she remarked at the meeting, giving examples from Sudan to Colombia.

During the meeting which ended on 2 October, the Deputy Executive Coordinator emphasized that UNV’s partnership with UNHCR has been expanding rapidly in recent years. “On behalf of all UNV volunteers and staff,” she said, “I would like to congratulate the High Commissioner upon reaching a milestone in our joint deployment of over 1,000 UNV volunteers in 74 countries in 2008 – half of whom were women, I am happy to say.”

She continued: “I am encouraged that over the past five years, the number of UNV volunteers with UNHCR has been steadily increasing at an average of 11 percent per year, from 677 assignments in 2004 to 1064 in 2008.  UNV volunteers made up 14 percent of all UNHCR personnel in the field in 2008.”

Ms. Haque compared UNHCR’s successful internal change process with efforts currently underway at UNV in Bonn, pointing out that her organization aimed to work ever more effectively and efficiently with partners such as UNHCR “in the continuum from emergency humanitarian response, to protracted humanitarian support, and on to early recovery and sustainable development.”

She concluded by referring to UNV’s involvement with the follow-up in 2011 to the International Year of Volunteers, and called for support from UNHCR and other partners. The High Commissioner thanked UNV in his closing remarks, and said that UNV volunteers “contribute decisively to what we do”.

Download the full speech in PDF format below.