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

Cairo, Egypt: Egypt was the first country in the region to sign today a project agreement with the United Nations (UN) to expand opportunities for Egyptian youth in the area of volunteerism. Read

Bonn, Germany: On 22 January 2013, UNV Executive Coordinator Richard Dictus moderated a roundtable exchange between UN organizations in Bonn and Members of the German Parliamentary Committee on Economic Cooperation and Development. Read

New York and Bonn: A dedicated trust fund has been set up by the United Nations to boost youth volunteerism and harness the energy of young people around the world to contribute to achieving development goals while enhancing their own lives.

Announced by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the new youth trust fund is an important milestone in developing the inspirational UN Youth Volunteers Programme. Read

Bonn, Germany: During his announcement of his Five-Year Action Agenda on 25 January 2012 the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme to create a specific youth volunteers programme. Since then, UNV has been engaging with youth-led networks, international volunteer sending organizations, national volunteering and civil society organizations, and UN agencies to develop the UN Youth Volunteers Programme.  Read

Bonn, Germany: On 2 January 2013, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme welcomes incoming Executive Coordinator Mr. Richard Dictus, appointed by the UNDP Administrator Ms. Helen Clark on 16 October 2012.  He succeeds the former UNV Executive Coordinator, Ms. Flavia Pansieri. Read