Working with the United Nations agencies system and national electoral authorities, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme supports the democratic process in countries around the world by assisting the organization, supervision and observance of local, regional and national elections. Key partners include the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Electoral Assistance Division of the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO). Read

Volunteerism is an important component of effective governance and successful social and economic development. Through the work of UN agencies and governments, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme supports decentralization processes that promote participatory local governance and the empowerment of communities by engaging in a wide range of good governance projects. Read

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is deeply engaged in the fight against HIV/AIDS through the use of people-centred approaches. It collaborates closely with the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), volunteer involving organizations, networks of people living with HIV/AIDS and national AIDS programmes in affected countries. Read

The trust and confidence that volunteers inspire in others, including through their association with the United Nations, is an important source of strength to the work of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in the area of governance and human rights. Read

UN Volunteers take up a variety of activities in the area of humanitarian assistance. They work as food aid monitors, field officers, civilian camp officers, logisticians, procurement specialists, storekeepers, warehouse managers, material management specialists, emergency administrative assistants, transport coordinators and radio technicians. Over the last five years, UN Volunteers have supported humanitarian activities in war-torn countries such as Afghanistan, Angola, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kosovo, Liberia, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Timor (East and West), Uganda and the former Yugoslavia. Read

The importance of information and communications technologies (ICT) in the fight against poverty was underscored in the report of the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to the Millennium Summit. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has long identified the potential of ICT as a means to create earnings opportunities, improve access to education and facilitate information and knowledge-sharing. Read

For the past 15 years (1992-2007), UNV and DPKO have engaged in fruitful collaboration. UNV volunteers have taken part in 44 peacekeeping operations, with over 11,300 volunteers completing more than 16,000 mission assignments during this period. In 2007, over 2,995 UNV volunteers supported 18 UN peacekeeping and special political operations in 18 countries. Read

Strengthening local institutions and fostering ownership and participation are integral components of strategies aimed at promoting an enabling environment for sustainable human development. Read

The 10-year Brussels Programme of Action (BPoA), endorsed by the UN General Assembly in 2001, recognizes the special needs of the least developed countries (LDCs) and the contribution of volunteers in meeting those needs. The 61st session of the General Assembly opened with a mid-term review of BPoA’s implementation. On this occasion, UNV has published a fact sheet on its support for the development of LDCs in the past five years. Read

In recognition of the particular role that youth play in shaping the development of their societies and the need to harness this potential, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme with its partners has launched pilot projects to explore ways in which, by building on and promoting a culture of volunteerism, youth can be mobilized and engaged in activities at the community, regional and national level. Read