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

Volunteerism is essential in preventing and reducing vulnerability to natural disasters. Early warning systems are one example where volunteerism helps to strengthen the resilience of communities.Volunteerism also serves as an effective support system in the wake of a disaster. Volunteering also plays a central role in post-disaster reconstruction efforts. Read

WorldVolunteerWeb.org supports the volunteer community by providing a global one-stop shop on information resources, linked to volunteerism, that can be used for campaigning, advocacy, networking and action. Read