17 September 2008

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will report to the United Nations General Assembly in October 2008 on progress since the International Year of Volunteers (IYV, 2001). IYV marked a critical milestone in worldwide efforts to promote the role and potential of volunteerism for peace and development. The Secretary-General’s new report, now available for download, provides recommendations for further actions by governments, the UN system and other stakeholders.

The report examines the state of volunteerism around the world through the four lenses of recognition, facilitation, networking and promotion, and concludes that volunteerism continues to be vibrant. The recommendations in the report, including proposals for marking the 10th anniversary, will be considered by governments during the coming weeks.

A resolution will then be drafted and submitted for approval at an inter-governmental meeting to be held in New York in early October 2008. The resolution will subsequently be taken up at a formal plenary session of the UN General Assembly in December when it should be formally adopted.
 
UN General Assembly resolutions carry moral authority and provide guidance on ways to support initiatives like the volunteer movement. For this reason it is important that both governments and civil society consider the findings and recommendations of the Secretary-General’s report and find opportunities to collectively discuss ways forward. If countries from all regions agree to support the resolution at the end of the year, foundations can be laid for continuing the momentum generated all over the world by IYV.

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was designated as the international focal point for IYV, and is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development, and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.