Bonn, Germany: An independent panel of international experts is urging the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) to increase its use of UN Volunteers following eight years of "dedicated and competent" UNV performance in crisis zones around the world. Read

Bonn, Germany: The work of 21 UN Volunteer gender specialists is featured in a new publication to be issued Tuesday in New York during a special session of the United Nations General Assembly marking the fifth anniversary of the World Conference on Women in Beijing. Read

León, Nicaragua: A UN Volunteer in Nicaragua has significantly raised public awareness of issues concerning children and youth by negotiating free weekly air time for child rights advocates. Tanya Urquieta from the United States, who has just completed a 15-month assignment as a UN Volunteer, arranged radio spots of up to 30 minutes each week and five short programmes daily to sensitize the local population on child and youth issues. Read

Bonn, Germany: On 5 December, the United Nations Volunteers programme is launching a website as part of the preparations for the International Year of Volunteers in 2001. A logo for IYV 2001 is also being introduced that day, designed and offered voluntarily by Sandra Rojas from Argentina. Read

Bonn, Germany: Since thirteen years ago, the UNISTAR programme (United Nations International Short Term Advisory Resources) has been notable for the very broad scope of the advisory services which it has provided globally. A quick survey of the missions undertaken by international UNISTAR advisors provided in recent months shows that this hasn’t changed. The following are examples of three recent UNISTAR assignments in different parts of the world. Read

New York, U.S.A.: Delia Buratto of France and Bhagwan Shrestha of Nepal have won the UNFPA/UNV Award for their outstanding work in population and development. UNFPA is the New York-based UN Population Fund, and UNV is the Bonn-based United Nations Volunteer programme. Read

Bonn, Germany: Ms. Brenda McSweeney, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers and Mr. Samuel Nyambi, Director, Office to Combat Desertification and Drought (UNSO) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding agreeing on a two-year programme in support to the Implementation of the Resolution on Urgent Action for Africa (UAA) in the context of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (CCD) which has entered into force on the 26 December 1996. Read