TOKTEN, or Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals, is an innovative UNV programme that allows expatriates from programme countries to return home for a period ranging from two weeks to three months to contribute their skills and services to their homeland’s development. Read

Kabul, Afghanistan: Armando Arellano became a UN Volunteer in 1986, when he started working as a Programme Assistant for the World Food Programme in Sudan. Originally an Industrial Engineer from the Philippines, he now has extensive experience as a Programme Officer with WFP, having worked in Sudan, Tanzania and now in Afghanistan since July 2003. Read

Kabul, Afghanistan: More than 130 United Nations Volunteers (UNV) working throughout Afghanistan are readying themselves for the second round of elections that will take place this Sunday. Read

Bonn, Germany: As the United Nations commemorates the third International Day of UN Peacekeepers on 29 May, paying tribute to those who serve in peacekeeping operations, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) are also being honoured for their dedication and courage in helping improve the lives of millions of people in war-torn and post-conflict countries across the globe. Read

Bonn, Germany: A group of United Nations Volunteers (UNV) yesterday received the University of Sydney’s Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies’ first Peacemaker Award for their groundbreaking work with the October 2004 presidential elections in Afghanistan. Read

Kabul, Afghanistan/Bonn, Germany: As Afghans head to the polls tomorrow in the country’s first direct presidential election, UN Volunteers are being recognized for their contributions to this historical vote. Read

Kabul, Afghanistan: Wahid Omar left Afghanistan in the late 1970’s. Over the next several years, he spent time teaching in Pakistan, France and the United States. In 2003, he returned to his homeland, as a UN Volunteer under the auspices of the Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) programme. Under the TOKTEN initiative, qualified expatriate professionals from developing countries return to their countries of origin to share their knowledge and skills gained during their residence in elsewhere. This is Wahid’s story. Read

Bonn, Germany: While the global community honours International Women s Day on 8 March, interested eyes and ears focus on events in this war-torn country. Lars Narfeldt, UNV Programme Manager in Afghanistan says, "International Women's Day is a very important day, perhaps even more so in the context of Afghanistan. Pashtun women, for example, follow a tradition that does not support female participation in public life, while others support separate registration centers for women in every village, ... Read

Kabul, Afghanistan: Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai personally demonstrated the importance of the electoral process by registering himself as an eligible voter for the upcoming elections in his country. Read

Kabul, Afghanistan: For the first time in 30 years, Afghans are going to elect new leaders, and UN Volunteers are there to help. Read