Paris, France: A UNV volunteer has addressed delegates at a major international conference on how volunteerism has put gender issues into Kosovo's wider security debate. Read

Tashkent, Uzbekistan: A UNV volunteer nutrition specialist from Djibouti is helping the Government of Uzbekistan to develop better ways of preventing malnourishment and ill-health among mothers and children. Read

Cairo, Egypt: Young Egyptians are identifying creative means of engaging themselves in the development process, and activities supported by UNV build on Egypt's existing volunteering and civic participation potential. Read

Hargeisa, Somalia : The sounds of algebra and sewing machines ring out and the smell of freshly-baked cakes wafts through the Shamsudin Skills Development
Center.  Women from nearby camps of Internally Displaced People (IDPs)
are learning valuable skills that can help them earn an income here in
Hargeisa, capital of Somaliland. Read

Dead Sea, Jordan: Volunteerism is a vital component of successful amateur sports and both expand opportunities for women and girls, UNV Deputy Executive Coordinator Ms Joyce Yu told the 4th International Olympic Committee (IOC) World Conference on Women and Sport. Read

Dead Sea, Jordan: Joyce Yu, Deputy Executive Coordinator of United Nations Volunteers, gives a speech to the 4th IOC World Conference on Women and Sport “Sport as a vehicle for social change” in Jordan on 9 March 2008. Read

On International Women’s Day (IWD), 8 March, the United Nations is urging everyone to help end all forms of violence against women. In his statement for this year’s IWD, UN Secretary General Ban Kyi-Moon says that failure to address women’s issues holds back all efforts in

reaching the Millennium Development Goals.  The UN Volunteers programme, together with its thousands of volunteers worldwide, has shown a strong commitment to achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment.

Read

Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: UNV volunteer Kathrine Lassen has always been attached to Africa. Having lived there as a kid and returning several times for visits, internships and travels. This time, she's working as a Gender Specialist for UNV. Read

“Midwife Bahga, I will never forget how I have suffered and still do," said 13-year old Mehad, “I underwent female genital mutilation (FGM) at your hands.”  Addressing an awareness-raising session at a girls’ school, Midwife Bahga confessed, “I did not do this out of ill will, but out of ignorance.”  FGM is a fundamental violation of human rights that causes severe pain, trauma, sexual dysfunction, birth and other health complications.  Around 89% of women in the Sudan are affected by FGM. Read

Quetta, Pakistan: As a UNV volunteer working in a refugee camp in Quetta, Pakistan, Lynda Lim tries to encourage women to speak up, provide protection and ensure their basic rights are met. And this Malaysian lady "never gives up." Read