26 May 2008

"In November 2005, my father was tortured and killed by armed men on his way back from Northern Uganda. Seven months later I met two of those ex-combatants when they came to seek amnesty. I had joined UNV attached to the Amnesty Commission, carrying out registration and needs assessment, which calls for re-humanizing the perpetrators of the conflict. There will be no future and peace without forgiveness and reconciliation among victims and the perpetrators of the conflict."

A national UNV volunteer's personal testimony, 2007

For the past 15 years (1992-2007), UNV and DPKO have engaged in fruitful collaboration. UNV volunteers have taken part in 44 peacekeeping operations, with over 11,300 volunteers completing more than 16,000 mission assignments during this period. From 1999-2007, the economic value of UNV volunteers in peacekeeping amounted to approximately US$ 600 million. In 2007, over 2,995 UNV volunteers supported 18 UN peacekeeping and special political operations in 18 countries.

UNV volunteers working in peacekeeping operations are highly skilled and motivated professionals. They are on average 39 years old, have 5-10 years of relevant work experience, and are 30% female and 70% male. UNV volunteers serve as civilian peacekeepers in special development situations within the areas of crisis and postcrisis humanitarian assistance, conflict prevention, & peace building and support to post-conflict electoral processes in 191 professional categories. These include demobilization, disarmament & reintegration, political affairs, civil administration and human rights, as well as medical, administrative, logistical and technical roles.

UNV volunteers are instrumental in providing the support framework for the smooth operation of DPKO uniformed peacekeepers, while at the same time creating an enabling environment for development. They are driven by their commitment to promote sustainable development through volunteerism.

The distinctive contribution made by UNV volunteers to peacekeeping operations has been strongly endorsed by the UN Secretary General and at the highest levels in DPKO. At the 59th session of the General Assembly, resolution 59/532 on financing the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), "acknowledges the valuable contribution of the United Nations Volunteers in the United Nations system … and takes note of DPKO’s intention to continue its efforts to exploit the potential for increased use of UNV volunteers in peace-keeping operations in those functions or skills which are not normally available in the Secretariat or which are limited."

UNV volunteers are currently supporting the following missions:

Afghanistan (UNAMA), Burundi (BINUB), Central African Republic (BONUCA), Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT), Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), Eritrea and Ethiopia (UNMEE), Georgia (UNOMIG), Guinea-Bissau (UNOGBIS), Haiti (MINUSTAH), Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI), Kosovo (UNMIK), Liberia (UNMIL), Nepal (UNMIN), Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), Sudan (UNMIS), Darfur/Sudan (UNAMID) Timor-Leste (UNMIT) and MINURSO (Western Sahara).