Arta has been involved in the Territorial Employment Pact, an innovative joint initiative of the municipality of Gjakovë/Djakovica, Austrian Development Agency and UNDP aiming to promote inclusive local economic development, serving people who are looking for skills and income to achieve a better life. Adfter graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Kosovo, Arta started working in The Ideas Partnership, a non-governmental organization that promotes employment, social inclusion, preservation of cultural heritage and healthy environment.

Finally, we are reaching our destination, after nearly 700 kilometers on a bumpy road. The jeep approaches a small town laid in the midst of the endless steppe. There we meet E., an elected representative from a Citizens’ Representative Hural, which is the name for local self-governing bodies in Mongolia.

Mr Tegegnework Gettu, UNDP Associate Administrator, opened UNV’s session at the meeting. He highlighted the strong UND/UNV partnership and noted how through its engagements with UNDP, UNV is constantly demonstrating how volunteers are vital to the success of development initiatives at local, regional and national levels. 

This report presents the results achieved by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme during the second biennium of its four-year Strategic Framework, 2014-2017. Noting the accomplishments of the programme, the report also reflects on the challenges faced, the results of an independent evaluation of the Strategic Framework , and a full management audit of UNV.

For almost five decades, advocates in civil society and the United Nations have been raising awareness and advocating for the protection of our environment on World Environment Day. The theme for 2018 is beating plastic pollution, and the host country for is India, where UN Environment this year is helping to highlight the environmental challenges the country faces, and support the efforts to address them.

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits arising from their Utilization (ABS) to the Convention on Biological Diversity entered into force in 2014. 

This year, the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers is commemorated under the theme “UN Peacekeeping: 70 Years of Service and Sacrifice”.  The UN system and partners acknowledge the enormous contribution of UN military and civilian personnel to peace and stability through peacekeeping operations. United Nations peacekeeping is a proven investment in global peace, security and prosperity. --UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

It’s Thursday morning and I have landed in Savannakhet in the south of Laos, on a monitoring mission for our project.The project I work for, SAFE Ecosystems project, targets the reforestation of 1,111 hectares of land, contributing to Lao PDR's target to achieve 70 per cent forest cover by 2020.

UN Youth Volunteers, who receive a monthly living allowance and a benefits package, can be impactful resources to support monitoring and evaluation efforts.

COMMUNICATING IN SUPPORT OF RULE OF LAW AND NATIONAL RECONCILIATION