SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
Co-creating the futureThe seed planted in me by my father’s passion and by volunteering itself remains central throughout my career. Volunteering, I believe, turns people from passive recipients of development into co-creators of their futures. It builds sustainable solutions because communities own them, not because they receive them.
20 April 2026
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
Working across UN headquarters and country offices, I have been inspired by countless colleagues who dedicate themselves to impact. But inspiration also comes from outside the UN. When I travel to communities across Malawi or speak with mothers, farmers, entrepreneurs and people building better lives for their families, I am reminded why I do this work; not because of a job title, but because of a calling that began as many meaningful things do, with volunteering.A volunteer at heart
20 April 2026
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
Finding purpose through service, I didn’t start volunteering with a grand plan. I joined organisations like Transparency International and Amnesty International because I cared about their causes and wanted to help. What I didn’t realize then was how much those experiences would define my future.
17 April 2026
East and Southern Africa
Success stories
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
The SWVR Global Webinar Series forms part of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) wider dissemination and engagement efforts. The series will unpack the report’s key findings, explore its analytical frameworks and tools, and support regional and country‑level rollout through established UN and partner processes.
13 April 2026
Global
Article
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
Louise Chamberlain, Deputy Executive Coordinator of UNV, opened the session by situating the discussion in today’s global reality: a world where volunteers continue to respond to crises, support communities and drive development, yet remain largely invisible in formal data systems.The paradox of volunteerism: everywhere, yet not always visible
09 April 2026
Global
Article
SDG 1: No poverty, SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
“Volunteering in Lebanon during conflictVolunteering in Lebanon right now is not about signing up, wearing a badge, or ticking a box. It is about grabbing a bag at 3 a.m. and running. It is about cooking food for strangers during Ramadan while your own home may no longer exist. It is about opening public schools as shelters, entertaining displaced children in classrooms that no longer function as schools and finding ways to keep people human when everything else is falling apart.
08 April 2026
Arab States
Success stories
SDG 1: No poverty, SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production, SDG 13: Climate change, SDG 14: Life below water, SDG 15: Life on land, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
Across communities in the Global South and worldwide, people dedicate their time, skills, and energy to help others—often without expecting recognition or reward. Consider the community-based groups in Kenya that support research and conservation initiatives for animals and wildlife, the volunteer firefighters in Australia who battle devastating bushfires, or the youth groups across Latin America organizing neighbourhood clean-ups and immunization campaigns.
08 April 2026
Global
Success stories
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
That is where honest storytelling begins: not with neat conclusions, but with what is often softened, skipped, or buried—failure alongside progress, complexity instead of closure. The most powerful stories do not reassure. They unsettle just enough to demand reflection and accountability.
01 April 2026
Global
Success stories
SDG 1: No poverty, SDG 2: Zero hunger, SDG 3: Good health and well-being, SDG 4: Quality education, SDG 5: Gender equality, SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation, SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy, SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth, SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure, SDG 10: Reduced inequalities, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production, SDG 13: Climate change, SDG 14: Life below water, SDG 15: Life on land, SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions, SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals
The response is not cosmetic. On 1 April 2026, UNV updates its offer with 39 redesigned volunteer solutions. The new offer is designed to address the complex, urgent, and varied challenges facing the world today. It provides UN entities with increased flexibility and creates more inclusive opportunities for UN Volunteers to get involved. Who can volunteer—and howAt the heart of the Conditions of Service is a simple principle: experience matters most.
31 March 2026
Global
Success stories
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) marks with sadness the passing of Dr. Brenda Gael McSweeney, former Executive Coordinator of UNV, who died in her hometown of Needham, Massachusetts, on 11 March 2026 at the age of 82.
30 March 2026
Global
Success stories