Data supports the existence of a significant nexus between gender mainstreaming, sustaining peace, and civic and volunteer engagement. This was the topic of discussion at a side event organized on 27 October 2016 by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) at the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN in New York.

The Day’s theme for 2016 is “The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace.” In the last 25 years, UN Volunteers have served in more than 50 UN missions in over 30 countries, supporting peace processes in war-torn societies and countries in complex political transition around the world. UN Volunteers help rebuild the social fabric in post-conflict communities, raise awareness on human rights, accompany the victims of violence in seeking justice, and support the healing process. 

The Day’s theme for 2016 is “The Sustainable Development Goals: Building Blocks for Peace.” In the last 25 years, UN Volunteers have served in more than 50 UN missions in over 30 countries, supporting peace processes in war-torn societies and countries in complex political transition around the world. UN Volunteers help rebuild the social fabric in post-conflict communities, raise awareness on human rights, accompany the victims of violence in seeking justice, and support the healing process. 

On 15 July, UNV will be launching its new Online Volunteering service from Brazil and in collaboration with the United Nations country team and the Samsung Latin American Office. Brazil has been selected as the location for the global launch as the country ranks #4 worldwide for the number of UN Online Volunteers and has a high potential for growth in online volunteering activities in general.

“Quite simply put – the UN could not deploy, and Security Council mandates could not be delivered, without UNV.” These were the comments of Assistant Secretary-General Hubert Price of the UN Department of Field Support, speaking on behalf of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Political Affairs. Speaking at the annual session of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in New York on 9 June 2016.

The UN sets aside 29 May as the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers to honour the memory of UN peacekeepers who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. The Day is also to pay tribute to the estimated one million men and women who have served and continue to serve under the blue flag with professionalism, dedication and courage since the first UN peacekeeping mission was deployed in 1948. 

26-year old Tran Van Chuong frequently awoke to the telltale sounds of his neighbour's wife being beaten by her husband. Their arguments would start quietly but escalate quickly as his neighbour turned to physical brutality, leaving his wife bruised and scraped. This was not an uncommon problem in their urban community in Da Nang, a major central Viet Nam port city of one million people.

International Volunteer Day (IVD), on December 5th, was designated by the United Nations in 1985 as an international observance day to celebrate the power and potential of volunteerism. It is an opportunity for volunteers, and volunteer organizations, to raise awareness of, and gain recognition for, the contribution they make to their communities.

In the lead-up to International Volunteer Day, Geoffrey D. Prewitt, Chief of the Development Programme Section of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, talks about UNV and the importance of volunteering on N1, a television channel in Bosnia and Herzegovina, alongside Amela Sirovina, from the Centre for development of youth activism in the country. (Article in the language(s) of Bosnia and Herzegovina)

On Thursday July 2nd, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme Executive Coordinator, Richard Dictus, and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) President, Youngmok Kim, signed the new Agreement on the United Nations University Youth Volunteer Programme, which further strengthens the collaboration between the two organizations.