Inside MONUSCO’s child protection mission

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In the heart of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), childhood often vanishes before it even begins. Conflict and displacement have heavily impacted children—the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)’s 2024 Humanitarian Action for Children report reveals a staggering 6.04 million people uprooted, including 3.5 million children. Amidst this crisis, a quiet force stands guard: UN Volunteers embedded within the United Nations Stabilization Mission in DRC (MONUSCO)’s Child Protection Section. Their task is as relentless as it is essential—transforming raw numbers into lifelines and turning voices into instruments of justice. Each violation they document is more than data; it’s a chance to shield the next child before the cycle of suffering repeats.

In Bunia, Ituri Province, UN Volunteer Ounteni Souobou is a Child Protection Officer (Database and Reporting) with MONUSCO. He is from Burkina Faso. Ounteni's work focuses on documenting violations regarding children's rights, abductions and sexual violence, under the United Nations Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism. Each verified case feeds into national reports used by MONUSCO and UNICEF to target high-risk zones and guide advocacy.

From the Gulf to the Globe: UN Volunteers making a difference

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In 2025, the Special Voluntary Fund (SVF)  opened new doors for volunteer engagement across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Six national UN Volunteers stepped forward to represent countries that have traditionally been less visible within the UN system, bringing local voices and expertise to the heart of global development efforts. Three volunteers came from Kuwait, two from Qatar, and one from the United Arab Emirates. Each worked alongside UN agencies and contributed to areas ranging from migration and development to education, counter-terrorism, food security, and health.

This initiative wasn’t just about rolling out a system—it showed what’s possible when drawing on local expertise.

From Uzbekistan to the world: Uzbek volunteers set to serve globally

Uzbekistan and UNV Sign Letter of Exchange to Launch UNV Full Funding Programme for international UN Volunteers
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The signing ceremony, held at UNV headquarters in Bonn, was attended by the First Deputy Director of the Youth Affairs Agency and the Director of Management Services of UNV. This reaffirms Uzbekistan’s commitment to promoting youth engagement and international volunteerism. The Uzbek delegation was represented by the Youth Affairs Agency and the Association of Volunteers of Uzbekistan.

Executive Coordinator speaks on UN Day: Celebrating 80 Years of multilateralism and Germany’s steadfast commitment

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Toily Kurbanov, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) spoke on the occasion of the United Nations Day in Bonn. His remarks emphasized the UN’s relevance, the need for reform, and Bonn’s symbolic importance as a hub for global solidarity and action.

Staatsministerin Güler,

Landesminister Liminski,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Thank you for giving me the honour to say a few words on behalf of the United Nations in Bonn. 

Before coming here, I asked ChatGPT what would be the best speech about the UN to deliver to a German audience. It gave me a very good one—except the first sentence which went: “The UN is the only place where you can sit for hours and listen to a hundred speeches, and not one of them answers the question you asked. 

Doha Political Declaration elevates volunteerism as a pillar of social cohesion

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Doha Political Declaration of the “World Social Summit” under the title “the Second World Summit for Social Development” stated (in regards to volunteerism):

Encouraging volunteerism at all levels–local, national and international–and recognizing that these efforts contribute to social cohesion by promoting civic engagement.

What are the root causes of conflict? A volunteer’s voice from Ecuador

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Ecuador is a country of remarkable natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. Yet, beneath this diversity lies a deepening need for the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities. Indigenous Peoples have endured marginalization, and while the Constitution enshrines the principle of interculturality, genuine dialogue remains fragile and uneven. Within this complex context, Noémie Dreux assumes a pivotal role. She is a UN Volunteer Conflict and Violence Prevention Specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Her volunteer assignment is funded by the Government of France.

“Ecuador is marked by a long history of exclusion of Indigenous peoples and fragile intercultural dialogue, which continues to generate tensions,” Noémie explains. “Despite the Constitution recognizing the country as intercultural and plurinational, there is still a limited understanding of what these concepts truly mean, both in principle and in practice”. 

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