Partners for Sustainable Development through Volunteerism Discuss 2030

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The 2016 UNV Partnerships Forum gathers over 200 participants to discuss how to enhance global partnerships for sustainable development through volunteerism. The Forum is supported by the Ministry for Economic Cooperation for Development (BMZ) and the German Federal Foreign Office as well as the City of Bonn.

Bonn, Germany. On 13 and 14 October 2016, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme will host its second Partnerships forum at the World Conference Center in Bonn. After the first Partnerships Forum held in 2014, the theme for this year’s Forum is 'Revitalizing Partnerships: Volunteerism for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)'.

UNV and Beijing Volunteer Service Federation launch new South-South Cooperation project

Bonn, Germany
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During a side event held today at the 2016 UNV Partnership Forum, Mr. Richard Dictus, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and Mr. Ying Wang, Deputy Secretary General of Beijing Volunteer Service Federation (BVF), announced the new cooperation project “Strengthening China’s Involvement in the Development of International Volunteer Service through South-South Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative.”

UNV and Beijing Volunteer Service Federation launch new South-South Cooperation project

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During a side event held today at the 2016 UNV Partnership Forum, Mr. Richard Dictus, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and Mr. Ying Wang, Deputy Secretary General of Beijing Volunteer Service Federation (BVF), announced the new cooperation project “Strengthening China’s Involvement in the Development of International Volunteer Service through South-South Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative.”

Improving the lives of communities

UN Volunteer Leonid Markaryan
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My first experience with the United Nations was with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) in February 2000. I was responsible for preparing for the first ever elections in the newly divided region. The excitement of working with UNMIK was incomparable to anything I had done before.

My first experience with the United Nations was with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo* (UNMIK) in February 2000. I was responsible for preparing for the first ever elections in the newly divided region. The excitement of working with UNMIK was incomparable to anything I had done before.

I came into contact with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme later when I was heading the Victims’ Recovery and Identification Commission. I got the rare opportunity and privilege to work with a team of UN Volunteers.

Global Programmes: Youth

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Over the years, UNV has worked with UN partners and Member States at national, regional and international levels to create an enabling environment for youth participation through volunteering. Towards that end, it has launched successful programmes ranging from establishing youth centres and volunteer initiatives to working on youth policies and legislation.

Youth Volunteering is a two-way street that enhances learning, skills development and personal growth in youth volunteers, and shows them the power of individuals to change the world. It also creates a sense of empowerment, boosts self-esteem and fosters the development of community spirit, especially among marginalized youth. youth volunteers can have a revitalizing effect on global peace and development processes, as they bring energy, passion and creativity, and are often the first to come up with innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

Global Programmes: Peacebuilding

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Volunteerism generates forms of social capital that are indispensable to peacebuilding, and plays an important role in aiding the development of national civilian capacities to accompany peacebuilding processes. For over four decades, UNV has played an integral part in supporting the work of the United Nations in peacebuilding. Since 1992, in particular, UNV has been supporting the implementation of Security Council-mandated peacekeeping and special political mission mandates, including peacebuilding offices.

Throughout, in promoting social cohesion and resilience in post-conflict affected areas, UN Volunteers assigned to United Nations missions helped mobilize local volunteers within communities by supporting inclusive and rightsbased dialogue and inter-community engagement. Additionally, UNV is working with United Nations agencies, funds and programmes to implement rights-based programming initiatives in countries recovering from crisis.

Global Programmes: National Capacity Development through Volunteer Schemes

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The development of volunteer schemes to promote the contribution of volunteerism constitutes an important element of nationally-led and owned multi-sectoral peace and development programmatic interventions.

UNV and its network of volunteers have created a robust global infrastructure for volunteer efforts, and boosted local capacity to support these initiatives. As a result, several hundreds of thousands or volunteers have engaged meaningfully with communities, whether at home or abroad, and brought about real development progress. In 2015, UN Member States requested that UNV support the establishment of national volunteer schemes.

Global Programmes: Innovation and Knowledge

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The fundamental lack of understanding of the role of volunteering and the potential of volunteers in the face of global change must be tackled by unv and partners in order to bring the value to light in the new development era. this is done through consolidating innovation, advocacy and research. In the framework period, unv will lead in consolidating volunteer knowledge, advocacy and innovation as a convener on volunteer issues.

Given the critical gaps in the evidence base for the contributions of volunteerism to peace and development, a key focus during this Strategic framework period will be to work with partners from academia and other volunteerinvolving organizations to develop a global research agenda on volunteerism. this will involve strengthening collaboration and cultivating research in the global South, continuing the publication of the State of the World’s volunteerism reports, and enhancing the measurement of volunteering at national levels, especially in developing contexts.

Global Programmes: Community Resilience for Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction

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In 2015, UNV began supporting the United Nations Plan of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction for Resilience throughout Asia and the Pacific. UN Volunteers, familiar with and often originating from local communities, have been vital to promoting sustainable development. As locals themselves, they are familiar with using locally-appropriate and environmentally-sound practices, including indigenous knowledge in environmental management and capacity development to respond to natural disasters.

UNV’s experience in these areas shows that community resilience, which can be enhanced through volunteerism, is the basis for successful and sustainable programmes. Social, economic and environmental sustainability are building blocks of sustainable development. And they are inextricably interlinked. Disaster risk reduction and the environment are closely related. Sustainable development requires that disaster risks are reduced and communities are better prepared for response and recovery.

Global Programmes: Securing Access to Basic Social Services

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Strengthening the delivery of basic services moves communities and nations closer to achieving peace and sustainable development. Volunteer efforts amplify the efficiency and outreach, as well as ownership and sustainability, of programmes that improve basic services.

UNV is uniquely situated to advance improvements to social services given its widespread network of volunteers at the national and community levels. To date, UNV’s interventions in basic social services have positively impacted areas such as primary health case, prevention of violence against women, education and food security. UN Volunteers work with local, institutional and national authorities to improve capacity to deliver basic services, while at the same time helping local communities and organizations strengthen their active participation in local governance processes.

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