Going beyond short-term health solutions in West Africa

United Nations Volunteers
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World Health Day is a reminder that every child deserves access to quality healthcare, nutritious food, and a safe environment to grow and thrive. Championing the health of our future generation are UN Volunteers, Alec Mkwamba and Milamedinar Vaz in Guinea-Bissau and São Tomé and Príncipe. Through their assignments, Alec and Milamedinar make sure communities have electronic health records and training on malnutrition so everyone across the board can benefit from life-saving care. Let's take a deeper look into what they do for good health and well-being in their communities.

Before Alec Mkwamba joined the Ministry of Health in São Tomé and Príncipe, immunization records existed only on paper. Lost vaccine cards meant missed doses, leaving many children unprotected. As an Epidemiologist and Project Manager with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Alec led efforts to transition the health information system to digital platforms, certifying that the children’s vaccination histories were accessible no matter where they received care.

UNV notes steady progress in web accessibility

Avetis Avagyan, UNV Information and Communications Technology
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Since reporting in April 2024 on making web applications accessible for persons with disabilities, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) has improved its web application accessibility for persons with disabilities by conducting comprehensive testing and aiming to achieve WCAG 2.1 Level AA certification. This initiative involved gathering user feedback, manual accessibility testing, and training to create more inclusive digital environments that enable everyone to participate fully.

In 2024, UNV worked with a specialized accessibility testing company to thoroughly test IT systems. Detailed reports highlighted necessary changes that have been implemented, preparing UNV to validate these changes and aim for the next level of accessibility certification. 

The goal for 2025 is to have UNV systems certified as fully compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA. 

"Inclusion isn't about awareness, it's about visibility. We need to be seen"

Sushil Adhikari, UN Volunteer Disability Inclusion and Engagement Officer with UNICEF ROSA
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Many people are unaware of the realities of disabilities—not out of unwillingness, but simply due to a lack of exposure to these realities. This is true for the United Nations system as well. However, I found a genuine eagerness to learn and embrace new ideas in colleagues. This made me reflect on how change must begin within institutions before it can extend outward. At the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Regional Office for South Asia (ROSA), where I currently serve, progress starts with diversity. I brought elements of my activism into the organization, ensuring that inclusion is not just a policy but a lived experience for everyone around.

Under UNICEF’s Adolescent Participation, Skills, and Employability Section, I oversee disability inclusion efforts such as staff awareness programmes and accessibility audits on reporting. I use simple and practical techniques such as pair walk events to highlight accessibility challenges and the need for more inclusive spaces under UNICEF's Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy.

Working in systems that weren't built for women in mind

United Nations Volunteers
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Karima Amadi is a UN Volunteer Support Officer with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). A native of Afghanistan, she has worked in human resources, administration, and programme management in various United Nations agencies. For Karima, working in systems that weren’t built for women in mind is nothing new. And this experience has made her a staunch supporter of inclusion, especially regarding gender in peacekeeping roles.


“My UN Volunteer assignment gives me a platform to promote inclusion," Karima says. “In spaces where women’s perspectives are often overlooked, I have tried to make sure they are part of the decision-making process.”

Karima grew up seeing very structured gender roles. What women can and cannot do, and the limitations placed on them. Entering the workforce and later supporting international development, she saw the same trajectory where leadership roles were quite often dominated by men.

UNV releases new research on volunteering in human mobility contexts

United Nations Volunteers
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As of mid-2024, an estimated 122.6 million people were displaced due to emergencies like armed conflicts, natural disasters, famine, and epidemics. These populations face risks such as violence, exploitation, discrimination, and limited access to basic services.

UN Volunteer in Gaza recounts as the ceasefire ends

United Nations Volunteers
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After enduring 15 months of relentless violence, devastation, and loss of life, the people of the Gaza Strip finally saw a glimmer of hope with the ceasefire that came into effect on January 19, 2025. Among those returning to the remnants of their homes in northern Gaza were UN Volunteer Asmaa Ma'rouf and her children. Asmaa documented her journey back home, sharing her reflections along the way. The ceasefire was still in effect at that time.

"After months of uncertainty, of longing for home, today is the day I return. This journey has been filled with challenges, resilience, and hope. Each step back home brings a flood of memories—some painful, some warm.

Displacement is more than just leaving a place; it’s leaving behind a part of yourself. The streets feel familiar yet different, carrying the weight of what was lost and the promise of what can be rebuilt.

"Let's commit to peaceful communities in Madagascar"

United Nations Volunteers
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In 2024, the United Nations in Madagascar initiated one of its most ambitious volunteer recruitment drives, enlisting 32 UN Volunteers to promote peacebuilding and social cohesion within their communities. All volunteers were Malagasy nationals. Among them—five UN Volunteer Specialists in Social and Behaviour Change and 24 UN Community Volunteers collaborated with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and three university students served as UN Volunteers with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Despite their diverse roles, all 32 shared a common goal: they were animators ready to drive positive change from the ground up.

Youth, which represents the majority of Madagascar's population, is both a challenge and an opportunity for peacebuilding amidst social, economic, and cultural tensions.

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