Peacebuilding and human rights for internally displaced persons in Darfur, Sudan

Stuart Moran
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The African Union/United Nations Hybrid Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) focuses on the protection of civilians—especially vulnerable groups such as internally displaced persons who remain unable to return to their traditional homes due to conflict. The Mission and its UN Volunteers respond to the changing peacekeeping environment by placing increased focus on peacebuilding activities that preserve gains achieved. This is a complex mandate that adapts to evolving circumstances in hope of making a sustainable transition towards peace in Darfur.

UN Volunteers serve throughout UNAMID’s operations covering the vast Darfur region (approximately equivalent to the size of France). The environment is characterized by harsh conditions with extremely high temperatures, driving sand storms, and limited or non-existent local support mechanisms. Despite these challenges, UNAIMD successfully established a network of facilities and infrastructure in Darfur, including in remote deep-field locations, to support and achieve the mission’s Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding mandate.

Using standardized data to promote peace and tolerance in Bangladesh

Mahmudul Hasan
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Working for a UN agency was a long-cherished dream of mine. I was already serving as a UN Online Volunteer as well as participating in some of the events arranged by UNV Bangladesh when I stumbled on the call for applicants on the UNV Facebook page. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) now seemed to be my way in. With boundless excitement and hope, I applied for the position. That is when everything changed for me.

I was looking at the UNV Bangladesh Facebook page when I noticed that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bangladesh was looking for a UN Volunteer to serve as Research Assistant to work on daily media briefings, data entry and standardization, and drafting policy briefs for the Democratic Governance Cluster. Their needs tied directly to my interests and areas of expertise. When UNV contacted me, it was indeed a remarkable day.

Support needed for success, youth tell UN event

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More 1,000 young people from different cities gathered in Dhaka on Saturday, pledging unity to promote inclusiveness and tolerance through art, music, joyful games and attractions.

Empowering indigenous adolescent girls in Guatemala

Guatemala
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UNV, together with UN Women and UNFPA, designed a project within the Saqilaj B'e Joint Programme to encourage indigenous adolescents to become leaders and acquire the necessary skills to actively participate in making decisions that affect their lives and impact their rights, and to prevent harmful practices against girls and adolescents in the regions of Huehuetenango and Totonicapán.

Three national UN Volunteers are working to empower adolescent girls by raising awareness amongst adolescents, their families and local authorities on women’s rights, and addressing issues such as early marriage, sexuality and violence against women. Their work contributes to the Saqilaj B’e Joint Programme (JP) implemented by UN Women, PAHO/WHO, UNESCO, UNFPA and UNICEF, together with the Government of Guatemala. 

Malian youth paving the road for peace

PARC Jeunesse Mali
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As Mali transitions to peace and development, the country is empowering its youth more than ever to become change agents. With 60 per cent of the Malian population under the age of 25, youth are vital players in the country’s democratic sustainability. Through its PARC Jeunesse Mali project, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme has found a unique way to develop youth leaders within the country.

In Mali, the road to peace and reconciliation has been wrought by a 2012 military coup and insecure borders, combined with a proliferation of small arms illegally imported or stolen from unsecured stockpiles. This, however, has not stopped the Malian people from championing democracy—the country is in a period of transition geared towards the re-establishment of constitutional order and democratic governance. In 2013, Presidential and Parliamentary elections were held in the country, representing a milestone on the path to peace.

UNV in India launches its first dedicated national online volunteering platform

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To mark International Youth Day, India launches with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) its first national online volunteering platform, a first of its kind in India and for UNV. The platform serves as a marketplace for non-profit organizations and volunteers to connect, allowing youth networks, volunteer involving organizations, civil society organizations, public institutions and State governments to get support from online volunteers completely free of charge.

Working with communities to reduce the impact of environmental crises in Nigeria

Minjae Kang
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Youth-led commitments to address environmental issues in Africa are central to ensuring that global responsibility for the planet is championed by future generations. UN Youth Volunteers working with vulnerable communities at risk of climate change raise awareness on disaster prevention, leaving no one behind.

In partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) deployed 41 national and international UN Volunteers, 5 of them UN Youth Volunteers, to serve in environmental initiatives in Africa. Youth volunteers are the backbone of environmental action, raising awareness on climate change, responsible consumption and production, and preservation of land, forests and water resources.

As tide turns, volunteers offer hope to Somalia

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Op-Ed by Geoff Prewitt, Chief, Development Programming Section, United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

UNV partners with UNFPA to provide humanitarian relief

UNV and UNFPA
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The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) works closely with UN Volunteers to ensure that reproductive health is integrated into emergency responses. Over the past ten years, there have been more than 500 UN Volunteer assignments with UNFPA across the world.

During conflicts, natural disasters and other emergencies, sexual and reproductive health needs are easily overlooked – yet these needs are often staggering. UN Volunteers work in conflict-affected areas hand in hand with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) staff to deploy hygiene supplies, obstetric and family planning supplies, trained personnel, and other support to vulnerable populations, and works to ensure the needs of women and young people are served through both an emergency and the reconstruction phase.

UN Volunteers can be role models of social change and reconciliation

Sadhani Rajapakse
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Sri Lanka is a nation with a rich volunteer culture embedded within the day-to-day activities of its citizens. For this reason, volunteering is a subconscious norm that is part of everyone’s lives, including mine. Still, working as a UN Youth Volunteer was a life-changing experience. It helped me discover that youth have the capacity and dedication needed to contribute to national initiatives through volunteerism.

I served as a national UN Volunteer in Sri Lanka. During this time, something I found most interesting was the opportunity to work with volunteers who are diverse in every possible way; be it gender, ethnicity, language or religion.

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