Volunteers are playing a vital role in making governments worldwide more accountable and responsive to their citizens, but their potential is seriously under-valued, a new report from the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme said today.
The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2015 is the first global survey of the contribution of volunteers to better governance, a prerequisite for the success of the new Sustainable Development Goals to be agreed at the United Nations in September.
By suggesting how volunteerism can be taken forward, the 2011 State of the World's Volunteerism Report provides an alternative vision of a better society.
The first State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was launched at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, United States, on 5 December 2011 and about 80 countries around the world.
The SWVR promotes a better understanding of volunteerism. It demonstrates the universality, scope and reach of volunteerism along with new trends in the twenty-first century. The report examines important contributions in diverse fields such as sustainable livelihoods, social inclusion, social cohesion and disaster risk reduction.
The State of the World’s Volunteerism Report 2015 is the first global review of the power of volunteer voices to help improve the way people are governed.
Drawing on evidence from countries as diverse as Brazil, Kenya, Lebanon and Bangladesh, the UN report shows how ordinary people are volunteering their time, energies and skills to improve the way they are governed and engaged at local, national and global levels.
Better governance at every level is a pre-requisite for the success of the new set of targets for future international development, the Sustainable Development Goals, which are due to be agreed at the United Nations in September 2015.
On the recommendation of the Second Committee, the UN General Assembly adopted this resolution (A/RES/40/212) on 17 December 1985, establishing 5 December as International Volunteer Day.
This UN General Assembly resolution ( (A/RES/52/17), adopted 20 November 1997, declaring 2001 the International Year of Volunteers designated the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the volunteer arm of the UN, as the focal point. The objectives of the Year are increased promotion, recognition, facilitation and networking of voluntary action worldwide. The resolution was co-sponsored by 123 countries.
The Commission for Social Development encourages governments to take into consideration volunteerism in their national development planning recognizing contribution of volunteerism to the achievements of social development goals...
This UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/56/38), co-sponsored by 126 Member States and adopted on 5 December 2001, proposes recommendations on how governments and the United Nations system can support volunteering.
In these recommendations, the terms volunteering, volunteerism and voluntary activities refer to a wide range of activities, including traditional forms of mutual aid and self-help, formal service delivery and other forms of civic participation, undertaken of free will, for the general public good and where monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.
This UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/57/106), co-sponsored by 142 Member States and adopted on 26 November 2002, calls upon stakeholders to support volunteerism as a strategic tool to enhance economic and social development and requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its 60th session on the implementation of the current resolution.
This UN General Assembly resolution (A/RES/60/134), co-sponsored by 84 Member States and adopted on 16 December 2005, invites all stakeholders, especially from the private sector community and from private foundations, to support volunteerism as a strategic tool to enhance economic and social development, including by expanding corporate volunteering.
A resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on the report of the Third Committee (A/63/424) has decided that on or around 5 December 2011, two plenary meetings of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly shall be devoted to follow-up to the International Year of Volunteers and the commemoration of its tenth anniversary, under the item entitled 'Social development'.
