"Reflections on my volunteer path from Germany to Kenya"

Alexandra Rank, UN Volunteer Digital Monitoring and Reporting Officer with UNEP
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Alexandra Rank is a German UN Volunteer currently serving as a Digital Monitoring and Reporting Officer with the Communications Division at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi. Her journey with the United Nations began in 2021 through the Carlo Schmid Programme. This followed UN Volunteer assignments in 2022 as a Youth Volunteer and then in a Specialist role in 2024. With a background in journalism and a deep commitment to environmental communication, Alexandra reflects on the path that brought her to Nairobi and the insights gained along the way.

"I have always been drawn to investigative research—understanding what’s happening in the world and exploring the political landscape. I feel most connected at the intersection of communication, journalism, and environmental issues. My awareness of the environmental injustices began after high school, when I volunteered with a local NGO in Uganda through Weltwärts, a programme supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)," shares Alexandra.

Scaling up health interventions in Türkiye

United Nations Volunteers
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On World Health Day, we recognize the contributions of UN Volunteers who raise awareness about Sustainable Development Goal 3. One of them is Daisy Lanvers, a Health Economic Analyst with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Istanbul Regional Hub located in Türkiye. Daisy focuses on how diseases impact the health and economy of countries, and also how investing in health benefits everyone, both in terms of well-being and financial sustainability.

Daisy is from France. She discovered UNV while at university, and after graduating, she started a UN Volunteer assignment as a Health Economics Analyst for UNDP’s HIV and Health unit. 

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.

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