South-South in Action
Using a case study analysis approach, the report examines volunteer programmes that have strong South-South components in Cambodia, China and Thailand. Normative discussions of volunteerism and South-South cooperation note that they share common principles of "mutuality, reciprocity, respect and equality" and that they have the potential to promote participatory and needs-based approaches to development, while cultivating global citizens and strengthening people-to-people ties. The hypothesis is that South-South cooperation and volunteerism are mutually reinforcing and highly compatible concepts. The report was published as part of the South-South in Action Series of the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), in partnership with the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA).
World Scouting and UNV embark on new global partnership
In this new collaboration, UNV and World Scouting will jointly promote volunteering as a powerful tool to advance youth and community development. The two partners will work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and advocate for policy frameworks that enable, empower and protect volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
“Disability does not mean inability” – changing mindsets in Namibia
Pelgrina Shimanu Ndumba serves as a UN Volunteer Project Officer with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Namibia. She is visually impaired, and has been working on the UN Partnership on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNPRPD) project since July 2020. Pelgrina's assignment falls under the UNDP-UNV Talent Programme for Young Professionals with Disabilities, and is funded by the Government of Sweden. A few months into her assignment, Pelgrina shares her experience.
Many factors motivated me to volunteer: I always wanted to be an agent of change to change mindsets towards persons with disabilities and disability-related matters. I further wanted to prove to the world – through my actions and contributions – that disability does not mean inability. --Pelgrina Shimanu Ndumba, UN Volunteer with UNDP, serving under the UNDP-UNV Talent Programme for Young Professionals with Disabilities