New era volunteerism in response to COVID-19: Volunteers as harbingers of change

Dmitry Frischin, Regional Manager, UNV Office for Europe and Central Asia
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As morning breaks, the sun starts rising over empty streets and silence. This is the time of lockdown, the new rhythm of life in the COVID-19 pandemic, which brought tremendous challenges for humanity. Suddenly, people start to show up in the streets. Wearing masks and protective gear, they bustle about their business.

Some of them load trucks with big boxes full of food and hygiene items. Others are rushing to distribute printed handouts outlining the basic principles of hygiene in the context of COVID-19. Yet others are sitting in front of their laptops at home or reaching each household in remote and affected areas, assisting health or social workers, delivering food or disseminating the handouts.

Volunteers in Health Emergencies

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Globally, volunteer action is filling gaps in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic that governments and other stakeholders cannot meet alone. This new guidance note outlines the distinctive strengths of volunteerism that can be applied across COVID-19 preparation, response and recovery efforts. It also provides specific examples of successful volunteer approaches in health emergencies, advice on effective volunteer engagement, and tools and resources for use by the UN system, governments and civil society.

Enhancing responsiveness to stakeholders through UNV’s new Service Desk

Avetis Avagyan, Digital Transformation Project Manager
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The UN Volunteers (UNV) Digital Transformation project reached a new milestone recently with the launch of a new Service Desk digital solution. In a game-changing leap forward, this Service Desk offers a better user experience for all those who interact with UNV.

The new Service Desk consolidates enquiry input channels, including web and email queries, and leverages AI and self-service technologies such as chatbots, to give around-the-clock service to UN partners and those who manage UN Volunteers. External visitors are serviced in three UNV languages – English, French and Spanish, including on the AI interface.

UN Expert Volunteer coordinates ecosystems conservation in Kazakhstan

International Day for Biological Diversity
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Alatau-Balkhash Kistaubayev, a UN Expert Volunteer from Kazakhstan, supports a project of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) for ecosystem conservation and sustainable management. His 40 years of experience in the forestry sector and communication skills help him successfully coordinate the project at local level.

The UNDP project "Conservation and sustainable management of key globally-significant ecosystems for various benefits" started in Kazakhstan in 2019. It introduces a new, conservation-centered and financially self-sufficient approach to the management of forests, climate and land integrity, particularly in the pilot biodiversity areas of Zhambyl and Turkestan.

Volunteering online during lockdown to fight COVID-19

Volunteering online
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They come from Côte d’Ivoire, Italy, Bangladesh, Argentina and Kyrgyzstan… Online Volunteers worldwide allocate their time, competencies and energy to support civil society organizations, public institutions and UN agencies in the fight against COVID-19.

In West and Central Africa, Online Volunteers have supported organizations in Senegal, Nigeria and Cameroon as social media administrators, graphic designers, researchers, financial proposal writers, project developers, and even as microbiologists.

Assessing and addressing the gender impact of COVID-19 in Morocco

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The COVID-19 pandemic poses immense challenges across the world, impacting on societies, economies and political systems. In the Arab States, as in other parts of the world, women and girls are disproportionately affected, as they are more exposed to health risks and loss of income, take on a larger share of unpaid care work, and face heightened threat of gender-based violence during social confinement measures. UN Women is coordinating a multi-sectoral response to the crisis, utilizing the support of three currently serving UN Volunteers.

These are just examples of why gender equality matters in the context of COVID-19, emphasizing the need to ensure the world’s response to the pandemic is gender-sensitive.

Volunteers redirect efforts to address COVID-19 in Peru

Oscar Málaga and Ivonne Harvey, UN Expert Volunteers with UNDP
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“When the first outbreaks of the pandemic were detected in Peru in the middle of March, we were here, serving for the Bicentennial Special Project (BSP) with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), to contribute in the implementation of the largest Peruvian volunteer programme in the country’s history, as part of the celebrations of a national milestone: the Bicentenary of the independence in 2021” UN Expert Volunteer Oscar Málaga shares. “Amid the pandemic, we were asked if we could provide support and we got down to business straight away.”

Oscar has 5 years of experience within UNV and was part of the team in charge of handling the mobilization of large number of citizens for this major event. Together with Ivonne Harvey, also a UN Expert Volunteer, and other committed public servants from the BSP team, he puts its knowledge and expertise at the service of the Peruvian citizens without any hesitation. Ivonne, who has a Ph.D. in Education, had the mission of facilitating learning materials to the new volunteers, as well as ensuring they had the right level of training.

Leaving no one behind in Zambia

David Pulgret, UN Volunteer with UNICEF
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As a small boy, I always loved meaningful adventure. This was part of what motivated me to apply for a UN Volunteer position with UNICEF in Zambia. Every year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic fully funds the deployment of UN Volunteers to Czech priority countries for development cooperation.  After a rigorous selection process, I arrived at Lusaka airport seven months ago from my hometown, Tišnov, despite strong resistance from my family. I was also particularly determined to find out how effective development aid was in countering development challenges in Africa.

We should work at improving aid effectiveness, but overall, aid provides a great tool for moving towards a more inclusive, equal world where social justice prevails. --UN Volunteer with UNICEF, Zambia

Youth volunteering to kick-start a career in development

Minsun Kim, UN Youth Volunteer with UNDP
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The dedication of young volunteers is helping developing countries achieve their goals at an ever-increasing rate. Hundreds of youth volunteers, worldwide, have supported programmes across UN agencies through the UN Volunteer (UNV) programme in Kosovo (as per UN SC 1244).

Minsun Kim was searching through the Republic of Korea Ministry of Foreign Affairs website when she stumbled upon an opportunity that well matched her qualifications and aspirations – serving as a UN Youth Volunteer in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kosovo*. Her assignment was fully funded by the Republic of Korea.

Women preserving the momentum towards peace in Sudan

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Supported by UN Peacekeeping missions, Sudan’s transition towards peace started over a decade ago, and women have been involved in the process all along. Today, we celebrate women UN Volunteers who serve in volatile areas and sometimes precarious conditions for peace in Sudan, in support of the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA).

A total of 185 women UN Volunteers have served with UNAMID since 2008 and UNISFA since 2012 in a multitude of fields, including medicine, health, engineering, finance, technology and supply chains. Comprising no more than 25 per cent of the total UN Volunteer workforce supporting these two missions, women have been handling challenging tasks and benefiting the communities they serve.

Irene Haroub (Zimbabwe), a UN Volunteer HIV/AIDS Trainer/Counselor with UNAMID, hopes the impact of her work will benefit mothers and communities in Darfur for many years to come.

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