Volunteers help people affected by wildfires in southern Europe

International Volunteer Day 2017
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Croatian Red Cross teams deployed 50 volunteers to assist those threatened by forest fires on the Adriatic coast. Volunteers supported the firefighting response by distributing food and water.

The forest fires started on the coastal area on Sunday 16 July 2017, and spread quickly due to strong winds and dry weather. In Croatia, several villages around Split in Dalmatia were threatened by the fire, and many houses were left without gas and electricity. One person was killed in the fire and more than 3,500 square meters of forest area were destroyed.

Flash floods affect Vietnamese villages: volunteers deliver humanitarian aid

International Volunteer Day 2017
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Relief supplies are distributed to families displaced by floods in northwestern provinces Yen Bai, Son La, Dien Bien and Lai Chau.

Authorities estimate that at least 228 houses collapsed or were swept away in this region, nearly 600 were damaged or unroofed and 657 billion Vietnam Dong or 28.9 million US dollars’ worth of crops, livestock and infrastructure were lost.

Within a day of the flash floods, Viet Nam Red Cross Society volunteers arrived in the affected provinces to assist families with supplies, financial and emotional support, and other help from the Viet Nam Red Cross Society headquarters.

In Sri Lanka volunteers mobilized to control spiraling dengue outbreak

International Volunteer Day 2017
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Volunteers mobilized to support government efforts to stem the country’s worst-ever outbreak of dengue virus disease and to provide medical assistance at overstretched hospitals.

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Health reported more than 87,600 suspected cases of the mosquito-borne infection in 2017, causing over 230 deaths. Dengue is endemic in Sri Lanka, but the number of infections this year was already about 38 per cent higher than 2016, when 55,150 people were diagnosed with dengue and 97 died. Experts say the virus is a particularly virulent strain that is new to Sri Lanka, and therefore immunity is low.

Beijing Volunteer Service Federation deploys UN Youth Volunteers for the first time

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Beijing Volunteer Service Federation deploys UN Youth Volunteers for the first time

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Building spirals of peace in Haiti

José Ignacio Martín Galán
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Listening to how the people of Haiti understand the Sustainable Development Goals and how determined they are to improve this world for future generations has been for me an opportunity to learn, and a motivation to continue sharing, debating and learning with the Haitian population.

As a UN Volunteer with the Office of the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (DSRSG/RC/HC) at the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), I have had the chance to combine work on coordination, joint communication and planning in the office with capacity development in the field.

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. 

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