Strengthening China’s involvement in the development of international volunteer service

South-South Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative
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Volunteer programmes in the global South often seek to internationalize their efforts, but lack international networks and overseas partners and are not well integrated into the international development ecosystem. To address this above challenge, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, with the support of the Beijing Volunteer Service Federation (BVF), launched the project "Strengthening China’s Involvement in the Development of International Volunteer Service through South-South Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative".

Volunteer programmes are frequently not well integrated into their own country’s broader overseas national development programming, with potential partnerships with official mechanisms, national strategies and development actors (including the government, the private sector and the third sector) limited by a lack of trust and experience.

South-South volunteering builds management skills in Mozambique and Brazil

Patrick Newton
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I got the opportunity to serve as a United Nations Volunteer from March 2014 to April 2018. During this period I served in two duty stations: Mozambique (Numpula) and Brazil (Brasilia). In both, I served as Associate Programme Officer, the main focal point for assessments, planning, budgeting, monitoring and reporting at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

Prior to my UNV assignment, I worked with the UNHCR representation in Ghana as a national staff member, thus UNV presented an excellent opportunity and platform to further develop a career in programme management in that it afforded me an opportunity to work and learn from more experienced colleagues. I was also particularly excited about international UNV as it was a platform where I could gain experience and knowledge of humanitarian response within the UN, particularly UNHCR.

From Asia to Africa, UN Volunteers advance agricultural innovation

Asia Youth Volunteer Exchange Programme
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The Asia Youth Volunteer Exchange Programme aimed to provide a mechanism for the exchange of knowledge, skills and capacity-building among countries of the global South, particularly African and Asian countries, in the fields of sustainable agriculture and private sector development. From 2006-2016, 33 UN Volunteers from Zambia, the United Republic of Tanzania and seven Asian countries (Nepal, Afghanistan, Republic of Korea, the Philippines, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan) exchanged know-how on sustainable farming.

East and Southern Africa are vulnerable to climate change, food insecurity and water scarcity. These issues have been exacerbated further by rapid population growth, urbanization and overgrazing. Over 36 million people face hunger across East and Southern Africa largely due to drought and high temperatures.

UN Volunteer Hadijah fights sexual and gender-based violence in Ugandan refugee camp

Hadijah Nabbale
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National UN Volunteer Hadijah Nabbale serves as a Programme Officer with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and supports the Uganda Rule of Law and Constitutional Democracy Programme.

Hadijah works with important stakeholders like the Parliament of Uganda, Electoral Commission, Equal Opportunities Commission and coordinates the drafting of work plans and reporting progress of the programme activities.

I became a volunteer wanting to support communities in achieving the Agenda 2030, reduce discrimination and improve women’s political participation, and have gotten a wealth of experience from my work, coupled with the satisfaction of being able to impact the lives of many.

In Iraq, experienced engineers serving as UN Volunteers are helping refugees return home

UNDP Funding Facility for Stabilization
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After the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a vast part of Iraq was destroyed. Fifteen UN Volunteers, all experienced engineers, are collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Iraq to help support the huge reconstruction effort needed in the country.

The war against ISIL left Ninawa Governorate, the city of Mosul and many surrounding villages reduced to rubble. Houses were damaged, the supply of water and electricity was cut, schools were destroyed, bridges bombed, and roads were paved with grenade holes.

UNV and UNDP launch ‘Volunteer Action Counts’ to support communities affected by humanitarian crises in Nigeria

Nigeria
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UNV has launched the first pilot globally in North-East Nigeria to engage community members as UN Community Volunteers. This pilot is being implemented together with UNDP with funding support from the European Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) in communities hit hard by the Boko Haram insurgencies, such as Ngwom, Kimba, Sangere, Uba and Bumsa.

This new UN Volunteer modality subscribes to the principle that no-one should be left behind. UN Community Volunteers respond to the needs of UN agencies to have immediate interlocutors at the local level to do community mobilization, data collection, information sharing, coordination of activities, etc. It empowers communities and positions them squarely at the centre of UN projects. 

UN Volunteers in Zambia support UNHCR to provide protection and assistance to DRC refugees

Zambia
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Over 15,000 DR Congolese refugees have fled their country following violent conflicts between Government soldiers and rebel groups. The refugees are currently hosted at the newly opened Kenani transit centre and the Mantapala refugee settlement in Nchelenge district, North of Zambia. The refugees are facing unique protection risks as a result of insecure shelter provisions, broken community structures, insufficient food, water and sanitation. Children and women are most vulnerable, with an increased risk of suffering from malnutrition and water-borne diseases.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) is leading the timely provision of international protection and life-saving assistance to DR Congolese refugees in Nchelenge, with remarkable support from UN Volunteers.

Fortunatus Kambaragwe and Dr. Jonathan Calbayan are both international UN Volunteers based in Nchelenge, Northern Zambia, working as Associate Programme Officer and Public Health Coordinator respectively.

Volunteering to support refugees in Greece

Greece
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Between 2016 and 2018, 35 UN Volunteers were recruited and deployed across Western Europe in response to the refugee and migrant crisis. Maria Cecilia Herrera was one of them. As an Associate Field Officer with UNHCR, she helped respond to the increasing needs for humanitarian assistance from refugees and migrants by supporting refugee protection in Greece.

Maria was a team leader for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) team at the Skaramangas site. Skaramangas was the biggest refugee camp in the Attica region, hosting around 3,400 refugees including several unaccompanied and separated children.

UNHCR had a regular presence on the site, focusing on protection monitoring activities. Maria’s day-to-day duties involved identifying persons with specific needs and other vulnerable cases, and referring them to the relevant services, such as medical and psychosocial treatment. 

Harnessing the power of youth through volunteering

Bonn, Germany
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Young people are a driving force for peace and development. Their energy and creativity are key in building a better future, and they are often the first to come up with innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

Yet millions of young women and men are affected by conflict, violence and deprivation, and are unable to fulfil their potential. The world’s youth need safe spaces where they can participate, express their views and exercise their rights.

Côte d'Ivoire strengthens national capacity and youth inclusion through volunteerism

Côte d'Ivoire
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In June 2016, with the support of UNV and of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ivorian government launched the National Volunteer Programme of Côte d'Ivoire (PNV-CI). Its objective was to strengthen the socio-economic impact of voluntary action in the Government’s priority areas for development by improving the socio-professional integration of young men and women in the country. Until today, 471 young Ivorians between 18 and 35 years of age are deployed as PNV national volunteers, and 43 percent of them are women.

Volunteering is an essential tool for strengthening national capacities, promoting the implementation of development actions and the social inclusion of youth. In this regard, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme helps Member States to create an enabling environment for the promotion of volunteerism and the development of volunteer infrastructures.

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