UNV empowers 15 young people at their pre-assignment training as UN Youth Volunteers
UN Office for South-South Cooperation and UN Volunteers programme join forces for youth development
UN Office for South-South Cooperation and UN Volunteers programme join forces for youth development
UN Volunteers utilize social media to engage young people in the discourse around reproductive rights
This year’s theme for World Population Day is “Family Planning is a Human Right”. Our two UN Volunteers with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in South Africa share how they use their assignments as Social Media Fellows to reach young people and inform about reproductive rights.
Women in South Africa give birth to 2.3 children on average translating to a population growth of 1.6 per cent. While South Africa’s fertility rate is substantially lower than those of other African countries (in Ethiopia, for example, women have an average of 4.2 children), it is also considerably higher than in countries of the Global North where most countries show rates of below two children. At the same time, teenage pregnancies are prevalent with nearly 7 per cent of 15 to 19-year old girls giving birth (in comparison, the UK rate is at just over 2 per cent).
Applications open for Russian citizens to become United Nations Volunteers
Under a partnership with the Government of the Russian Federation established in 2018, UNV is offering UN Volunteer assignments in different areas of expertise for Russian nationals.
National UN Volunteers kick start decentralization in Tunisia
Arriving in Beja, a city in North-West Tunisia, UN Volunteer Economics Officer Sarah Fekih thought nothing of cycling or jogging to get to work – she used to jog back in Tunis, where she is from. However, she soon discovered that she is the only woman in Beja who cycles or jogs. “So good that a woman is running! Keep running Sarah!” her neighbor told her a few days ago. And the schoolgirls from the local school clap at her, as she passes by.
Sarah, a 26-year-old Tunisian, runs every day to her office in the Beja Municipality, where she has been working over the last year for the project Madinatouna (Our city). The project is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in Tunisia in support ofthe National Federation of Tunisian Cities, and in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation - GIZ), CILG-VNG International, Cities Alliance and MedCities.
UN Volunteer promotes entrepreneurship in the tourism and hospitality sector in her community
Arta Ponosheci leaped at the chance to work for a project with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kosovo* when she was selected for a national UN Volunteer assignment as a Municipal Project Officer. Helping local citizens she grew up with in Gjakovë/Djakovica immediately appealed to her as a unique opportunity, so she applied for the assignment through the United Nations Volunteer (UNV) programme.
Arta has been involved in the Territorial Employment Pact, an innovative joint initiative of the municipality of Gjakovë/Djakovica, Austrian Development Agency and UNDP aiming to promote inclusive local economic development, serving people who are looking for skills and income to achieve a better life.
Adfter graduating from the Rochester Institute of Technology in Kosovo, Arta started working in The Ideas Partnership, a non-governmental organization that promotes employment, social inclusion, preservation of cultural heritage and healthy environment.
Promoting women's representation in parliamentary elections in Lebanon
Today, 30 June, marks the newly proclaimed International Day of Parliamentarism. It serves as a reminder of the importance of the role of parliaments in representing their nation's people and ensuring that all voices be heard. UN Volunteers have been working to support parliaments around the world, especially in promoting the advancement of the status of women in political participation.
In Lebanon, three national UN Volunteers, Vicky Kendirjian, Lara Riachi and Rim Kalfayan, joined the Office of the Minister of State for Women’s Affairs (OMSWA) to support the latter and the Lebanese government in addressing priorities pertaining to women's affairs.
Promoting the advancement of the status of women in all areas of life, especially in terms of political participation, directly contributes to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5, achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Delving into the complexity of Mongolian local governance and parliamentary support
UN Volunteer Camille Barras (Switzerland) serves as a UN Volunteer Knowledge Management Officer with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mongolia. Through her volunteering assignment, she supports a project to strengthen representative bodies in the country, engaging people in remote parts of the country. On the International Day of Parliamentarism, Camille shares her experience and insights into local governance and parliamentary support.
Finally, we are reaching our destination, after nearly 700 kilometers on a bumpy road. The jeep approaches a small town laid in the midst of the endless steppe. There we meet E., an elected representative from a Citizens’ Representative Hural, which is the name for local self-governing bodies in Mongolia.
Meet national UN Volunteers with IOM sharing their experiences from three continents
UN Volunteers serving with the United Nations Migration Agency (IOM) uphold the rights of migrants in their volunteer assignments on a daily basis. They carry out monitoring and evaluation activities, contribute to the provision of basic lifesaving services and ensure protection, among other things. During 2017, 22 UN Volunteers served with IOM around the world. Three national UN Volunteers share their experiences in Africa, Latin America and the Arab States.
EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT KEY IN CONFLICT SITUATIONS
Hassane Abdoulsalamou has been serving as a national UN Volunteer with IOM since November 2016. He supports a project for the empowerment of youth in Niger (AJPANI), which offers youth at risk of conflict opportunities to develop through socio-economic participation and mechanisms faciliting participation in decision-making and peacebuilding