Spotlighting human rights inside prison walls in Cambodia

United Nations Volunteers
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Océane Musaniwabo Mlanao doesn’t just talk about human rights—she walks straight into prisons to advocate for them. Based in Phnom Penh, she is a UN Volunteer Associate Human Rights Officer with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and spends her days face-to-face with detainees, listening to their stories and documenting their experiences. Océane is from France and her assignment is funded by her home country.

Every day at the office looks different for Océane. Some days, she travels to a detention center outside Phnom Penh to meet with a detainee. On other days, she attends a trial. But her focus is always on delivering recommendations that improve prison conditions and the treatment of prisoners through legal reform. 

No capes, just courage: A volunteer's voice from Chișinău

United Nations Volunteers
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"You start counting your blessings when you meet people who’ve lost everything." That’s what hit Sára Sívková the moment she began working with refugees in the Republic of Moldova. She didn’t come in with a cape. She came in with curiosity, grit, and a UN Volunteer assignment that was initially funded by her home country, Czechia, in 2023. Two years later and to date, she is still working as a frontline humanitarian, an Associate Protection Officer, coordinating protection efforts across UN agencies, NGOs, and government offices with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) to support refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. 

Sára's real work happens far from meeting rooms. She’s in Chișinău. Listening to refugees. She is part of protection working groups advocating for people who’ve been uprooted, broken, and forgotten.

“I help organizations speak up for refugees. I make sure help gets where it’s needed—fast.”

Evaluation isn’t just about data, it’s about people

United Nations Volunteers
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Lisa Weber didn’t set out to change the world. While finishing her graduate studies, she spent time tutoring refugee children in Erfurt, Germany. What began as a simple act of kindness opened her eyes to the power of empathy, solidarity, and understanding—and set her on a path that would lead to a global career in evaluation as a UN Volunteer. An Evaluation Specialist with the World Health Organization, Lisa focuses on how the organization learns from its work and improves how it serves communities worldwide. She is based at the WHO Budapest Center, while her team operates from Geneva. 

“No textbook could have shown me what those days revealed about cultural gaps and systemic failures,” Lisa recalls. In the homes, where she tutored children from refugee families, she found laughter, connection, and proof that even small acts can spark meaningful change. 

Hands that heal, hearts that lead—United Nations turns 80

United Nations Volunteers
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The United Nations is powered by people—especially the thousands of volunteers who show up, speak out, and serve. Whether building peace, defending rights, or delivering care, volunteers face tough missions, hidden challenges, and unexpected setbacks. But one thing never changes: their commitment, solidarity and compassion.  Eighty years on, the United Nations remains a force for peace and progress, and today, on United Nations Day, we share six stories of volunteers who lend a listening ear and deliver life-saving aid, breathing life into the words: inspiration in action.

Andrii Nahornyi turns complex data into powerful maps to help cities thrive

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