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.

Amidst the #COVID19 outbreak, and countries closing off borders, we’ve been hearing stories of stigma against foreigners in many parts of the world: from suspicious looks in public places to difficulties in hailing taxis or rides. Asia is generally welcoming, respectful and hospitable to tourists and foreigners so this is new territory for visitors and citizens alike. And it needs to be said that this is certainly unacceptable, unforgiveable, and intolerable.

Giving clarity and certainty to UN Volunteers and their host agencies, is vital. UNV has put measures and guidelines in place to ensure duty of care for its currently serving 6,000 UN Volunteers who are deployed with over 50 UN entity partners worldwide.

Q.  What is your take on gender equality in the region?

And so I did, I joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Morocco as a UN Volunteer Associate Programme Manager in Democratic Governance and the experience was more than just professional. By promoting the values of volunteerism for peace, I discovered that the UNV programme was designed to help us grow in a unique way. No one is going to tell you what is the best path for you and on the contrary people are going to try to tell you to stick to the reasons that got you there.

I became a UN Volunteer because I want to offer my skills to make the world a better place. This experience has not only been a platform to gain professional experience, meet and work with people from different cultures or improve my communication and social skills. It has also changed my life. 

Events are being organized around the world to promote volunteering, to award the most dedicated volunteers and to inspire people to act for a better future.

Over the past several years, there has been a tremendous amount of energy building around social responsibility, prosocial I-O, and supporting humanitarian causes around the world within the field of I-O psychology.