Digital transformation brings new possibilities where we can measure the sustainability, track detriments such as green house emissions and maximize use of our existing resources. This is part of UNEP's Medium Term Strategy, the outcomes of which I support.  

In Asia Pacific, Spotlight focuses on domestic violence and intimate partner violence. UNFPA and Pacific Community conducted Family Health and Safety Studies across 11 Pacific countries.

Kawtar Abendag is a UN Youth Volunteer serving with UN Women in Morocco. She is a Gender Responsive Budgeting Programme Assistant for Communications and Knowledge Management. Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) ensures an equitable distribution of public resources for the benefit of all. It does not mean that there should be a separate budget for each gender rather it means that gender equality is mainstreamed throughout the public budget cycle. From planning the budget, to spending the resources, and to the final audits.

Beatriz was looking to resume her career path. She had been out of a job for some years due to family reasons. It was early 2021 when she found a breakthrough in the form of a UN Volunteer assignment in data analysis and GIS.  I was researching information on the involvement of the United Nations in development and environmental protection when I came across this volunteering opportunity," says Beatriz. She explains why science is so important for sustainable development.

Cécile Giraud is an international UN Volunteer from France. She serves as Gender-Sensitive Education Policy Analyst with UNESCO in Dakar. Her role is transversal, she says.

My name is David Ouma and I am a national UN Volunteer Specialist. I serve as Project Management Assistant at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi.  My academic background in Biology and my six-month internship in marine conservation at the Kenyan coast led to this UN Volunteer assignment. 

Seeing the digital trend, Niger's Ministry of Justice decided to opt for electronic document management. This alleviates the issue of storing mass volumes of paper and counters the dearth of space in public administration offices.

Heather's experience with domestic violence extended beyond the home; Heather recalls having a close encounter with a male relative who tried to force himself on her. She also witnessed other women in her community being abused by their male partners. These memories from her childhood and adolescence stayed with her, and she often wondered how many women were suffering in silence.

My name is Kana Endo; I hail from Japan. I embarked on my volunteering assignment last September and I will serve until February 2023. I am one of the three international UN Volunteers serving with the United Nations in Mongolia, together with another national UN Volunteer. Looking back on my childhood, I enjoyed learning new things but at the same time was very shy and introverted. However, I was very passionate about learning English and cultures in different countries. Therefore, I chose a high school with English course.

Stefan leads the Spotlight Initiative's communications arm creating awareness of the programme through coherent communications and digital campaigns using messaging, data and infographics that tell the story of the programmes, services, results and impact.