During her assignment at the Forum for Development and Multi-ethnic Cooperation (FDMC), Tatjana visited healthcare workers in local health centres, partook in a creative information campaign to raise the awareness on the importance of vaccination, and delivered protective materials. Moreover, she supported social clubs and paid visits to the people of her community living in vulnerable conditions in Graçanicë/Gračanica.

The main goal of the initiative is to facilitate the integration of those who have declared their intention to reject violence, stop fighting and join the social, economic and political life of the country, as well as to promote the understanding of the local population and the reparation of open wounds within the civil society.

On 9 July 2011, South Sudan became the newest country in the world. On the same day, the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) was established by the United Nations Security Council for an initial period of one year. UNMISS was mandated with consolidating peace and security and helping establish conditions for effective governance and development in the Republic of South Sudan.

UNHCR has benefitted from a number of international UN Volunteers over the years – they become an essential part of the team, bringing a wealth of fresh perspective and knowledge and positive energy. --Stephanie Woldenberg, Senior Protection Officer with UNHCR, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The event, held in Bangkok, Thailand, to mark the UN Day for South-South Cooperation in Asia and the Pacific, was attended by UN partners, government representatives and other stakeholders, while many others also participated online. Volunteerism is important in ensuring participation, and in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals and accelerating action on the ground. --Ms Pattarat Hongtong, Director-General of TICA, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The volunteers occupy various functions within the fifty sections of MINUSMA. Among them are medical staff, human rights specialists, electoral advisers, air movement specialists and logisticians. Like an orchestra, everyone plays their part in this large ensemble in order to restore peace. The experiences and life paths of these UN Volunteers differ, but cardinal values animate them and bring them together. They have the merit of being committed, dynamic and of offering solutions.

Yumiko served through the Global Human Resource Development Programme for Peacebuilding and Development (HRD) of the Government of Japan, and supported two projects funded by Japan. One of these was a project for the prevention of violent extremism in Muslim areas, which is a priority in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region. UNDP has provided technical advice to local governments and organized knowledge platforms for stakeholders, such as religious leaders, community heads, academics, officers, internally displaced persons, indigenous people and youth.

Can an individual significantly accelerate the development progress of a country and support its achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? Can a single person strengthen the bond among people from different countries in achieving the goals? At UNV, we know it’s possible. The answers to all the above questions is an emphatic “Yes”, especially when it comes to volunteers working on South-South cooperation.

In this time of global crisis, solidarity between people and communities is more important than ever. Volunteerism exists in all human societies and reflects important human values of mutual aid, service, community-building and engagement. It is often scaled up in times of crisis in response to immediate needs. Volunteers are already providing important services in the COVID-19 response and will be critical in supporting the recovery, especially as the public health crisis exacerbates economic and social inequalities and exposes vulnerabilities in many communities.