I am based in Dakar and part of a dedicated team of five people working towards the promotion and protection of human rights across the 14 West African States. A challenging and fascinating mission in a few words is but a gross understatement. My area of responsibility includes economic, social and cultural rights of the local people, the rights of people on the move, especially asylum seekers, as well the human rights situation in Niger. This is especially where I saw my mission bringing the United Nations closer to the people we serve.

My assignment as a UN Youth Volunteer in Youth Participation in Governance and Peacebuilding with the United Nations Development Programme is based in Ukraine. For the first six months, I was working in Kiev on business conferences and entrepreneurship promotion through targeted motivation campaigns – something that didn’t really perk my interest. It was like being in a world full of abbreviations, stacks of files and papers.

These 30 young people, whose assignments are funded by the Governments of the Czech Republic, France and Switzerland are a part of the UN Youth Volunteer programme. These assignments are an opportunity for young professionals to work with UN agencies on the frontlines of peace, developmental and humanitarian operations.

These 30 young people, whose assignments are funded by the Governments of the Czech Republic, France and Switzerland are a part of the UN Youth Volunteer programme. These assignments are an opportunity for young professionals to work with UN agencies on the frontlines of peace, developmental and humanitarian operations.

I was selected as a UN Online Volunteer for a project in which we developed content on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and spread it on social networks. I was already volunteering at an electronic newspaper and I asked for the authorization to use my weekly column to give the campaign more visibility.

“The UN could not deploy, and Security Council mandates could not be delivered, without UN Volunteers,” said Olivier Adam, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme Executive Coordinator, recounting UNV’s value proposition in the words of UN partners, the Department of Field Support (DFS) and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), as he led a side event to the meeting of the Executive Board of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations

For two years, Irene has been working to strengthen and consolidate peace within Malian civil society. Her position involves working with Malian communities, particularly their young people, to help young people develop skills as peacemakers and promotors of tolerance, intercultural dialogue and non-violence. As part of her role as a young volunteer, Irene accompanies the Malian government as they cooperate with various ministries to implement national programs and policies aimed at youth development and peacebuilding.

As part of a general thrust for reform and streamlining, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme has updated the Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers, effective globally as of 31 January 2017. The revised Conditions of Service are the outcome of an exhaustive review and extensive consultations with UN partners and UN Volunteers. In their  reformulation, the conditions better suit the changing needs of UN Volunteers, retain UNV as an attractive partner for UN agencies, and streamline volunteer management procedures globally.

As part of a general thrust for reform and streamlining, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme has updated the Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers, effective globally as of 31 January 2017. The revised Conditions of Service are the outcome of an exhaustive review and extensive consultations with UN partners and UN Volunteers. In their  reformulation, the conditions better suit the changing needs of UN Volunteers, retain UNV as an attractive partner for UN agencies, and streamline volunteer management procedures globally.

As part of a general thrust for reform and streamlining, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme has updated the Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers, effective globally as of 31 January 2017. The revised Conditions of Service are the outcome of an exhaustive review and extensive consultations with UN partners and UN Volunteers. In their  reformulation, the conditions better suit the changing needs of UN Volunteers, retain UNV as an attractive partner for UN agencies, and streamline volunteer management procedures globally.