Nairobi, 8th December 2021 – For its 50th anniversary, the UNV programme celebrated volunteers across the world through national volunteer Awards. Kenya was one of the countries selected to host the Awards under the national Volunteer of the Year Awards (VOYA).

The Report reveals that cooperation between volunteers and governments helps build collaborative decision-making.   Increasing inequalities worldwide call for a new type of social contract with a renewed emphasis on inclusion. It is time for a global reset. The UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has spelled out the need for a New Social Contract that creates equal opportunities and respect the rights and freedoms of all.1

According to the country’s first national gender-based violence survey in 2017, at least half of Mongolian women are expected to experience some form of gender-based violence in their lifetime, and one in three women had suffered violence in the year prior.

The strength of the UNV-Sweden partnership was again reinforced this week, following the conclusion of annual consultations between UNV and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), as well as the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Sweden.  Acknowledging the depth of commitment and engagement between UNV and Sweden, UNV Executive Coordinator Mr Toily Kurbanov described the partnership as going far beyond a funding relationship, thanking Sweden for “being a great enabler of UNV results”.

We live at a time of disruption, witnessing the effects of climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatens to reverse progress towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The complexity of the issues we need to address on this path demands that we all work together, in much broader partnerships, connecting various areas of expertise to develop integrated development solutions.

The campaign this year is focused on decision-makers more than in the past. It is important to integrate volunteers and the spirit of volunteerism into national and global implementation strategies to achieve the SDGs and build an inclusive world. By volunteering, people take action to improve their lives and the lives of those around them. Therefore, the theme for this year’s campaign is “Volunteer now for our common future”. We are highlighting the below key messages about the power of volunteerism in line with our campaign theme:

When people get involved in addressing the problems they face, the solutions are more achievable and sustainable. Today, volunteerism is a crucial factor to face the most painful challenge in the world—the challenge of inequality, the effects of which have become even more profound with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working with persons with disabilities is not new for the United Nations system. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) identifies and protects the rights of persons with disabilities. We must uphold these rights in our peace, development and humanitarian work.

Persons with disabilities are the largest minority group in the world. In Latin America and the Caribbean, they represent around 13 per cent of the population (Source: Inter-American Development Bank).

Applicants were drawn from across the country and represented a diverse range of women from varied backgrounds and regions. Following an extensive selection process, fifteen volunteers were recognized at the final awards ceremony on 13th of October in the presence of government officials, UN staff and other development partners. The top five prize winners were Ms Tahiatul Jannat, Dr Kamrun Nahar Koly, Ms Tashnuva Anan, Ms Arifa Jahan Bithi and Ms Ayesha Akter Eti.