My name is Sadoscar Hakizimana. I am from Burundi. I am a medical doctor by profession. I started my volunteer assignment roughly two years ago — in August 2022.

The war continues unabated in its eleventh month. In this backdrop, Elena Mansour, from the Netherlands, serves as a UN Volunteer in Security Analysis and Training with the World Food Programme (WFP) Regional Bureau in Egypt. She reports on security and political developments regarding food security. This reporting is vital to forecast potential risks for famine.

The call for “decolonizing aid” divides the humanitarian world into those who provide assistance on quasi-colonial terms and the aid recipients, on whom the terms of this aid are imposed, reinforcing dependency, and making the whole system self-serving. The proposed solution is to remove layers of intermediaries before aid reaches the intended recipients and/or change the composition of that layer from foreign to local groups.

“It was stressful as I was far from my family, and we didn't know how intense the aftershocks were going to be,” recounts Cameroonian, Desiree Gertrude Etobe, an Associate Protection Officer on the challenges encountered on both personal and professional levels due to the earthquake. Professionally, rapid response was crucial.

Proving joint medical services and emergency response From routine check-ups to critical emergency response, UN Volunteer health professionals within the Joint Medical Services and Medical Emergency Response Team play a vital role in ensuring the well-being of those working tirelessly to support the Afghan people.

My journey as a UN Volunteer, Return, Reintegration and Reconciliation officer began in 2006 when I joined the UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS). With a background in international affairs and a passion for humanitarian work, my journey was fuelled by a desire to make a positive impact on the lives of those affected by conflict.  My assignment in Sudan focused on handling the complex issues of returns, reintegration and reconciliation. I vividly recall the challenges I faced in navigating a complex landscape, while engaging with communities affected by displacement.

Forum and UNV share a common purpose, and both organizations recognise the importance of responsible, impactful volunteering in delivering the SDGs. This MoU sets out a new phase in our collaboration with UNV in which we will launch new research and new conversations on volunteering, and promote the voices of volunteers. We look forward to working closely with our colleagues in UNV in this exciting new phase," says Heather Shapter, Chair of the Forum Board.

Istanbul, Turkey:  To inform the future of humanitarian action, the UN Secretary General convened the World Humanitarian Summit on 23 and 24 May 2016 in Istanbul, Turkey. In attendance at the summit were representatives of 173 UN member states, heads of states and governments, private sector, NGOs, and civil society organizations representatives.