Data supports the existence of a significant nexus between gender mainstreaming, sustaining peace, and civic and volunteer engagement. This was the topic of discussion at a side event organized on 27 October 2016 by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) at the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN in New York.

As the United Nations International Year of the Volunteer draws to a close, Volunteer Toronto has launched a new smartphone application to help tell the stories of those who donate their time to worthy causes. A total of 29 volunteers and those who have benefited from their work are sharing their experiences through digital storytelling.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme have created a legal support website in Tashkent which is run by pro-bono legal clinicians and is designed to help the city’s residents obtain the legal advice and support they require. While a number of legal clinics are currently operating in the city, staffed by law students with the support of UNDP and their academic institutions, they lack the resources and tools required to address the needs of their clients.

I have been working as a national United Nations Volunteer Specialist in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for Cisco Networking Academy since October 2010. This has been an amazing experience which I would like to share.Cisco Networking Academy is a Cisco corporate social responsibility initiative – an educational programme in ICTs. I have been working in expanding this programme’s reach to underserved populations in Brazil by working with local NGOs, mainly in the state of São Paulo