The Humanitarian Reset starts from a similar premise. It recognizes that today’s humanitarian system must become leaner, more locally led and more accountable in the face of growing needs and shrinking resources. That ambition is welcome. Yet it might remain incomplete if it continues to overlook one of the system’s greatest strengths: the volunteers who make humanitarian action possible every day.

How do young people break the silence?Changing deeply rooted social norms often begins with conversations many people avoid.

Until recently, planning costs across multiple donors, countries, and assignments meant pulling together data from different systems and spending hours on manual calculations. The ICT data team set out to change that. Working closely with colleagues across UNV—including administration, finance and more—the data team developed a comprehensive Cost Planning Tool that brings financial, volunteer and planning data into a single platform. 

On 14 July 2026, UN Volunteers serving with UNICEF came together from across the globe for the first Learning Townhall. The idea was built around a simple question: what do volunteers need to grow, thrive and achieve even greater impact? 

A major outcome of the Forum was the inclusion of volunteerism in the Ministerial Declaration, recognizing volunteers' contributions to supporting communities, strengthening resilience and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This recognition is an important milestone for IVY 2026 and shows growing global support for volunteerism as a driver of sustainable development.

Julia Mager: "How long has UNV been working with Kazakhstan?"  Sandra Koch: "The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) has been operating in Kazakhstan since 1993. The engagement has increased in recent years, particularly in the context of regional cooperation and IVY 2026, where Kazakhstan played a leading role in its proclamation." 

Through awareness sessions and community outreach, volunteers helped people across Uzbekistan better understand digital risks and protect their rights online. The first article on this topic included the experience of UN Volunteer, Umidjon Khujabekov, and his contribution to promoting safer digital spaces. Now, four more UN Volunteers reflect on the moments that showed them the real impact of their work. 

During the visit, discussions focused on the continued development of Bonn as a United Nations duty station and the strong partnership between Germany and the United Nations system. Particular attention was given to the role of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme as the Common Service Provider for the UN Campus in Bonn.Supported by the Federal Government, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the City of Bonn, the city has developed into a reliable hub for international cooperation, reflecting Germany’s commitment to multilateralism.

Our age has no shortage of upheaval. Displacement today is not episodic; it is widespread. Conflicts endure, climates shift, and fragile systems strain under repeated shocks. In such a world, sympathy alone is insufficient. It must be organized, sustained, and given direction. Solidarity must become service.

The meeting, which included COP31 Climate High-Level Champion Samed Ağırbaş and Louise Chamberlain, UNV Deputy Executive Coordinator, focused on the priorities of both organizations and on ways to align efforts around the International Volunteer Year 2026.