On 16 April 2016, the Pacific coast of Ecuador was hit by a 7.8-magnitude earthquake, the strongest in decades, killing over 500 women, men and children, injuring more than 4,600, and affecting the lives of half a million people. A state of emergency has been declared in six of the country’s regions. Among the worst-hit towns was Pedernales, which is declared a Disaster Zone.

In July 2014, at the United Nations building in Quito, a certificate awards ceremony was held for students from several universities in Quito who volunteered during the MY World Global Week of Action The awards ceremony was held to recognize the volunteer work of the students who provided their time, energy, commitment, and availability to distribute the MY World open survey, which aims to identify the priorities for the post-2015 development agenda, based on the opinions of anyone who wishes to express them.

Sustainable development requires that disaster risks are reduced and communities are better prepared for response and recovery. The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme supports global efforts to reduce the impact of disasters by working at national and community level to support disaster prevention and risk reduction strategies.

Since the late nineties, UN Women - the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (formerly UNIFEM) - drives various initiatives of gender responsive budgets with the support of important allies, such as the Spanish government and the Basque government, seeking to strengthen democratic governance and the enjoyment of women’s economic and social rights.

The planet’s seven billion people all have something to contribute to making the world a better place: they just need ways to get involved and act effectively.