Executive Coordinator presents UNV 2023 results at the Executive Board

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, Associate Administrator, 

The report before the Executive Board provides a high-level summary of UNV’s work in 2023.

While it strives to comprehensively cover our activities and the hard evidence of our results, it may still lack the vivid details of the daily realities.

Therefore, please allow me to present a video about UNV’s work on disability inclusion — to which we therefore devote a chapter and in that video, the UN Volunteers — the main protagonists, will speak in their own voice directly to you.

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

For the rest of the presentation, please allow me to summarize 2023 by highlighting three key results, two critical lessons, and one forward-looking priority.

Firstly, UNV’s foremost achievement is contributing to a more people-centered and more grassroots-level-effective UN system. Last year we marked the sixth consecutive record-breaking year for UNV, with 13,000 UN Volunteer assignments in the field.

This is not only the largest number in history but also the most diverse group the UN system ever had.

In 2023, we achieved gender balance globally and regionally, reduced the number of unrepresented nationalities, and, as we just saw, continued to promote disability inclusion.

Secondly, the report details not only what UNV achieved but how we achieved it.

As noted, UNV has strengthened its organizational agility, which is now becoming our signature style within the UN as has been also acknowledged by the Associate Administrator.

Our speed in deploying UN Volunteers to the development and humanitarian action is probably unmatched elsewhere in the United Nations system.

Thirdly, UNV has deepened partnerships with the UN development system to support local volunteer networks in programme countries.

This aligns with the QCPR’s encouragement to recognize volunteering as a powerful means of achieving the SDGs.

In 2023, one-third of all UN country teams integrated volunteerism in their sustainable development cooperation frameworks, paving the way for long-term partnerships with local volunteer actors.

Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen,

UNV also learned important lessons in 2023, which were confirmed at the midterm review of our Strategic Framework as presented in the report.

Firstly, UNV’s strength lies in our field units. Over the past six years, the number of UN Volunteers has doubled, but the number of field units (60) and their staff capacity have remained the same.

Following the midterm review’s recommendation, we will explore the specific needs to strengthen the capacity of our field units and will update the Executive Board in the next report.

Secondly, none of UNV’s results would have been possible without our sister UN agencies, funds and programmes, as well as missions, departments, and offices of the UN Secretariat: from providing duty of care to the UN Volunteers in Haiti, Gaza and Ukraine, to empowering UN Volunteers around the world, to creating opportunities for persons with disabilities, all of that.

The delegations might wish to recognize this when speaking to the executive heads of the respective UN entities. 

In conclusion, Madam Chair, I would like to recall that last December, the General Assembly adopted resolution 78/127 to proclaim 2026 as the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development.

While the resolution calls on all Member States to commemorate the year at the national level, it also invites UNV to facilitate its global implementation.

UNV will keep the delegations abreast of relevant preparations.

This brings my presentation to the end, Madam Chair.

I look forward to the interactions with the Executive Board and the invaluable strategic advice from the delegations. 

Muchas gracias.

To read the report in six official UN languages, please click here.