I never imagined how deeply volunteering could change my life. Like many, I once thought of it as something purely humanitarian, offering a helping hand in times of crisis and bringing relief to those in need. But stepping into the world of gender advocacy and women’s empowerment through UN Women has redefined what it means to be a volunteer.

Noemi started volunteering at a very young age. At 14, she was already raising awareness of gender equality. “The personal reward of seeing change in people has always driven me,” says Noemi, an economist now. 

Since I was a child, I always knew that sports would have an important place in my life. Over the years, I realized that my calling went beyond just playing sports. I had a clear goal of combining my passion for sports with my commitment of gender equality. The challenge I was up against: The lack of opportunities to work on gender and sports in Ecuador. I was up for the challenge and started looking for opportunities.

Yağmur Söylemez, UN Volunteer from Türkiye navigated through her volunteering experience and shared, "Volunteering gave me the courage to confront inequalities head-on, raise my voice  and inspire others to take action." She raised awareness on the structural barriers facing women in their daily lives.

Persons with disabilities are often overlooked, and when they are considered, the focus is frequently limited to physical accessibility, such as ramps and infrastructure. While these elements are important, accessibility must go beyond the physical and extend into the virtual space. In today’s world, digital inclusion is crucial. The fact that you’re reading my story right now is possible because of technology, but this is not the reality for many others.

Together with UN Women, three of these UN Volunteers serve in tasks related to administration, finance and programme support. Adam creates a detailed database of partners, including embassies, NGOs, and government authorities, and through this, she tracks projects and improves their visibility. Some of these projects advocate for gender equality, combatting discrimination and standing up for inclusion. Celestine finds employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for persons with disabilities.

Georgina Edwards, UN Volunteer Innovation Analyst with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in South Africa After finishing my graduate degree, I interned with UN-Habitat and that set the stage for my UN career.  Transitioning to a UN Volunteer assignment in 2021 was a turning point, allowing me to step into my dream role as an Innovation Analyst with UNFPA.

Xiaerbati was part of a team that provided vocational training and entrepreneurship opportunities to women from rural areas in Qinghai Province. These opportunities made it easy to access renewable energy, boosting agricultural productivity and mitigating climate change. “Volunteerism plays a pivotal role in fostering long-term economic empowerment of women by creating sustainable support systems and fostering community resilience,” says Xiaerbati.

In 2007, I came to the United Nations Volunteers Headquarters in Bonn. I was a Senior Programme Specialist for the Asia-Pacific, Europe, and CIS (APEC) responsible for UN Volunteer management, joint programming, and humanitarian support. This was one of the most rewarding and inspiring assignments of my UN career because I interacted with and directly supported hundreds of (mostly) young women and men worldwide who demonstrated passion and commitment to serve others less fortunate through volunteering with field-based UN agencies.

UN Volunteers Hawzhin Hussein, Noor Alhasany, Hajer Al-Sallami, and Ramia Al-Hakeem promote women's empowerment for a more inclusive and equitable society in Iraq. Throughout the country, including in the Kurdistan region, they coordinate projects and manage initiatives aimed at empowering women across various sectors. Projects include education, healthcare, economic opportunities, and political participation for women. Hawzhin, Noor, Hajer and Ramia emphasize that society cannot progress till dedicated investments are made in women-centric initiatives.