During my 33 years of service in the UN, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme has never been far from me. Likely because the spirit of UNV – the inspiration that moves people of all ages to act and make a difference in the lives of others – is what the UN itself is all about.

As someone who aspires to gain experience in a new culture, I was looking for a field experience on women empowerment in Africa. This led me to the UN system, and I couldn't have got a better opportunity than this UN Volunteer assignment. In my day-to-day work with UNDP, I am trying to bring more inclusive development work to the table.  In Cameroon, there are some great challenges connected to gender, where the roles and power relations are very traditional. Women usually depend on men and are less represented in the political arena and the formal workforce. 

Originally from Bosso, Ousmane has seen more than 8,000 people from his community flee their homes. However, he chose to stay. "Abandoning was not an option for me. I had to help my community. I had to be there to help young people overcome this situation," he says.

As socio-economic challenges continue to overshadow the country’s democratic transition since the Jasmine Revolution of 2011, multiple initiatives are attempting to further build bridges between citizens, particularly young people, and state institutions. These are acting as catalysts for development and social inclusion, especially in the disadvantaged regions of Tunisia.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit his native country of Burundi, Landry Irambona found a way to help respond to this crisis through the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme. As a UN Volunteer with UNDP Burundi, Irambona took up the opportunity to serve as a Finance Assistant for the Global Fund to Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, where he has been providing invaluable services during the pandemic.

We are at a time of crisis, which means that every decision we take today will have an impact on the living conditions of the next generations. This is the moment where we can decide what will happen with the Sustainable Development Goals and how we reach the year 2030. Today, more than ever, we must act, guided by the premise to “leave no one behind”, and build a sustainable, inclusive and equitable future.

In Malawi, the Spotlight Initiative (SI) was rolled out in 2019 and is being implemented jointly by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and UN Women in six districts: Nkhata Bay, Mzimba, Dowa, Ntchisi, Machinga and Nsanje. 

A UNV assignment at a critical & historic moment for Timor-Leste

Since 2018 the Astana Civil Service Hub (ACSH), a flagship initiative of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of Kazakhstan has grown to become an important and valued knowledge exchange platform for 40 participating countries.