"I started to get involved in the study and conservation of the Lomas because of my thesis. However, if I have been at it for four years, it is due to the people and organizations with whom I collaborate. United, we are achieving goals that, until recently, seemed too far away," María states soon after our interview begins. 

What is unique about UN Community Volunteers is that they are from the community. They know the community; they are embedded in the community; they know the community dynamics. [We had] the opportunity to use this 'instrument' and have a direct impact on communities. --Jo Scheuer, UNDP Resident Representative in Mali

Gulfam Mustafa, UN Volunteer Partnership and Resource Mobilization Officer serving with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Guinea Bissau  As an international UN Volunteer, I live in a country thousands of miles away from my home. I have my family and kids back in Pakistan. Following the news of increasing COVID-19 cases causes me fear, anxiety and mental stress.

At the end of October 1970, I received a request from the Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to advise on the establishment of a United Nations Volunteer Service (UNV). The background to this request was that I had been instrumental in the establishment of the German Voluntary Service in 1962 and later served as one of the directors of the Service from 1966-1969.

According to Mr Aouale Mohamed Abchir, the UNDP Resident Representative in Benin, the action of UN Volunteers in providing medical care and psychological support allows more than 10,300 detainees to exercise their right to health.  UN Volunteers are the first players in this project. Their work contributes directly to the good health and wellbeing of the prison population, reduces inequalities, and helps leave no one behind. --Aouale Mohamed Abchir, UNDP Resident Representative

During the mission, Mr Kurbanov reiterated UNV’s support to the priorities of the UN Development System in China, as agreed for the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2021-2025). Accordingly, UNV will enhance volunteer mobilization and knowledge exchange for the advancement of South-South Cooperation, localization of the SDGs, youth empowerment and environmental protection, among other priority areas of engagement.

Hanna Yahorava, Coordination Specialist on Volunteerism and COVID-19 Response and Recovery, and Katsiaryna Andronava, Volunteer Engagement Specialist, serve with UNDP Belarus. The UN Volunteers have been working on COVID-19 response and recovery measures and socio-economic support, with the integration of volunteerism solutions. Their assignments are sponsored by UNV, from its Special Voluntary Fund.*

Putting everyone’s wellbeing first We commissioned the final project evaluation in March 2020. Setting out to identify barriers to disability inclusion within the UN system, we did not expect the evaluation itself would encounter an unprecedented obstacle: the start of the evaluation coincided with the onset of the COVID-19 crisis. As per the Independent Evaluation Office’s guidance, we put a principle of ‘Do No Harm’ first and undertook an all-virtual evaluation process with remote data collection to protect the well-being of everyone involved.