To highlight the importance of fighting inequality, and at the same time having some fun - this year’s IVD social media challenge, the EQUALIZER, asks everyone to get involved. By posting your photos, videos and audio content you promote equality through volunteerism and show how you can become more equitable (even for just a photo). What is the equalizer? It is a social media campaign promoting equality through volunteerism that includes a diversity challenge. How can you do it?

International Volunteer Day (IVD), 5 December, is an opportunity for us all to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels. 

International Volunteer Day (IVD), 5 December, is an opportunity for us all to promote volunteerism, encourage governments to support volunteer efforts and recognize volunteer contributions to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at local, national and international levels. 

Over the past several years, there has been a tremendous amount of energy building around social responsibility, prosocial I-O, and supporting humanitarian causes around the world within the field of I-O psychology.

Why volunteering and inequality?

The partnership of UNV, IBSA Fund and the Cambodian Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport aimed to increase the ability of Cambodian youth to build their skills and find decent work through volunteerism, as well as contribute better to their own development and the economic development of their country by reducing poverty amongst youth. 

There are one billion people who are estimated to actively volunteer worldwide. The 2015 Human Development Report (HDR) highlights that, volunteering creates social value and fosters innovation where markets and organizations were unable to make a direct contributions to peace and development in areas such as education, health, water and sanitation. 

Speakers featuring at the event include Ms Aya Yoshida, Director of the Global Issues Cooperation Division, International Cooperation Bureau, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr Toily Kurbanov, Deputy Executive Coordinator of UNV, and Mr Lamine Manneh, Director of the Regional Service Center for Africa, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). A panel discussion will follow, showcasing the power of volunteering in engaging people at the grassroots and seeking to unlock barriers to enhanced volunteer engagement for sustainable development.

At present, Alen is working as a Procurement Assistant in a UNDP-GEF project on “Derisking Renewable Energy Investment,” which is connected with SDG #7: “Affordable and clean energy.” The significance of this project can be gauged from the fact that 40% of heat production in Kazakhstan is generated from centralized district heating systems that run on combined heat and power plants (typically coal-fired).  The remaining heat is produced by heat-only boilers, which often have low efficiencies.

United Nations Volunteers: report of the Administrator The Executive Board