Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools the United Nations uses to maintain international peace and security throughout the world. UN Peacekeepers provide security and the political and peacebuilding support to help countries make the difficult, early transition from conflict to peace. Today is a day to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations for their professionalism, dedication and courage, and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.

“Equality for women is progress for all." Today, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme joins in the global celebration of this compelling theme for International Women’s Day. We know that development can neither be equitable nor sustainable as long as women are disproportionately affected by poverty, have lower access to education or health care, and continue to suffer social, cultural and political constraints.

The UNDP Equator Initiative brings together the United Nations, governments, civil society, businesses and grassroots organizations to acknowledge and advance local sustainable development solutions for people, nature and resilient communities. As local and indigenous groups across the world chart a path towards sustainable development, the Equator Initiative recognizes their efforts by honouring them with the biennial Equator Prize.

On 25 September, United Nations representatives, Goodwill Ambassadors, members of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, and representatives of civil society organizations from around the world gathered in New York to publicly announce the winners of the MY World Partner Recognition Awards.

"Volunteerism is a universal concept - the largest expression of global solidarity you can find," United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme Executive Coordinator (EC) Richard Dictus told a live audience of hundreds gathered in New York City, while countless virtual attendees tuned in around the world. The head of UNV was taking part in UNV's panel "Changing the World in 2.0: Volunteerism" on Sunday, 22 September 2013, the opening day of Social Good Summit, where his words seemed to strike a chord with listeners.

United Nations Volunteers, in partnership with different UN entities, supports the UN System efforts to shape the post-2015 agenda.

When UNDP Administrator Helen Clark toured China on a mission in late August, two national UN Volunteers greeted her during her field visit to a pilot sustainable forest management project site in Koutou, a village near Beijing. 

As a UN Youth Volunteer and young woman, I am proudly working for women’s economic empowerment with UN Women in Nicaragua. My job is to support four counterparts working in the field: rural women in need of their own land, trade unionists who advocate for labour rights of domestic workers, women seeking to reform social security law, and women and men working to develop a model for good entrepreneurial practices on gender equality.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina: After young people from Italy, Switzerland, the Czech Republic and other countries have gone all over the world to serve as UNV Interns, we  the first generation of German UNV Interns –deployed to our countries of service in 2013.

The Special Voluntary Fund (SVF) is the second most important source of funding for UNV. Projects and programmes around the globe benefit from the generosity of donors who entrust their voluntary contributions to UNV and leave the allocation of these substantial funds at the discretion of our organization. We are keenly aware of the responsibility conferred on us by the willingness of UN Member States and other donors to support our work.