"The biggest challenge I have faced is the stigma associated with mental health"

Interview with UN Volunteer Hazal Kalıncı
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Hazal Kalıncı is a UN Volunteer Staff Counsellor with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Türkiye. She has been supporting mental health and well-being of staff since the earthquake that struck 11 cities in the country on 6 February 2023. Her perspective is that good mental health and well-being is vital for those serving in humanitarian and emergency response. We interviewed Hazal on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, 10 October.

Volunteering in the mental health field has been a deeply enriching and transformative experience. It reminds me of the resilience of the human spirit and the power of compassion in making a difference in people's lives. --Hazal Kalıncı, UN Volunteer Staff Counsellor with WHO, Türkiye

When and why did you decide to volunteer?

"Mental health is vital to humanity"

UN Volunteers Leonardo Martínez, Tani Pratiwi and Shatabdi Khastagir
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Mental health is vital to humanity, allowing us to lead fulfilling lives and contribute fully to our communities...Mental health is not a privilege, but a fundamental human right. --United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres

On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, marked on 10 October every year, we salute the 60+ UN Volunteers currently serving with our United Nations partners in mental health, psychosocial support and counselling. Meet three of these UN Volunteers: Leonardo Martínez, Gisella Tani Pratiwi and Shatabdi Khastagir. 

Leonardo Martínez is a UN Volunteer serving as Protection, Childhood and Humanitarian Action Specialist with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Colombia, which is the lead host country for Venezuelan migrants and refugees.

These migrants and refugees face a hoard of humanitarian issues. The situation is worsened by internal armed conflict, as approximately 6.9 million people in rural areas are under the control or influence of non-state armed groups.

"Volunteering propelled my career from UN Volunteer to Head of UNDP office"

Abha Mishra, Head of the UNDP office in Odisha
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Abha Mishra joined the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in India in 1999. She was one of 10 UN Volunteers supporting the emergency response to the Super Cyclone that ravaged the state of Odisha and was based in Balasore for over one year. Fast forward to 2017: Abha returned to Odisha to head the UNDP office. She reminisces about the most enjoyable experiences of her journey from a UN Volunteer to this senior position.

A young postgraduate in Development Anthropology, I started my journey as a developmental professional with a provisional non-governmental organization in 1991, working as Coordinator for a Course on Ecology and Environment in a remote tribal district of Kandhamal in the state of Odisha, India.

Over the next 8-9 years, I worked with many provisional non-governmental organizations and international universities on issues of forestry, environment, tribes and livelihoods.

Offer to UN partners for the emergency response in Libya

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The floods in Libya have caused extensive loss of life and devastation. UN Volunteers can add talent and human resources to your rapid response teams. United Nations partners can refer to the UN Partner Toolkit for information on the process to recruit UN Volunteers and engage Online Volunteers. Mobilizing volunteers is facilitated through the AI-powered and cloud-based Unified Volunteering Platform (UVP). 

Together, we can do so much to protect children from violence and abuse

UNV partners with UNICEF
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The UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) implements Child Protection Programme across 17 states in India. The organization aims to build a safe environment where children, especially the most vulnerable, are protected from violence, exploitation, abuse, neglect and harmful practices. Ten UN Volunteer Child Protection Officers support UNICEF in strengthening child protection systems in the country. 

“Volunteering with UNICEF has helped me expand my knowledge on child protection issues and develop a passion for advancing children’s rights,” says So Dam Hong, a UN Youth Volunteer who supports adolescent empowerment to end child marriage in India, a core strategy of UNICEF.

Support the emergency response to Libya as a volunteer

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Championing human solidarity as part of OCHA's emergency response team in Türkiye

UNV partnering with OCHA in Türkiye
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In February 2023, a devastating earthquake struck southern Türkiye and northwestern Syria. Türkiye is still recovering after the earthquake which has affected 11 cities and over 15 million people severely. Over sixth months (March to August), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was tackling humanitarian emergencies on the ground with the support of UN Volunteers. Fatma Aslan Uçar and Velat Özalp are two committed national UN Volunteers who have played critical roles in the UN's earthquake response and recovery efforts with OCHA.

"Immediately following the earthquake, the emotions I felt compelled me to actively participate in fieldwork and contribute in any way possible," says Velat. After the earthquake struck Türkiye on 6 February, Velat left Spain, where he was pursuing his master’s degree and came back to his home country, Türkiye, to help.

Velat serves as a national UN Volunteer Humanitarian Affairs Officer. OCHA’s motto is to bring humanitarian partners together to tackle humanitarian emergencies – which they certainly did during their earthquake response.

UNV Online Volunteering offer for the UN response in Libya

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The Online Volunteering solution of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme provides partners with flexible and speedy Online Volunteer capacity to support rapid emergency response to the crises in Libya. Requesting and engaging with Online Volunteers is facilitated through the AI-powered and cloud-based Unified Volunteering Platform (UVP).

For partners: learn more on how to engage Online Volunteers.

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