Experts Discuss Importance of Combating Inequalities

The Human Development Report 2019 titled ‘Beyond income, beyond averages, beyond today: Inequalities in human development in the 21st Century’ will be the centre of discussion at GIZ tomorrow. The global launch of the report was in Colombia in December. The co-organized event between GIZ, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the Human Development Report Office, will be the first launch in an outreach tour in Europe.

Experts Discuss Importance of Combating Inequalities

The 2019 Human Development Index (HDI) and the 2019 Inequality-Adjusted Human Development Index, set out that the unequal distribution of education, health and living standards hindered countries’ progress. By these measures, 20 per cent of human development progress was lost through inequalities in 2018. The report, therefore, recommends policies that look at but also go beyond income.

The Human Development Report 2019 titled ‘Beyond income, beyond averages, beyond today: Inequalities in human development in the 21st Century’ will be the centre of discussion at GIZ tomorrow. The global launch of the report was in Colombia in December. The co-organized event between GIZ, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and the Human Development Report Office, will be the first launch in an outreach tour in Europe.

Advancing sustainable development through South-South cooperation

"Volunteerism has magic power. I feel privileged to be part of it," says UN Volunteer Caihong Wang (China), who serves with the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). As a Project Analyst, she provides communication, coordination and research support for the UNOSSC Cities Project.

The Cities Project, or project for South-South and Triangular Cooperation among Maritime-Continental Silk Road Cities for Sustainable Development, was initiated by UNOSSC in 2017. It promotes South-South and triangular cooperation at the city level, taking advantage of the strategic opportunities offered by the Belt and Road Initiative in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

Mount Kenya University to pioneer deploying UN University Volunteers in East and Southern Africa

The main goal of the partnership is to enhance the capacity and engagement of youth from the region as key actors of change in global development issues. A selected number of Mount Kenya University students will be deployed for six months in various UN agencies in Kenya as UN University Volunteers to apply their knowledge and skills in several areas of UN peace and development work. The deployment is a result of the partnership agreement initially signed on 1 November 2019 between UNV and Mount Kenya University.

Mount Kenya University to pioneer deploying UN University Volunteers in East and Southern Africa

The main goal of the partnership is to enhance the capacity and engagement of youth from the region as key actors of change in global development issues. A selected number of Mount Kenya University students will be deployed for six months in various UN agencies in Kenya as UN University Volunteers to apply their knowledge and skills in several areas of UN peace and development work. The deployment is a result of the partnership agreement initially signed on 1 November 2019 between UNV and Mount Kenya University.

UNV boosts United Nations’ efforts in Sudan

Currently, 167 UN Volunteers serve the United Nations system in the Sudan. Most of these assignments are with the African Union-United Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA). Additionally, a diverse group of other United Nations partners work with UNV as part of their efforts for peace and development in the country. UN Volunteers currently bring different expertise to UNDP, UNICEF and UNHCR. Some 27 per cent of the UN Volunteers serve in the field of monitoring and evaluation, while 3.8 per cent provide support in areas of protection, governance, rule of law, human rights, coordination, communications and operations.

Newton Mutunga served as a UN Volunteer Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Officer in Darfur. Recruited in 2015, he was posted in the Marra Mountains (Jebel Marra), where armed conflict persists and increasing numbers of people have been forced to leave their homes. You can read more about Newtons’ UN Volunteer experience in Sudan here.

UNV commits to more action for the Decade

In September 2019, the declaration, “gearing up for a decade of action and delivery for sustainable development” was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly. World leaders called for a decade of action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and committed to their own actions to advance the agenda.

Now that the Decade of Action is upon us, UNV is also committing to more action for the achievement of the SDGs.

UNV commits to more action for the Decade

In September 2019, the declaration, “gearing up for a decade of action and delivery for sustainable development” was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly. World leaders called for a decade of action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 and committed to their own actions to advance the agenda.

Now that the Decade of Action is upon us, UNV is also committing to more action for the achievement of the SDGs.

Call for Evidence and Knowledge Partners: Volunteering for the SDGs in Asia and the Pacific

This initiative is part of the Global Technical Meeting (GTM 2020), which will be jointly organized by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), under the theme “Reimagining volunteering for the 2030 Agenda”. The meeting will be held in July 2020 as a special event on the margins of the 2020 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. The GTM 2020 will take place at a critical juncture of the 2030 Agenda.

Call for Evidence and Knowledge Partners: Volunteering for the SDGs in Asia and the Pacific

This initiative is part of the Global Technical Meeting (GTM 2020), which will be jointly organized by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), under the theme “Reimagining volunteering for the 2030 Agenda”. The meeting will be held in July 2020 as a special event on the margins of the 2020 High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. The GTM 2020 will take place at a critical juncture of the 2030 Agenda.