The new Service Desk consolidates enquiry input channels, including web and email queries, and leverages AI and self-service technologies such as chatbots, to give around-the-clock service to UN partners and those who manage UN Volunteers. External visitors are serviced in three UNV languages – English, French and Spanish, including on the AI interface.

New overview released: UN Volunteer contributions to COVID-19 response The United Nations Volunteers programme has released a new overview of its contribution to the UN System’s COVID-19 response, outlining the specific support UN Volunteers are providing UN partners to overcome the health, economic and social impacts of COVID-19. 

The COVID-19 pandemic will have devastating effects on UN programme countries, reversing many positive gains in sustainable development. The negative social and economic impact particularly affects people most often left behind; such as women, children and those with disabilities.  In support of countries and UN partners in the COVID-19 response, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is investing its own resources to immediately deploy 70 UN Volunteers to countries severely affected by the crisis.

Giving clarity and certainty to UN Volunteers and their host agencies, is vital. UNV has put measures and guidelines in place to ensure duty of care for its currently serving 6,000 UN Volunteers who are deployed with over 50 UN entity partners worldwide.

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UNV and the International Labour Organization (ILO) will partner on the deployment of UN Volunteers in support of the organization's work, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. Moussa Oumarou, ILO Deputy Director-General for Field Operations and Partnerships, and Olivier Adam, Executive Coordinator of UNV, signed the agreement on 9 March 2020, at ILO headquarters in Geneva.

The agreement was signed in Geneva, Switzerland, by Tim Martineau, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, a.i., and Olivier Adam, UNV Executive Coordinator. "Volunteers have played a critical role in the response to HIV since the earliest days of the epidemic," said Tim Martineau, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Management and Governance, a.i. "UNAIDS recognizes their importance, values their engagement and will continue to support their contribution in joining global efforts to end AIDS."