Port-au-Prince, Haiti:  I have been working in the MINUSTAH Community Violence Reduction (CVR) Section since May 2012 as a Programme Officer in the Project Unit. My role is to identify, select and develop potential projects aimed at reducing violence within communities.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: It was my first assignment as a UN Volunteer in the field representing the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the Dominican Republic (UNHCR DR). Since the beginning of my collaboration as a UNV Field Analyst for the UNHCR programme I have been working as a focal point focusing on a community-based approach, which has totally changed my perspective.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti:  On February 2012, three UNV Training Officers from the Integrated Mission Training Centre of The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), together with the United Nations Language and Communications Programme (UNLCP) which serves the UN community in New York, organized the Training of Trainers on writing English correspondence and reports in a peacekeeping mission.

Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala: Having spent many years studying food science and technology in various European Universities, and in particular my experience with coffee processing technologies at Kraft Foods, has given me the chance to share some of that knowledge through the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme.

La Paz, Bolivia: As a UN Volunteer I am a part of the Communications Department at the United Nations Population Fund in Bolivia (UNFPA Bolivia). I contribute to different communications projects such as the development of the online communications strategy. Its implementation quadrupled UNFPA Bolivia’s online visits in less than a year.

Managua, Nicaragua: Situated in the heart of Central America, Nicaragua has a very rich biodiversity. As a developing economy, it is highly dependent on its natural resources. However, Nicaragua is one of the countries that suffers the most from the consequences of climate change. For example, farmlands are vulnerable due to extreme weather conditions which cause land degradation and severe erosion.

In recent decades, most Latin American countries have made increasing commitments to gender equality. However, the commitments alone have not been sufficient to fully address gender gaps and inequality, as they require appropriate budget resources to ensure effective implementation. In response to this need, UN Women promoted Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB) as a tool for linking women's and gender-equality public policies with budget allocations, and for strengthening the capacity of governments to implement the relevant policies.

Guatemala City, Guatemala:  Guatemala is a young country. According to data provided by the National Statistical Institute, one fourth of the Guatemalan population is younger than 18 years old and one half is between 10 to 30 years of age. Most Guatemalan adolescents live in rural areas, and belonging to one of the ethnic indigenous groups makes them even more vulnerable given the discriminatory practices still existing in the country.

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic:  My work as a UN Volunteer with UNICEF Dominican Republic has been the most challenging experience of my professional career. Before arriving I did not know exactly what to expect from a different country and health system. After only a few months, I was aware of the existing problems and I was ready to contribute my knowledge and skills and work with local actors to achieve a common goal.

La Paz, Bolivia:  My name is Teresa Calderón; I’m a social communicator. I joined UNICEF in 2008 as a UN Volunteer to support community health actions with a focus on nutrition.