Rosana and Yasmin’s assignments focus on understanding humanitarian needs in the states covered by the Maracaibo Field Coordination Hub (Trujillo, Falcón, Lara, and Zulia). Rosana is based in Lara and Yasmín covers all the states of Maracaibo. Through conversations with the local communities and local organizations on the ground, these two women UN Volunteers track humanitarian assistance requirements in each area.

As a young woman, I have always been motivated to create spaces for women to participate in decision making and take on leadership roles. I want to help eliminate barriers to gender equality in my country and region and accelerate achieving 50-50 by 2030 globally. --Ekin Su Yilmaz, UN Youth Volunteer with UN Women, Turkey

Being volunteer gave me, as an indigenous woman, the opportunity to be an agent of change, coherent with my community’s cosmovision. Volunteering is an ancestral treasure that should be transmitted from generation to generation. This guarantees good living, with respect and harmony between humanity and nature. Let’s boost our communities to gain awareness of gender equality, as a pre-condition to progress towards sustainable development. --Ingrid Sierra, UN Volunteer with UN Women

Viktoriia Unuchko started as a UN Youth Volunteer Administrative and Communications Assistant. She supports the Sustainable Development and Environment Portfolio within the UNDP/Global Environment Facility project "Removing barriers to increase investment in energy efficiency in public buildings in Ukraine through the ESCO modality in small and medium-sized cities".

This undertaking aims to develop young women’s leadership capacities to become agents of change for their communities, contributing to social cohesion. I strongly believe in the solidarity and connection between women. Young women need just a bit of support to experience big changes. --Aleksandra Jovanović

Growing up in an open and forward-thinking environment, I am grateful for the fact that no one ever told me what to do, or what not to do, simply because I was a girl. For me, women are definitely strong enough to play crucial roles beyond the stereotypes that define them otherwise. My gender identity has, and should, never limit my potentials or aspirations.

The photos of women volunteers presented in this video were sent by users all over the world. We extend a special thanks to all the people that contributed to this social media campaign intended to highlight how women volunteers contribute to peace and development worldwide.

One the occasion of International Women's Day, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme would like to encourage women to apply to international UN Volunteer assignments.  Please visit our website for more information: www.unv.org