In West and Central Africa, IVD is celebrated in all 24 countries by governments, civil society, non-governmental organizations and the UN system.
This year’s theme, "Volunteers build resilient communities", focuses on the values of volunteerism through the appreciation of local volunteers (including the marginalized groups and women, who make up nearly 60 per cent of volunteers worldwide) and their impact on building a resilient community.
The celebrations started in Ecuador, with the Regional Launch of the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) 2018, along with FLACSO and local Governmental and civil society organizations.
The celebrations started in Ecuador, with the Regional Launch of the State of the World’s Volunteerism Report (SWVR) 2018, along with FLACSO and local Governmental and civil society organizations.
In the face of Israeli occupation, political turmoil, economic difficulties, and environmental stress, the Palestinian community is changing. To survive these threats, communities need to foster resiliency. That’s where volunteerism comes into play. It supports resilience by enabling individuals to work together to shape collective opportunities to deal with risk. It also provides a wider system of support for both individuals and the community as a whole.
Among those, there are more than 9 million equivalent full-time volunteers in the Arab States. A region which is not only home to fragile ecosystems, extreme weather and subject to natural disasters – such as catastrophic droughts and floods – but have also been witnessing armed conflicts that increased the pressure on societies and local communities, driving millions into forced displacement and food insecurity.
Among those, there are more than 9 million equivalent full-time volunteers in the Arab States. A region which is not only home to fragile ecosystems, extreme weather and subject to natural disasters – such as catastrophic droughts and floods – but have also been witnessing armed conflicts that increased the pressure on societies and local communities, driving millions into forced displacement and food insecurity.
How did children with disabilities benefit from support provided by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to a cement plant in Yemen? A Yemeni UN Volunteer unveils the story.
Millions of Yemenis are affected by a terrible armed conflict, an impending famine and one of the world's largest cholera outbreaks in recent history. In May 2018, over 7,5 million people were receiving emergency food assistance — more than twice the number of people reached over a year ago.
International Volunteer Day (IVD), mandated by the UN General Assembly, is marked annually on 5 December. It provides volunteers and organizations with the opportunity to promote their contributions to development at the local, national and international levels. This year’s theme, "Volunteers Build Resilient Communities", celebrates volunteers who improve the resilience of communities in the face of natural disasters, economic stresses and political shocks.
Kasunjith Satanarachchi is a UN Volunteer currently serving with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka under its Youth Lead programme. It has been a long journey for him to get to this point, Kasunjith reminisces.
From my younger days, I had three dreams. One of them was to have the opportunity to work as a part of the UN System. Through the Youth Leads programme, I have now been able to achieve this. --UN Volunteer Kasunjith Satanarachchi
Launched in 2018, the Talent Programme for Young Professionals with Disabilities is being implemented jointly by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme and the United Nations Development Programme. Attuned to the Sustainable Development Goals principles of leaving no-one behind, the talent programme aims to increase opportunities for young professionals with disabilities, to gain work experience with the United Nations and to increase their future employment opportunities with the development sector, including the United Nations.
In 2018, four candidates have already been selected for assignments with UNDP in Armenia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Ukraine.