Online volunteering supports UNDP in digital innovation

“You are never too young to lead and you should never doubt your capacity to triumph where others have not.” This quote by former United Nations Secretary-General, Kofi Annan frames what I feel about volunteering.

My name is Cecilia Omole and I am from Canada. I am an Online Volunteer. This is my story.
 

My interest in the United Nations began while I was still in high school student. I was part of Model UN, an educational model of the UN where students learn about diplomacy and international relations.

I started my volunteer journey as an Online Volunteer through the United Nations Volunteers in November 2023 with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Bureau for Policy and Programme Support and the Sustainable Development Goals Integration Team. 

At the center of green transition

Xiaerbati Daositeke hails from China. She completed her UN Volunteer assignment as Programme Communication Assistant with the UN Women China Office in March 2024. The passion for gender equality and women’s empowerment especially those from underserved communities stirred Xiaerbati to serve with Women-led Rural Community Renewable Energy Transition and Governance Project.

Xiaerbati was part of a team that provided vocational training and entrepreneurship opportunities to women from rural areas in Qinghai Province. These opportunities made it easy to access renewable energy, boosting agricultural productivity and mitigating climate change.

“Volunteerism plays a pivotal role in fostering long-term economic empowerment of women by creating sustainable support systems and fostering community resilience,” says Xiaerbati.

UNV and ILO partnership enhances the measurement of volunteer work

Gaza of broken hearts, grief, desperation but also resilience

When the war started on the 7th of October 2023, there was a total of 61 UN Volunteers serving in the State of Palestine, of which 18 were stationed in the Gaza Strip. Before the war, United Nations Volunteers (UNV) in the Gaza Strip provided humanitarian and development support to seven UN agencies. Even then, living conditions for Palestinians were bleak. 
 

Six months on, the war continues unabated.  Declared one of the deadliest conflicts in centuries on civilians and infrastructure, the evidence keeps multiplying on numerous cases of international humanitarian law violations, including against humanitarians and volunteers.  

Health is a basic human right

UN Volunteers support the efforts of the World Health Organization (WHO) to ensure that health can be accessed by everyone equally. This year, World Health Day was observed with the theme - 'My Health, my right' - adding emphasis to health as a basic human right and as such amplifying its urgency.

In Poland, WHO faced a major challenge with the influx of Ukrainians fleeing war in their home country. Health aid was needed swiftly and in response, WHO recruited 13 UN Volunteers for two years (2022-23) in Poland. These volunteers integrated into the United Nations' response efforts and contributed to providing health services to refugees.