Quito, Ecuador:  «All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights », declares the first article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. My work at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Quito, Ecuador, has mainly attempted to make this declaration a reality.

Quito, Ecuador:  During my one-year assignment in Quito, Ecuador, I supported the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women). I focused on the programmes that aim to prevent violence against women and girls and to ensure the restitution of their rights.    Violence against women and girls is one of the most frequent violations of human rights. Some consider it a pandemic, as no country is exempt from it.

Quito, Ecuador:  Women in all parts of the world suffer violence and discrimination. They are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes. They lack access to decent work, face gender gaps and are often denied access to basic education and health care. UN WOMEN is trying to address these global challenges.

Port au Prince, Haiti: I am an international UN Volunteer with the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) engineering section, specialized in administration and finance. I have a dedicated passion for nature and the environment and have volunteered in my home country of Gambia to promote sustainable and profitable solutions to urban environmental challenges. 

Brasilia, Brazil: Volunteerism is giving your time and expertise in exchange for knowledge, and the opportunity to be part of the changes you want to make in the world. I urge everyone to become a volunteer in any way you can. You can start by helping people in your own community, then you will be helping people from the whole country, and then, who knows, you may also be helping people from all over the world. 

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: I was documenting medical history from a newly diagnosed HIV-positive patient, accompanied by his very caring wife, when they told me how much they loved to dance every weekend before they got ill. The couple returned after a fortnight, but to my astonishment their medical file bore an older clinical number and was considerably heavier in content. Although it had the same last name, the clinical number was about 4 years old.

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: I had the privilege and pleasure to work as a UN Volunteer Medical Doctor in three different countries. My first experience was as a UNV Medical Doctor in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (2009) with the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). It was an opportunity to learn about the UN mission way of life, and I underwent many trainings. Our level 2 clinic handled numerous Malaria cases besides other medical problems.

Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago: Since September 2014, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Health have been receiving international UN Volunteers to work in Health Care Centres across Trinidad and Tobago to support current staff and ensure consistent quality service is being provided for the citizens of Trinidad and Tobago.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti: I’m Adoum Goulgué, I’m UN volunteer at the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH). I work as a journalist-editor in the United Nations police (UNPOL) Section. But before that, I worked as responsible for public information at the publication unit, section of the Communication Office of Public Information, where I arrived on 01st July 2013. I have 10 years of experience in journalism, including four in the weekly newspaper in Chad, and four others as communication officer with humanitarian NGOs in eastern Chad.

Port-au-Prince, Haiti: My name is Francesca Pinna, I am a United Nations Volunteer in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office in Haiti. I never thought that I would get engaged in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR). It happened by chance after the earthquake that hit the Italian city of Aquila in 2009. I understood what an unexpected natural disaster could really provoke and how much destruction could have been avoided through an adequate knowledge of disaster risks and appropriate preparedness.