Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire: I served as UN Volunteer head of the public information office of the United Nations Operation in Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI) in Daloa, the third largest city of the country. My duty was to use all public information means to create a peaceful environment, to build confidence and help the people of the region fulfil their dreams of peace and reconstruction in an environment of stability, security and cohesion.

Uganda is home to over half a million refugees residing in settlements and urban centres all over the country. Earlier this year the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) recognised Uganda as one of the best countries in the world for refugees to live, since they are given opportunities to work, freedom of movement, access to education, health care and a secure environment.

On International Volunteer Day 2015, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the UN Resident Coordinator Office and the GURT Resource Centre held a consultation on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with civil society organizations and volunteer groups in 11 cities of Ukraine. A total of 293 participants worked together to choose the most relevant SDGs addressing burning issues for Ukraine’s development.

On International Volunteer Day 2015, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, the UN Resident Coordinator Office and the GURT Resource Centre held a consultation on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with civil society organizations and volunteer groups in 11 cities of Ukraine. A total of 293 participants worked together to choose the most relevant SDGs addressing burning issues for Ukraine’s development.

Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire: Sustainable Development Goal 5 aims to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” Volunteering offers an excellent way of empowering women, allowing them to show what they are capable of, while acquiring new skills and capacities. Volunteering also allows women to access sectors usually reserved to men, and to take on new roles, especially as leaders and managers. Women volunteers can serve as role models, and inspire others to follow in their footsteps. An additional reason to volunteer!

Prishtina, Kosovo: Building on our achievements with the foresight exercise for unemployment in Kosovo, our innovations team at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), which I am part of, is now moving on to the Big Data realm. Every day, people around the world are generating massive amounts of data that, when aggregated and depersonalized to protect the privacy of each one of us, can be used to get insights into the state of society and enable us to respond more effectively and efficiently to its needs.

Bissau, Guinea-Bissau: Having grown up in her birthplace Cuntum, Bissau, Rosilândia spends time volunteering there to help better the future of the most vulnerable women in her community. She is one of the young women in the area who is convinced that equality for women is beneficial to the whole community. Rosilândia works as a community volunteer trainer, involved with helping Cuntum’s vulnerable women learn how to read and write.

When I was given the opportunity to come to Sudan as a UN Volunteer with the United Nations African Union Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), many folks discouraged me, because of the hardship conditions.   I refused to listen to the naysayers and didn't hesitate to accept the offer. My whole life has been full of challenges and hardships, and so Darfur would be no different. I told them that I was willing and able!   

Gulfam Mustafa, UN Volunteer Partnership and Resource Mobilization Officer serving with the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in Guinea Bissau  As an international UN Volunteer, I live in a country thousands of miles away from my home. I have my family and kids back in Pakistan. Following the news of increasing COVID-19 cases causes me fear, anxiety and mental stress.