Laure is a fully funded UN Volunteer from France who started her assignment in September 2023.

Persons with disabilities are often overlooked, and when they are considered, the focus is frequently limited to physical accessibility, such as ramps and infrastructure. While these elements are important, accessibility must go beyond the physical and extend into the virtual space. In today’s world, digital inclusion is crucial. The fact that you’re reading my story right now is possible because of technology, but this is not the reality for many others.

As a young African at 20, I see the hurdles we face—climate change disrupting agriculture, limited resources affecting education, and political instability creating uncertainty. Yet, these challenges ignite innovation. I see it in the way my peers use technology to drive social change and transform agriculture. My work with Kilimo Green Farm revealed the resilience of Congolese farmers, who, against all odds, adapt to climate change with sustainable practices. 

I am 34 years old and a teacher. I firmly believe that to solve Africa's challenges and enable young people to realize their dreams, we need to rethink our education system fundamentally.  Inclusion is essential; we should ensure that every child, regardless of origin, gender, or socio-economic status, has access to quality education.  We need to focus on keeping girls in school. Too often, girls drop out of school because of barriers such as early marriage, family responsibilities, and restrictive social norms. 

Sexual and reproductive health is not only vital for the social well-being of a girl child but also for her physical and mental health. Most people from rural areas lack information on how to take proper care of themselves. For example, during my first menstruation, I was so naive that I fumbled through the basic steps of maintaining good hygiene. This was because I had no prior knowledge of what it was about. Not just menstruation—terms like safe sex, HIV prevention, mental health, and sexually transmitted infections were also very foreign to us. 

Chinenye Anekwe is a UN Volunteer Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) India Office since August 2024. She is a 2018 fellow of GRÓ Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme (GRÓ GEST). 

Salome Margvelashvili, an Online Volunteer, inspired by — tech for social good — Commit Global's mission chose to volunteer through UNV's Online Volunteering Service. "Throughout my academic career, I've maintained a strong focus on understanding the complexities of crisis man

Angela was also one of the campaign volunteers who participated in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Roundtable discussion that centered on the survey, conducted by the United Nations Office of Partnerships (UNOP). Women were asked questions about how they see the future, their priorities, fears and hopes, and how global leaders can listen to them and support them to address issues, challenges and opportunities of the future.

The Africa Women Health Champions initiative is surely an investment in the African woman and through her, in the health of African people. So why did I start this initiative? I have been convinced for years that WHO, like many other organisations, needs far more women in leadership positions.