Funding partners may choose to sponsor nationals of their own country or those of other nationalities to contribute their skills and talents for peace and development.  UN Volunteers contribute to key UN projects and functions at country and regional level, and address some of the most pressing peace and development challenges around the world. In 2023, 709 UN Volunteers worldwide were fully funded, with 73 per cent women and 55 per cent UN Youth and University Volunteers. Of these, 7 per cent were UN Volunteers with disabilities.

The achievement of the SDGs requires enhanced cooperation among various stakeholders. UNV effectively fulfills its mission of mobilizing volunteers by establishing partnerships with multiple actors, which is vital for ensuring inclusivity. The private sector assumes a pivotal role in facilitating this process.

Ms. Walsh commented, “What is exciting about the partnership with UNV and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is that it enables young people to bring together the skills and knowledge learned through the Cisco Networking Academy programme and apply them to addressing real social problems and challenges in this region.”