The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) is the volunteer arm of the United Nations. It was created by the UN General Assembly in 1970 to serve as an operational partner in development cooperation at the request of UN member states. It reports to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and works through UNDP's country offices around the world.
Volunteering brings benefits to both society at large and the individual volunteer. It makes important contributions, economically as well as socially. It contributes to a more cohesive society by building trust and reciprocity among citizens.
The United Nations Volunteers is the UN organization that supports sustainable human development globally through the promotion of volunteerism, including the mobilization of volunteers. It serves the causes of peace and development through enhancing opportunities for participation by all peoples. It is universal, inclusive and embraces volunteer action in all its diversity. It values free will, commitment, engagement and solidarity, which are the foundations of volunteerism.
"At the heart of volunteerism are the ideals of service and solidarity and the belief that together we can make the world a better place. In that sense, we can say that volunteerism is the ultimate expression of what the United Nations is all about." - Kofi Annan, UN Secretary-General.
Statistics
In 2004, its seventh consecutive year of growth, the UNV programme mobilized some 7,300 volunteers, representing 166 nationalities, who served in 140 countries. Since 1971, more than 30,000 UN Volunteers from developing and industrialized nations have supported peace, relief and development initiatives worldwide.
UNV in BiH
UNV programme in BiH was established in 1996. From 1996 to 2004, UNV Country Office has posted almost 1,000 International and 600 National Volunteers. During 1997, 1998 and 1999, UNV Programme in BiH was among the largest in the world; 120 NUNVs were involved (1999-2004) in the Multisectoral Assistance to War-affected Populations in Bosnia and Herzegovina supporting the reintegration of Refugees and IDPs.
Currently 52 UN Volunteers (16 Internationals and 36 Nationals), UN Volunteers are currently serving in BiH within UN organizations (UNHCR, UNDP, UNV, WB/Mn. of Forestry) and Bosnian Institutions (F. Mn. of Justice and Cabinet of the Prime Mn.) and 16 Bosnians are serving abroad. In addition, within a UNV-EU/EVS pilot project 3 Volunteers are serving in BiH and 2 Bosnians are abroad.
UNV Activities in BiH
UNV/UNDP INTEGRATED YOUTH PROGRAMME - EMPOWERING YOUTH FOR 2015!
In 1976 the UN General Assembly assigned a special mandate to UNV to be a major operational arm of the UN in promoting youth participation in development. In BiH such goal is targeted through the Integrated Youth Programme (IYP) implemented by United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Integrated Youth Program’s (IYP) main aim is to promote, support, and complement efforts towards empowerment of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in such way contribute to achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). IYP involves four major components:
1. Institutional Building at Municipal and State level
2. Confidence and Capacity Building for young individuals and youth organizations
3. Local Economic Development and promotion of Youth Entrepreneurship
4. Youth Volunteer Centers establishment
At Municipal level the program's primary objective is to work with young individuals, local youth groups and organisations who are in position to empower other members of the community. Among it’s activities IYP also include a component focusing on Local Economic Development supporting Youth Entrepreneurship through the provision of theoretical (trainings) and practical tools (small start up grants, linkages with micro credit organizations, etc.) instruments to individuals and to youth associations in order to support the start up and management of small economic activities, thereby contributing to the development of entrepreneurial capacities among youth in BiH and enabling youth.
Furthermore IYP is currently supporting the opening of 5 Youth Resource-Info Centers (in Prozor/Rama, Stolac, Gorazde, Bugojno and Foca/Srbinje), run by the youth organizations partners in collaborations with the Local Authorities, that will be hosted in Youth Volunteer Centers already established and will provide different kind of information related to youth issues (education, free time, health, travels, etc.) plus support Local Development offering specific information and support to youth willing to start their own business and open up social enterprises.
At State level, major overall objective of the integrated Youth Programme is to assist the definition of a national Youth Policy in BiH and the associated institutional arrangements. To this end, the programme while supporting since more the one year the Cabinet of the Prime Minster in the design and in the content definition of the Youth Department, took also a bold step of establishing thematic working groups involving Youth Branches of all Political Parties in BiH and Youth Civil Society Organizations focusing on specific youth issues and able to provide specific recommendations. Building up on its extensive experience in working with youth leaders on different capacity building and advocacy issue, is currently recently started an exciting new initiative: the Model of Council of Ministers, consisting of a range of capacity building and empowerment activities, aimed at young people coming from political parties and youth NGOs.
All the above-mentioned activities are actively contributing to reduce brain drain, one of the major problems affecting BiH, and will be represent effective tools to enhance creation of a positive environment supporting and sustaining returns.
UNV/UNDP RIVER SEE - Regional Integration through Volunteers Exchanges for Reconciliation of South East Europe
The RIVER SEE programme aims at setting up a Volunteer Exchange scheme for the Balkan Region that develops the capacity of the Civil Society/Voluntary Involving Organizations (CSO/VIOs), community groups and individuals to be proactively involved in civil initiatives that reinforce development efforts and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) while contributing to a process of regional confidence-building and reconciliation. More specifically, the volunteer exchanges will contribute to develop the organizational and coordination capacity of Civil Society/Volunteer-Involving Organisations to network cross-culturally and across borders with other grass-root organisations, communities and individuals. The volunteer exchanges will contribute to building substantial volunteer capacity, partnerships and skills through outreach and training while improving their capacity to target specific issues related to local development and governance processes.
Coalition-building and networking within the civil society sector can lead to effective advocacy, partnerships and exchange of best practices and information. Volunteer’s participation will generate social capital, support community development, will be instrumental to regional reconciliation efforts, civil society building, economic development and environmental protection efforts. In the long run, the regional exchange experience will serve as a meaningful investment in the mindset of future citizens of a United European community of nations.
The Volunteer Exchange scheme will be set up by UNV/UNDP, operating in close partnership with EU/EVS, VSO, OneWorld and SEEYN South East Europe Youth Network (SEEYN), Youth Communication Center BiH (YCC), Livno Youth Center (LYC), Red Cross Albania Albanian (RCA), Albanian Youth Council (AYC), Care International (CI) and Balkan Youth Link (BYL). It will build the capacity of Implementing Partner Organizations (IPOs) to identify, mobilize, manage and retain a large volunteer workforce and resources. Management training, tools and skills will be developed in areas ranging from selection, to pre- and post- departure orientation of volunteers, program monitoring, evaluation and analysis. The program best practices will be collected in a publication aiming at informing interested parties locally and internationally, further promoting volunteerism, and for imitation/replication processes.
CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION IN BiH
United Nations Volunteers Office is closely cooperating with the rest of International Community who are involved with the legal and political aspects of conscientious objection. In 2001, the Ministry of Justice of FBiH appointed a Commission for Civil Service – to make decisions related to the recognition of the conscientious objectors status. However, this body never had the ability to work properly due to lack of institutionalization, staffing, etc. Aware of the situation, at the end of 2002 the UNV Office assigned a NUNV to serve as a Community Service Specialist and provided the equipment necessary for the proper functioning. The NUNV assistance encouraged the Commission to resume its work (in few months 1200 old applications were put in order and processed), and led to a significant increase in number of objectors. In April 2004, 52 Institutions signed contracts with the FBiH Mn. of Defense enabling them to host objectors and on May and December first approximately 300 objectors were enrolled in support to their activities.
The UNV/UNDP support induced a process of reforms leading towards adoption of the new Law on Defense and to a likely approval of national law on conscientious Objection that has being drafted. An evaluation of status of right to Conscientious Objection in BiH undertaken in September 2004 by the CoE highlighted the fundamental role played by UNV in ensuring this fundamental right to the young men of BiH. An evaluation of the impact of service provided by objectors is currently undergoing.
UNV FOR ENVIRONMENT
A campaign to promote environmental issues was recently started by UNV in collaboration with UNDP, OSCE Pale and Ekotim. First 2 initiatives involved schools and private companies to promote recycling of paper and reduce plastic waste. Results of these pilot initiatives were presented in June 2004 on the occasion of the Hearth Day celebration: 30 tons of paper collected, 28 schools and 15.000 students involved, 150 trees planted, etc.
Building up on the positive experience UNV and Ekotim started the implementation of a larger project that will be implemented in cooperation with Municipal Company RAD, the Canton of Sarajevo and the schools aiming at supporting the efforts to promote the recycling also of plastic and aluminum.
INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEER DAY in BiH
The IVD 2004 represented a very important moment for ‘V’ in BiH. UNV and other National and International organization, following up on the 56/38 and 107/106 UN resolutions, throughout 2004 supported a process that is leading very soon to the adoption of a law to support voluntary action. The IVD 2004 offered the occasion to sum up the results achieved and prepare the field for the law parliamentarian process expected to start in early 2005.