Official Message from UNV on International Day of Peace 2015
In a world where violence and insecurity are still threatening too many lives, the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme commemorates the International Day of Peace observed on 21 September. The United Nations General Assembly declared this as a day devoted to strengthening peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. UNV recognizes the role of individuals, societies and communities in building lasting peace for themselves and promotes volunteerism as a valuable and essential means.
The theme this year of “Partnerships for Peace – Dignity for All” is particularly apt for UNV as We create space for inclusive civic participation and participatory dialogue. African youth from 15 countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have been offered an opportunity, through a joint UNV ECOWAS project, to serve as UN volunteers in post-conflict countries. Their contributions not only boost the pace of development but also increase social cohesion by bringing together citizens of ECOWAS regional communities.
UNV responds fast and infallibly when partners need to increase their effectiveness in addressing peacebuilding needs, through the worldwide deployment of UN Volunteers. Since the previous International Day of Peace, UNV has contributed to 9 UN supported elections (Afghanistan, Burundi, Mali, Madagascar, Haiti, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Myanmar and Bolivia).
Last year, during the Afghanistan presidential election, UNDP staff and UN Volunteers from around the world joined the UNDP Afghanistan Country Office staff and election team and advised the Independent Elections Commission of Afghanistan on vote audit procedures. Through their work at the community level, UN Volunteers ensure citizen participation and build a sense of ownership in the electoral process.
Another contribution to peace and citizen security worldwide was UNV’s response to the Ebola epidemic. By organizing awareness campaigns, UN volunteers curtailed the social pressure and community mistrust against individuals who were travelling across countries and were being marginalized as potential carriers of the virus.
More specifically, the Ebola epidemic in West African countries mobilized extraordinary efforts by Governments and civil society organizations. Linking with thousands of community volunteers (2,100 young volunteers in Guinea-Conakry alone), 116 UN Volunteers and 388 UN Online Volunteers supported Ebola awareness and sensitization campaigns, prevention and post-recovery measures, the tracing of patients’ relatives, mapping, coordination of support and food distribution.
By combating the disease and holding the epidemic at bay, the response prevented the disease from undermining the fragile peace of nations which had only recently put down arms, and from destabilizing hitherto peaceful countries. Read more here.
UNV not only contributes to national efforts to solve problems caused by the absence of peace and security, but it also uses volunteerism to play a critical role in strengthening local capacity and leadership to secure long-lasting local solutions for conflicts.
In Somalia, the civil war has severely hindered women’s fair treatment, access to justice and overall human rights protection. Originally from Western Kenya, Judith Otieno, UN Volunteer Gender Programme Analyst, in collaboration with UNDP made impressive progress in promoting gender equality in Somalia, by supporting policy development, awareness raising and community dialogue on women’s rights, through various gender-related training sessions and workshops addressed to both men and women. See the full photo story here.
As we mark the International Day of Peace 2015 with the new post-2015 sustainable development agenda on the horizon, UNV continues to forge new partnerships for peace and dignity for all through voluntary action.