1974 when an Australian nutritionist arrived in Kathmandu to work as a UN .... previously inoperable software has now ..
Increasing Participation through
VOLUNTEERISM IN NEPAL
inspiration in action
© United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, Nepal UN House, Pulchowk, Lalitpur G.P.O.Box: 107, Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: (977-1) 5523200 Fax: (977-1) 5523991 Design & Processed by: Kazi Studios Printed by: Quality Printers Editorial Team Tatiana Prokhorova Biplav Pradhan This report has been prepared with inputs from national and international UN Volunteers. We thank our UN Online Volunteers (Liz Davison, Molly Morrison, Sally Hare and Sarah Chalmers) for their contribution to proofreading the text of this brochure. Photo credits: All photos by UNV Nepal except credited otherwise.
Contents Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 United Nations Volunteers (UNV). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 UNV in Nepal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Volunteer Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 LGCDP in Focus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 UNV in Nepal supported its UN Volunteers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Volunteer Voices of UN Volunteers.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 UNV Executive Coordinator visited Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 International Youth Day event . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 UNV Retreat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Youth SWAP in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 International Volunteer Day event. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 National Youth UN Volunteers in Nepal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Online Volunteering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 List of Acronyms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Foreword
Volunteerism empowers individuals and institutions; it builds resilience, which is essential in a changing environment. modalities and initiatives, such as UN Volunteers, UN Youth Volunteers, Online Volunteers, University Volunteers, both national and international, to meet the present demand of the UN entities and other development partners.
Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges. Volunteerism empowers individuals and institutions; it builds resilience, which is essential in a changing environment. With the development of the UN Volunteers (UNV) Strategic Framework (2014-2017), UNV is, strategically, positioned to support the UN entities and the Government to be more effective in delivering their development results. UNV has also made available its volunteer
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The UNV programme has been supporting peace and development in Nepal by deploying UN Volunteers and Youth Volunteers in different UN agencies, such as UNDP, UNHCR, UN Women, UNFPA, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNRCPD, RCHCO as well as IOM and government institutions in Nepal. Additionally, there are 77 Nepali, serving as International UN Volunteers in 16 countries. These UN Volunteers are great assets of Nepal, contributing to national as well as global peace and development. While UN Volunteers have been contributing to the societies where they serve, they have been getting experiences and building their personal and professional lives. Moreover, UNV is one of the UN partners in implementing the UN Joint Programme of Local Governance and Community
Development Programme (LGCDP II). UNV supported the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MOFALD) in recruiting and deploying 136 University Volunteers and 8 UN Volunteers nationwide to set up a functional e-governance system at local level. The volunteers have been doing excellent jobs in their various capacities in different locations. UNV has been actively involved in the development and implementation of the Youth System Wide Action Plan (SWAP) in Nepal. In promoting volunteerism and volunteers, UNV has been working with the National Development Volunteer Services, National Planning Commission as well as local and international Volunteer Involving Organizations undertaking a number of initiatives throughout the country. We need to consider voluntarism as potential to transform the pace of ongoing peace and development initiatives which needs to be harnessed to full extent for transformative development.
Jamie McGoldrick UN Resident Coordinator
Introduction development partners for accelerating the ongoing peace and development efforts in Nepal. On the other hand, during this year over 20 Nepal nationals have been deployed as International UN Volunteers in 12 countries, contributing to global peace and development. The demonstrated achievements of the highly motivated individual UN Volunteers in three of the thematic areas of UNV Strategic Framework support us in mobilizing more volunteers.
Greetings from UNV Field Unit Nepal! The United Nations Volunteer (UNV) Programme in Nepal is delighted to share with you some of our achievements and experiences in this brochure, in the areas of mobilization of volunteers and promotion of volunteerism, which support the ongoing peace and development initiatives in the country. This consolidates the mandate of UNV. In terms of the mobilization of UN Volunteers, we have intensified our efforts and deployed 21 National and Youth UN Volunteers, eight International UN Volunteers, and four International UN Youth Volunteers during 2014 to serve in a number of UN agencies and other
As one of the UN Participating Organizations, UNV has been supporting the Government of Nepal in the planning and implementation of the four years UN Joint Programme (Phase II), Local Governance and Capacity Development Programme (LGCDP), which is being implemented throughout the country starting from 2014. To support the country’s electoral reform process, UNV has deployed the first batch of 5 National Youth UN Volunteers as part of the UNDP Electoral Support Project, in which they will be working with the National UN Volunteers in four regional offices and Kathmandu. Sixteen Online Volunteers helped us and other UN entities in meeting the development results in Nepal. To support the promotion of volunteerism,
UNV Field Unit in Nepal has taken a lead in organizing a number of activities, including meetings, brainstorming sessions, workshops and flagship events: International Youth Day (IYD), International Volunteer Day (IVD), partnering with over 20 Youth Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIOs). ). A number of promotional materials developed by the UNV Field Unit now take the promotion of UNV and volunteerism to new heights. Thanks go to our donors and partners for their generous contributions, as well as to the wellwishers who constantly inspire us to support and improve the lives of the most needy of people! We would like to extend our grateful thanks to all UN Volunteers, who have always been at the forefront in the ongoing peace and development efforts, for their invaluable contribution as well as for their truly volunteer spirit! Thank you and enjoy reading!
Tatiana Prokhorova Programme Officer, UNV Nepal
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United Nations Volunteers United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme was established by the United Nations General Assembly (GA) in December 1970 through resolution 2659 (XXV). It began operations in January 1971, administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). UNV was created as the GA acknowledged that, “voluntary service in development assistance activities… can make a substantial contribution to their success by the provision of an additional source of trained manpower.” UNV was to work, “within the United Nations System in collaboration with the United Nations agencies concerned and in co-operation with organizations dealing with national and international volunteer service and, where appropriate, with youth organizations.”
Our Mission 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 (UNV) programme 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 by 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.
Our Inspiration UNV is inspired by the conviction that volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development and by the idea that everyone can contribute their time and energy towards peace and development. With partners, UNV advocates for volunteerism, integrates volunteerism into development planning and mobilizes volunteers. The enormous potential of volunteerism is an inspiration to UNV and to volunteers around the world.
Our Goal UNV contributes to peace and development through volunteerism. Our Key Results 1. Global recognition of volunteers for peace and development. 2. Ensure the integration of volunteerism into development programmes. 3. M obilization of increasing numbers and the diversity of volunteers contributing to peace and development.
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UNV Field Unit in Nepal The history of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme in Nepal dates back to 1974 when an Australian nutritionist arrived in Kathmandu to work as a UN Volunteer in UNICEF’s field operations. To date, hundreds of international and national UN Volunteers have served in Nepal. UNV’s role in Nepal grew during the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), which was established in 2007. UNMIN engaged a contingent of 240 international and national UN Volunteers in the lead up to the Constituency Elections in 2008. These volunteers played a key role in delivering the mission mandate, especially in the areas of electoral advising at the district level, civil affairs activities, and technical support. UNMIN continued to make significant use of UN Volunteers until the mandate of the mission expired in January 2011. UNV Field Unit (UNV FU) has been developing partnerships with Nepal Government, UN agencies, and non-governmental organizations where volunteers are mobilized. The UNV FU Nepal has also been working in cooperation with several international and national Volunteer Involving Organizations (VIOs) to promote volunteerism for peace and development in the country. Additionally, UNV Nepal played a key role in supporting the National Development Volunteer Service (NDVS) and National Planning Commission to develop the National Volunteering Policy and in building the capacity of the NDVS.
UNV in Nepal has contributed to national capacity development with volunteer schemes during LGCDP I and LGCDP II. During LGCDP I, UNV funded and coordinated the deployment of 100 national NDVS volunteers, who supported the LGCDP community empowerment activities. Similarly, for LGCDP II, UNV funded 8 national UN Volunteers who are placed in Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, and Regional Cluster Units to work for e-governance part of LGCDP II programme and to coordinate 136 ICT Youth volunteers, based in each district and municipality.
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UN Volunteers in Nepal AS OF 15 DECEMBER 2014
Based on UN Volunteer Modality National
Based on Gender
22 19
International
Female
Male
23
18
Based on Host Agencies
17
8
1 UNV/LGCDP
1
UNV
1
WFP
1
UNFPA
1
UNESCO
1
UNRCPD
1
RCHCO
2 IOM
3 UNICEF
UNHCR
UNDP
4
UN WOMEN
8
Nepali UN Volunteers abroad
7 10 13
12 6
4
9 14
11
15
3
16 5
1
2 8
1. Tanzania, United Republic of
7. Kosovo
13. Haiti
2. Botswana
8. South Africa
14. Liberia
3. Ethiopia
9. Sudan
15. South Sudan
4. Gambia
10. Afghanistan
16. Somalia
5. Indonesia
11. Congo, The Democratic Republic
6. Trinidad and Tobago
12. Egypt
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National UN Volunteers during their teambuilding session.
Anuja Kasaju, UNV Nepal’s Programme Assistant, giving presentation about UNV.
10 UN Volunteers, ICT Youth Volunteers and MoFALD staff during induction training of ICT Youth Volunteers
LGCDP in Focus
UNV is contributing to improve local governance in Nepal UNV Nepal continues to support peace and development in the country through volunteerism and capacity development. UNV Nepal has been contributing to the Local Governance and Community Development Programme (LGCDP) of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) since Phase I. Phase I involved working closely with the National Development Volunteer Service (NDVS) to promote volunteerism for development. UNV funded and coordinated the deployment of 100 national NDVS volunteers, who supported LGCDP community empowerment activities. UNV also provided NDVS staff with capacity development training and assistance during the process of formulating a national volunteering policy, and assisted in the establishment of a Volunteer Resource and Information Centre and an Integrated Volunteer Management Information System at NDVS.
The benefits of this volunteering programme are already becoming apparent. The local bodies where there are ICT Volunteers are showing positive impacts in their IT usage and digitization of their workflow.
Phase II of LGCDP provides the systems, procedures, structures, tools and capacities for facilitating the transformation of local bodies into local government entities. Building on the experience from the UNV component of Phase I, in Phase II UNV Nepal is supporting the MoFALD in its new pilot initiative, “University Youth IT Volunteers”. This initiative aims to digitise the operational procedures of the Government of Nepal in addition to strengthening and maintaining the IT infrastructure of local government bodies. Under this programme, 136 Volunteers are placed as ‘ICT Volunteers’ for an initial period of two years in each of the 75 District Development Committees (DDCs) as well as 58 Municipalities and three in the Ministry (MoFALD). Additionally, UNV Nepal has placed eight National UN Volunteers as ‘ICT Experts’ in the six Regional Cluster Units (RCU) and two in the Program Coordination Unit (PCU) of the Ministry to oversee and coordinate ICT Volunteers and their activities. Through the United Nations Joint Programme, UNV Nepal will support capacity enhancement of youth volunteers, promotion of volunteerism and voluntary action at the local levels.
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VOLUNTEER VOICES Why did you choose to be a UN Volunteer? For me, society has two schools of thought: “I have given, I need to receive,” versus “I have received, I need to give”. I have always been inspired by the latter, and I believe volunteerism is the best means to achieve this. Working as a volunteer not only gives back to society what we have learnt, but it is also a very effective way to build self-worth. As an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) graduate from a developing country, I had always been inspired to use ICT to address the digital divide in society, and to tackle the ineffectiveness of government agencies in service delivery. UNV has not only given me an opportunity to realize my dream, but also offered recognition in a global forum.
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ICT Volunteers (ICTVs) have recently joined the workforce, most of my time is spent managing the resulting administrative and logistical issues. Every local body (LB) has a different perspective on project plans and decisions, so every regional issue has to be dealt with uniquely. As ICT is a cross-cutting issue, in that it is vital to all areas of a project, adequate time must be spent communicating and coordinating with development partners and other stakeholders, and there are major decisions to be taken which can have long-term impact. Therefore, working as a program coordinator comes with the responsibility of both taking important decisions and acting prudently. However, support and advice from regional ICT experts has been very helpful.
Nagesh Badu, Programme Coordinator, LGCDP
to achieve the common goal of ‘digitizing the nation’ is in itself an excellent experience. We very much appreciate the efforts made by these hard-working, competent young people volunteering in government agencies, as most youths these days merely blame the government for the problems they see around them. Every team member here is a ‘leader in the making’ – doing their best despite the odds, and making a great effort to meet this common dream. This gives me confidence that we will make a substantive change in governance through ICT. Working with a team of energetic, motivated and passionate young people to achieve our goals is the best part of my job, I believe.
What is it like to work as Programme Coordinator? Describe your job briefly.
What is the best part of your job?
Having been based at MoFALD, what do you see as major challenges in improving governance in Nepal?
Working as a coordinator for the ICT program requires a good balance of ICT and management skills. Being a government project, it also requires focus on governance concerns. Working with a team of engineers, government staff, and international agencies is a challenging job, but it is equally a learning experience. Since
LGCDP is a nationwide program affecting all bodies of local governance, including rural areas. So it’s tough to reach grassroots level and convince people to use ICT, as they are used to traditional methods of working and administration. However, coordinating a team of highly competent ICT graduate volunteers working on a nationwide project
Working closely within governance, I realized very quickly that government agencies and their staff are not as blameworthy as they are generally perceived by the public. Admirable plans, policies, and programs are still being developed and implemented by government agencies, at least at ministry level. But, the obstacles
they can come up against sometimes give rise to this opinion. The first barrier, I have realized, is the tedious and time-consuming ‘government procedure’ that has to be followed for every single decision, regardless of its complexity or type. Rules and strict procedures were established to ensure that nothing went wrong, but they turned out to be barriers even for those with the best of intentions. Therefore there needs to be a substantive improvement in government procedures. Another area for improvement is the use of the ‘supply-oriented approach’ rather than the ‘demand-oriented approach’. Whether in budget allocation or service delivery, the demand side of things seems to be ignored or at least less-considered than the supply. The requirements of a targeted sector must be considered systematically, documented, and analyzed before plans and decisions are made. Another challenge is the lack of a ‘proper mechanism of feedback’. There should be a systematic approach to gather feedback from service users after a plan has been implemented. What progress have you seen in digitizing working procedures of local bodies since you joined your office? We receive many compliments from regions and LBs for our volunteer effort in introducing ICT in LBs. Even ministry has realized that they should have separate, stable and permanent sections for ICT at
ministry and LBs. I believe that changing this mindset, in such a short period, is our biggest achievement to date. There have also been major tangible improvements. An ICT Survey of each LB is done to identify the status of ICT at local governance level, which shows a comprehensive map of the digital divide in LBs. The survey result has helped ministry in budgeting for ICT – this year ICT budgets are assigned by MoFALD to LBs, after considering their ICT status. This has promoted a demand-based approach over the traditional supply-based method. Working procedures within LBs have started to be digitized and it’s gaining remarkable speed in a short period of time. Use of email and online collaborative tools has increased, internet and networking has been set up and improved, a resource map of every district has begun to be digitized after ICTVs received Geographic Information Systems (GIS) training, and the ICT infrastructure of LBs is gradually being
stabilized. Websites are regularly updated and maintained and every LB now has a social media account, which has improved information dissemination between them. Moreover, with robust assistance from ICTVs, previously inoperable software has now come into use, and the monitoring and evaluation systems initiated by MoFALD for LBs have been strengthened due to the timely update of a web-based reporting system (WBRS). Audio notice boards, new SMS groups, and free WiFi zones at LBs have been initiated following ICTV placements. By the next fiscal year, all LBs will have standardized websites with digital archives and online Government-to-Citizen (G2C) services. Uniform software for accounting, inventory, and staff details are included in the ICT strategy to be completed within the next year. ICTVs have also developed systems themselves, such as online staff details, travel reports, field visit reports, and monthly work plans, to digitize the daily work procedure of MoFALD/LGCDP.
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Deepak Raj Dawadi ICT Expert, Regional Coordination Unit of LGCDP in Dhulikhel
Becoming a UN Volunteer as an ICT Expert was akin to returning a favor to society in a positive manner. The vision and concept of UNV has had a great influence on me, improving my perspective in life. UNV gave me the best experience in social interaction and the development of interpersonal skills that I would not have learnt otherwise. I attribute this competency to volunteering more and more. I am contributing my technical skills to the implementation of e-governance, with new technology that will help the local bodies gear and run quality e-citizen service systems and support the day-to-day strategic decision-making process.
National UN Volunteer Deepak sharing his teamwork findings during UNV Retreat
Ekendra Lamsal ICT Expert, Regional Coordination Unit of LGCDP, Pokhara
The focus of my volunteerism lies in establishing an independent, responsive, and sustainable local e-governance mechanism in all local bodies of my region. I have realized that local bodies are willing to adopt newer technologies and learn them at a faster pace when they have UN Volunteers working as ICT experts. Local bodies are always looking for change, and it is an excellent opportunity for volunteers like me to help them lower the digital gap, strengthen their ICT status and realize service delivery digitally. In all aspects of this comprehensive local e-governance system, volunteering is truly admirable.
National UN Volunteer Ekendra (left) talking to Tatiana Prokhorova, UNV Nepal Programme Officer
Apurwa Singh ICT Expert, Programme Coordination Unit of LGCDP, Kathmandu
Being a volunteer has been more than a job for me. It has provided me with an opportunity to utilize my skills to contribute to the process of nation building. I work closely in a team of eight national UN Volunteers as ICT Experts. As each of these experts bring unique qualities and skills to the table, working in this team has helped me sharpen my own skills and learn new ones. Likewise, this has also helped me improve my teamwork and social skills. Working at the Programme Coordination Unit provides me with the opportunity to observe governance activities from closely. This has helped me build a better understanding of the country’s development sector.
National UN Volunteer Apurwa giving a presentation during teambuilding session
Avilash Chakrawarti ICT Expert, Regional Coordination Unit of LGCDP in Nepalgunj
We try to promote voluntarism so that everyone can become aware of the importance of having volunteers to implement change. I have been supporting 21 University Youth ICT Volunteers in the Mid-Western Region. All the ICT Volunteers work in a team to encourage the local bodies, as well as the community, towards digitization and e-governance systems. People in the community know about the e-governance system is and why it is necessary to everyone. The ICT Volunteers and ICT Experts try to reach all the community and influence the local bodies’ daily operation in terms of ICT, including through social media.
Anuja (UNV PA) talking to national UN Volunteers Avilash (left) and Durga (centre).
Durga Prasad Bhatta ICT Expert, Regional Coordination Unit of LGCDP in Dhangadi I am happy to contribute my knowledge and skills for digitization process. UNV provides me with a platform for exposing the new innovation and creativity in areas of ICT and development. I have provided IT and computer knowledge to some social mobilizers in the Far-Western region during my field visits. This is the first ICT programme of the Government of Nepal to
e-governance system. ICT helps to build e-governance, through which effective public services can be delivered. I regularly contribute to strengthening ICT infrastructure in local bodies.
UNV has really influenced me and inspired me to work for the community and nation.
VOLUNTEER VOICES Mohita Joshi ICT Expert, Regional Coordination Unit of LGCDP in Biratnagar
UNV is an incredible platform to learn and contribute at the same time. It has truly been an awesome experience to volunteer for nation building. I feel proud to be among the very few female computer engineering graduates in the country, and believe that my responsibilities towards the nation and society are crucial. I am thankful to UNV for providing the opportunity to contribute in setting up a digitally-led governance system in Nepal. My participation in this governmentledinitiative has given me the chance to work with government officials, community members and youths. Moreover, it has given me the opportunity to share my knowledge with youth volunteers. I have been supporting 25 ICT Volunteers stationed in the Eastern
National UN Volunteer Mohita (left) talking to Anuja Kasaju, UNV Nepal’s Programme Assistant
Region of Nepal. As a team, we, set up e-governance systems in local bodies, as well as raising awareness among government officials. ICT can be the best platform and tool for the government to connect with the citizens and administer daily operations. Our current efforts of making local bodies’ officials realize the importance of ICT is taking shape, as many reluctant offices are adopting the new system. Furthermore, there has been increased interest among the stakeholders to learn more so that they can be more efficient.
Bikram Khatiwada ICT Expert, Regional Coordination Unit of LGCDP in Hetauda
I am volunteering for the development of Nepal through ICT, working as a change agent for bringing transparency in governance. Volunteering as an ICT Expert has made me satisfied and eager to do more by regularly communicating and sharing knowledge with ICT volunteers mobilized under the University Volunteers Scheme. I always motivate ICT volunteers to contribute to the local community they are stationed at. I facilitate and guide ICT
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National UN Volunteer Bikram (far right) with his colleagues during capacity development training in his region.
Volunteers to create various resource maps of their respective local bodies and plan various capacity development trainings and strategy formulations related to ICT.
success story of digitization The digitization of resource map at Village Development Committee (VDC) level has started. Previously social mobilizers used to hand draw the resource map (shown on the left). Now after the deployment of national UN Volunteers and ICT Volunteers and after Geographic Information System (GIS) training, the map shown on the right has been developed.
Before
After
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UNV Nepal supported its UN Volunteers in their projects UNV Nepal has been providing support to its UN Volunteers in their projects. In 2014, UNV Nepal supported two of its UN Volunteers: National UN Volunteer Bharat Shrestha, UNDP and International UN Youth Volunteer Alexandra Pfefferle, UNRCPD.
UNV Nepal supported UNRCPD’s Art Competition UNV Nepal assisted UNRCPD’s Art Competition led by international UN Youth Volunteer Alexandra Pfefferle. Biplav Pradhan from UNV Nepal accompanied Alexandra during briefing sessions of the art competition to give a presentation about child rights, human rights and peace to the school students of Kathmandu valley. Students from lower secondary school, aged 10-15, were briefed about the linkages between human rights and peace. The briefing session was followed by the art competition, where the students drew pictures based on their understanding of the briefing session. By holding interactive sessions in Nepali, Biplav helped Alexandra to deliver the key messages related
Alexandra Pfefferle Nepal’s civil war influenced the lives of many schoolchildren. Ten years after the end of the civil conflict, its consequences are still being felt, and violence in Nepal’s government schools is widespread. Placed as a volunteer within the United Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific (UNRCPD), I was able to be in charge of a wonderful project with the Nepalese Government that incorporates peace and disarmament education into the national curriculum. Using national structures, the project promotes nonviolent values, such as the respect for diversity, social inclusion and gender equalities, as well as skills to deal with conflict among both students and teachers. Through the channel of education, the project contributes to changes in the behaviour of an entire generation. Peace education, however, is not something new or missing in Nepal. The complete opposite is the case. Peace education in Nepal has a long history and is deeply embedded in religious teaching as well as in Nepal’s School Sector Reform Plan though the so-called ‘Schools as Zones of Peace’. During my time at the Centre, I have come across many additional concepts of peace-building at the community level that are part of a rich history of a country that is home to a wide International UN Youth Volunteer Alexandra distributing drawing papers to school students during the art competition (Photo credit: UNRCPD)
to the International Day of Peace. The schoolchildren showed overwhelming enthusiasm during the briefing sessions and interacted very openly. They were encouraged to reflect on the importance of peace and human rights in their daily lives and communities and express their thoughts and feelings through art. By building on existing peace and human rights lessons that have already been developed under the national curriculum, the competition aims to improve young people’s understanding of peace and human rights and contributes to the overall goal of UNRCPD’s peace and disarmament programme. diversity of different classes, ethnicities and religions. Thanks to the great work of our national peace education specialist, we were able to integrate many of these concepts into the activities and lessons prepared for the national textbooks. By doing so we were able to merge global and local concepts of peace and to adapt existing theories and materials to the local context. My UNV assignment has so far been a major investment. Over the course of a year I got a better understanding of the working culture of the UN and the sensibilities of working in a different culture. I learnt to be persistent but patient and to absorb the many things this culture has to teach us. Initiated by a former UN Volunteer, this project has now entered into its second phase and will be further supported by UN Volunteer. “The volunteering experience at UNRCPD made me reflect on my personal life choices and has further equipped me with important skills for a future career in the field of peace and security.”
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UN Volunteers Bharat Shrestha (LGBT Human Rights Officer, UNDP Nepal) and Rashima Kwatra (LGBT Human Rights Officer, UNDP Thailand) during the national dialogue
Bharat Shrestha organized an interactive session with UN colleagues and USAID staff in a follow up to the dialogue.
UNV Nepal supported UNDP’s “Being LGBT in Asia” initiative Eight National UN Volunteers were mobilized to UNDP offices across the Asia-Pacific region as LGBT Human Rights Officers to support the “Being LGBT in Asia” initiative. The major assignment of these UN Volunteers was to conduct national LGBT community dialogues, and prepare and launch a report based on their findings. “Being LGBT in Asia” is a regional initiative, which is a groundbreaking, first-of-its-kind joint analysis undertaken by UNDP and USAID, together with grassroots LGBT organizations and community leaders, to understand the challenges faced by LGBT people in eight countries of Asia - Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. In Nepal, national UN volunteer Bharat Shrestha, who worked as a LGBT Human Rights Officer for UNDP Nepal, led Nepal’s first national LGBTI community dialogue on 22-23 April 2014 at Hotel Radisson, Kathmandu. UNV Nepal mobilized up to six volunteers to coordinate the events and successfully organize the dialogue.
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The LGBT national dialogue in Nepal focused on the legal and social challenges, as well as opportunities, experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and organizations in Nepal. Participants discussed the progress of the LGBT movement in Nepal, and also examined the difficulties faced by the community in areas such as education, health, employment, family affairs, media, and politics. The dialogue ended with a call to the government to decriminalize same-sex sexual activity under the law and urged greater protection of the rights of sexual and gender minorities.
Health and Population Minister Khaga Raj Adhikari “The Nepal Government is committed towards LGBTI minority’s issues, to address it in policy, regulations and at the constitutional level. On a personal level, I have full support too.”
VOLUNTEER VOICES What were your main responsibilities? My main responsibilities as national UNV Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Human Rights Officer were to engage and build working relationships with LGBT organizations and advocates, and to organize a national dialogue between LGBT representatives, advocates and human rights defenders. I also assisted the Technical Officer for LGBT and Human Rights (based in Bangkok) in coordinating partners and stakeholders, and in developing innovative, replicable and high-impact new media tools to educate people about the human rights of LGBT people. I was additionally responsible for disseminating information and also multimedia and new technology products and resources amongst LGBT, human rights and other civil societies and development organizations, and I assisted with the preparation of the LGBT Nepal Report. Why did you decide to become a UN Volunteer? I started volunteering at an early age; during my school days, I used to volunteer for the Child Rights Forum and the Junior Red Cross. I have continued volunteering throughout
my college and university career, my latest placement being with the British Red Cross in England during my postgraduate studies. I have always recognized the importance of being a volunteer and of serving society. It has consistently been rewarding, sometimes offering personal satisfaction and sometimes professional development. This is why I decided to become a UNV, particularly as I was to work in a field (LGBT) which I am very passionate about. What was the most challenging aspect of your role? The most challenging aspect of being a volunteer was that people had only a superficial understanding of volunteerism and the benefits and change a volunteer could bring. What was the most rewarding aspect of your role? I had a wonderful experience being a UN Volunteer. I worked with many individuals and organizations. I particularly enjoyed working with young people, who I believe are the cornerstone to bringing positive changes in a society. I did not just see results in my own work, but also had varied
Bharat Shrestha LGBT Human Rights Officer, UNDP Nepal
opportunities to build strong networks with diverse people and organizations, including those within the UN. What was your major accomplishment? LGBT issues have rarely been discussed in the UN system and society has a lot of ignorance, intolerance and stereotypes towards LGBT individuals. This was the first time UNDP Nepal hired an officer (national UNV) to bring the issue to the forefront among the UN staff. I conducted a national LGBT community dialogue in April 2014 that brought together LGBT activists, allies, government officials and development partners to review, analyze and discuss various health and human rights issues of LGBT individuals and institutions, based on which a national LGBT report was produced. More than 35 UN staff members participated in a brown bag session on Sexuality, Gender and Human Rights. I am very happy that UNV provided me this platform to discuss these sensitive issues and connect LGBT activists with UN agencies. During my assignment, besides accomplishing my project role, I also got involved with other aspects of UNV’s work like International Volunteer Day event and International Youth Day event.
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National UN Volunteer Bharat Shrestha giving his presentation during the LGBT dialogue
What did you like best about volunteering with the UN and how did you feel you benefited from your involvement? The best thing about being a UNV was that I had the opportunity to work with various UN agencies, and also that it is an organization with an international reputation.
What are your plans and hopes for when you finish your assignment?
Why do you think it is important to volunteer for peace and development?
I want to continue my work on LGBT rights and health even after this assignment.
Peace and development are two different, but equally important prerequisites for every society’s prosperity, and also for the welfare of humankind. Without peace, development is not possible and vice versa. Society will always need peace and development to protect Mother Earth for future generations. It is important to invest in and volunteer for it.
If you could give one piece of advice to a UNV preparing for her or his assignment, what would you say? I would suggest that she or he utilizes its resources and networks as much as possible to build wider networks.
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Suresh Raj Bhattarai Volunteering with the United Nations has always been my dream, and that dream came true when I joined the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) – Somalia as an international volunteer. I used to think of volunteerism as way of working in the field, assisting people in many ways, offering support to those in need of humanitarian assistance, contributing to UN organizations with my skills and experiences and so on. After joining the UN, I found there was more to volunteerism. Working within a multicultural team, working for a reputable, well-structured organization, and working with people in need of humanitarian assistance were especially motivating elements of my employment. Working with the people and assisting them has been another exciting aspect; communicating in the local language in the duty stations and trying to capture the generic words used in daily life has been especially fun. On the other hand, I faced particular challenges working in a high risk environment like Somalia, and was separated from my family for a long time. Academically and professionally, I come from a computer science and information management background and I have been working with UNHCR – Somalia in the Data Management Unit since the beginning of 2012. Based on my area of expertise, I have had opportunities to work with colleagues from Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), implementing partners and other UN agencies. My work with UNHCR – Somalia has been especially valuable. UNHCR is a sector leader in shelter and protection, and its global mandate is to provide shelter and protection to beneficiaries such as refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people and so on. I work in a high risk environment, and collecting information directly from source is very challenging and highly dangerous. Due to this, I, along with my data management team, developed online data management systems for capturing information directly from the field with the help of NGOs working in Somalia. My greatest achievement during my volunteerism at UNHCR –
International UN Volunteer Suresh Raj Bhattarai (right) with his colleague at his workstation in Somalia.
I feel very proud of my work as a volunteer: proud that I have assisted affected people, society, relevant organizations, and the humanitarian world in general. Somalia is that I developed two online applications which help data collection relating to protection violations, displacements and refugee returns. Major protection violations and displacements occur in Somalia because of friction between government forces and militia, clan (tribe) conflicts, and so on. With the development of these systems, UNHCR – Somalia has successfully received information regarding more than 35,000 displacement cases and more than 14,000 protection incidents (which include urgent and emergency cases) to date. The systems have significantly helped the timely detection of protection and displacement issues and have helped ensure as prompt a response as is possible. In addition to this, I have been technically managing the voluntary repatriation of Somali refugees. Upon successful verification of people as refugees, they are provided with humanitarian assistance such as non-food items, emergency shelter kits, cash grants, food rations and so on. It is especially rewarding to be part of this humanitarian team as we have been continuously supporting affected families, especially Somali refugees, to come back home after many years of violence. We help them reunite with family members and assist them with their basic needs as they start up their new life.
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Raju Sarkar I landed in Liberia in December 2013 to join the United Nations Mission in Liberia as a Human Rights Officer. Upon completion of my entry on duty process in the Mission, curiosities evolved in my mind and I wanted to understand the issues on the real ground and identify an opportunity through which I could contribute to the transformation of peace in the country. The Republic of Liberia has suffered from over a decade-long armed conflict. After having agreed to a peace accord between internal conflicting parties in 2003 in Ghana, Liberia has started the peace process. The armed conflict severely affected the country’s human development capacity and the economic sector, leaving the population with few options to make a living, especially in remote rural areas such as Grand Kru County, which is the duty station assigned to me. Liberia’s men and women were largely deprived of educational opportunities during the devastating conflict. Access to education is still a challenge for women due to cultural practices, lack of schools and poverty. Deprivation from education has resulted in a lack of employment opportunities. In Gran Kru, only about 13% of households are headed by women. However, reportedly, the number of women who live on their own is much higher, as men flee to Monrovia in search of opportunities. Agriculture is the major occupation in the county; however, the yield is generally low due to lack of technical support in agriculture. The law enforcement agencies are weak to protect human rights, due to lack of knowledge on their basic function relative to human rights and resources. Moreover, the fact that deeply rooted gender-based violence is considered to be a cultural practice needs to be intensively addressed. Mob-violence is rampant throughout the country, with people taking the law into their own hands and acting violently in the open air. This seriously undermines the rule of law due to a lack of competent law enforcement mechanisms and the low confidence
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International UN Volunteer Raju inspiring the youths of Liberia to promote rule of law by stopping mob violence
“I eagerly engaged with them. That created a harmonious relation with them to go together with a spirit of volunteerism for creating a culture of peace and justice.” of the people towards the state mechanisms. Grand Kru, where I perform my duty as a Head of field office, as well as Human Rights Officer, is one of the most remote and neglected areas of Liberia. During the first week of my deployment in the duty station, I went out to monitor the general situation, and observed a football game, which was being organized for a county level tournament. I was impressed by this event; at least the youths were spontaneously engaging with the football game and exhibiting their skills with full enthusiasm. They are well organized in terms of setting up teams and coaching players, even without conducive facilities available. The circumstance that I observed encouraged me to strategize how to engage with them. I considered the spirit of volunteerism as a departure point for the peace transformation process. I went to the playground twice to watch the games, allowing me to release stress and to breathe out after office hours. After a couple of days some members of the Football Association visited my office to offer gratitude to me for observing the football game, expressing that my presence inspired them. Moreover, they invited me to kick off in the next series of the county level tournament, to be held in my honor. I took this opportunity to influence them with the campaign message relating to anti Mob-Violence.
Hari Prasad Shrestha I arrived at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Bor town, Jonglei State in July 2014. My work is related to coordination among UN humanitarians and INGOs at the state level. The work to coordinate the activities is quite challenging, interesting and hectic. My major daily activities are concentrated on creating better support for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) inside Protection of Civilians (PoC) site. Supporting IDPs at UNMISS camps in South Sudan is a new experience, not only for me, but it is also the first time this has occurred in the history of the United Nations. Protection of civilians, humanitarian assistance, human rights protection and supporting Intergovernmental Agency for Development (IGAD) are four basic mandates of UN Security Council to UNMISS. The majority of IDPs in the POC site are from Nuer community of South Sudan. Some foreigners from neighboring country areas are also living as IDPs inside the camp. The major challenges inside the POC site include: floods; conflicts among IDP; the non-availability and short supply of materials due to conflict; fear of attacks from outside; the spread of communicable diseases like kalazar, diarrhea
International UN Volunteer Hari with his colleague outside POC site in South Sudan
“I feel myself that this is the most humanitarian work to support and coordinate different activities for the survival of certain sect of people and keeping them free from fear, providing food, shelter and other necessary items.” and malaria, and other health hazards; and human right violations, which occur from time to time inside POC site. Most of the meetings with the community leaders at the POC site are conducted either under a tree or under a shade, with all participants standing in a circle. The service providers and the service receivers meet face-to-face and try to resolve problems as quickly as possible. Sometimes we need the assistance of a translator.
Raju Khadka Having worked for seven years in civil engineering and building construction in different national and international organizations, I went to Trinidad and Tobago in May 2014 as a UN Volunteer. The food and culture is so different here, but I have enjoyed it a lot so far. What I find wonderful about this country are its people, who are very supportive of my work. Although a big challenge remains ahead to strengthen the technical capacity of City Corporation, there is great potential in this initiative and it is up to the project’s team to deliver on its expectations. As Building
inspector, I know how important it is to accomplish my assignment and I am very mindful of my responsibilities. I have been working in the municipal infrastructure sector since 2008 and have gained a lot of experiences working at the community level, maintaining good coordination and collaboration with government and UN agencies, INGOs, NGOs and local partners, as well as corporate sectors. Thus, my aspiration is very much relevant to my current building inspector job with local government, and I hope that I can continue to contribute a lot to meet the objectives of the organization, particularly Penal/Debe Regional city Corporation Trinidad and Tobago.
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“As a UN Volunteer, I have been more than welcomed in the my host organization UNDP people as well as ministry of local government of Trinidad and Tobago, allowing me to already outline project activities and engage project stakeholders.”
International UN Volunteer Raju Khadka at work in Trinidad and Tobago.
Hiroshi Seto “Money or stability is just one aspect of our life; we can feel more sense of reward by joining volunteering activities.” I am an international UN Volunteer from Japan working as Reintegration Support Officer at International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Nepal. I am involved in a project titled “Private sector participation in Migration management in Nepal”. Within the scope of this project, there are two main components. First, the project supports returnee migrants and remittance-receiving households to establish small agriculture or livestock enterprises with their remittances. I believe that these two components are equally important and are interdependent: those who become educated in financial literacy will be more motivated to take advantage of the training that will teach them how to develop their own agriculture or livestock enterprise. I am a newcomer to the topic of financial literacy and, as such, I find that I am constantly being introduced to new information and skills. Despite the challenges, however, I am excited to have the opportunity to learn about this topic. Teaching financial literacy is the most enjoyable and rewarding element of my project. I’ve found that the most challenging aspect of my work is coordination with stakeholders. When coordination between stakeholders is lacking, it is difficult for my activities to match the timeline set out for the
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International UN Volunteer Hiroshi Seto giving medicine to a kid during an International Volunteer Day activity in 2013
project. I am using this challenge as an opportunity to strengthen my communication skills and focus on improving coordination so that the project will be able to continue as planned. Prior to my assignment in Nepal, I served as a JICA Volunteer in Paraguay for two years. I also worked for a NGO in Sudan for a year and a half. These programs gave me insight into the value of volunteering and inspired me to join UNV. I chose the UNV programme because it has a wide scope of agencies and projects available to volunteers. After completion of my assignment with UNV, I plan to return to the NGO sector because I value working directly with community members. I believe that development is most meaningful if it happens at the grassroots level and I hope to continue to contribute to this effort.
Ruplal Aidi I am a UNV Human Rights Officer at United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). I am based in the Hoffman station community, which is one of the most densely populated areas in Harper City Maryland County in Liberia. My host community is a male-dominated society and women rarely have the opportunity to participate in community meetings. Most of the time, male community leaders make all decisions, including those affecting children and women. In this context, my team conducted a series of workshops and meetings to explain to community members the importance of women participating in decision-making processes and that need in the community can be greatly varied depending on different demographics in the population. We taught leaders and decision-makers how to prioritize community needs by using Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools. We explained that any intervention in the area of health and sanitation requires first understanding the needs of the community, as well as the willingness to take ownership of the project. It is important to choose a project that addresses a need, which has been identified by community members and uses the participation of women to come to a mutually agreed-upon solution. We also discussed immediate possible outcomes from several projects, such as the renovation of the drinking water pumps and how to begin new projects that ensure the availability of clean drinking water. Our projects, however, are not limited to drinking water; we also implement projects that provide sanitation services and improve access to children’s education. As a result of these meetings, community members learned to express a common voice and, at the same time, submit community-owned project proposals to NGOs like the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL). Community members have learnt how to prioritize their needs and also contribute to the development of projects through frequent interaction, community
International UN Volunteer Ruplal leading a meeting with community people in Liberia
“I truly believe that the sharing of knowledge and experiences can achieve common goals and impact a large population. The spirit of volunteerism can give individuals the opportunity to build leadership skills, unite communities in order to solve common problems and, by doing so, bring peace and harmony into the community.” forums, and active participation in County Development Pillar meetings. The workshops and municipal meetings have greatly empowered community leaders to express their concerns with proposed projects. This ensures that their right to participate and develop community-owned projects, including government and development projects through the County Development Fund, is protected. Most importantly, it has encouraged community leaders to ensure the participation of women in community meetings and development projects. Municipal meetings led by local youths who work in close collaboration with community leaders have been an ideal platform to raise awareness on human rights issues, sensitize community members, and ensure everyone’s right to participate in public forums. These meetings help community members to be aware of their rights to sanitation, education, and health services: all of which can have a deep effect on their daily activities and in the lives of their families.
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Louis Lithur During my assignment as a UN Volunteer in Nepal, I worked with UNHCR to relocate refugees. Together with other colleagues, I helped UNHCR to offer long-term solutions and relocation for 90,000 Bhutanese refugees. Born in Ghana, I have served four years with UNHCR in Damak as an Associate Durable Solutions Officer. My role was to provide lasting solutions for the Bhutanese refugees and help them rebuild their lives with dignity and peace. As they could not return to Bhutan, resettlement to other countries was the only durable solution. I led the Durable Solutions Team to verify interviews in the refugee camps near Damak, review resettlement referral forms for submission to resettlement countries, and manage information campaigns to provide information on UNHCR procedures and options for resettlement so that refugees can make informed decisions. The most challenging aspect of my work was handling the cases of refugees who were not eligible for resettlement abroad. In cases like this, I provided a great deal of counseling and support to the
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International UN Volunteer Louis (right) with UNV Nepal Programme Officer Tatiana Prokhorova inside refugee camp in Damak
“When you touch someone’s life, you have positive fulfilment. It’s like a smile – everyone can benefit with a smile – the giver and receiver.” refugees. I also found it challenging to relocate the elderly members of refugee families because they are reluctant to accept the change. Sometimes I would need to counsel an elderly person for months before he or she would consent to the move and finally allow the family to relocate. The most important skill that I learned during the course of this project was how to truly be patient.
Alisha Ghimire I am Flagship 4 Information Officer at Nepal Risk Reduction Consortium. Flagship 4 is one of the 5 Flagship areas of Nepal aimed to make it a disaster resilient country. Flagship 4 is Community Based Disaster Risk Management (CBDRM). As part of my job, I meet many people, who have very rich and diverse experiences with disaster risk management. I learn how government and non-government are collaborating to reduce the vulnerability of people in order to expedite the development process. I visit vulnerable areas and interact with people in distress. For me, it is very important that the country should focus on reducing the risk of disasters in order to gain in overall development, because disasters negatively impact developmental efforts. In this regard, I find my role as a UN Volunteer very crucial. I observe the efforts that stakeholders are putting in to increase the resilience of the vulnerable communities. I share what went well and what didn’t so that people in the field of disaster risk reduction can replicate good practices and avoid the failures. Recently, I took part in a district level flood simulation in Chitwan District. The simulation was a joint venture of government and non-government actors, where all the stakeholders from the vulnerable community to the district government agencies took part. The simulation provided an opportunity for the vulnerable community to learn how to act when there is a flood: where safe
National UN Volunteer Alisha during a regional training on mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into national development process held in Bangkok.
“Poor people are the ones most hit by disasters because of their limited capacity. I am happy that I am volunteering to build resilience of the vulnerable communities.” shelter is, which routes are safe, and who to call to get support. The simulation was fruitful to government agencies to learn how to act in an emergencyt and how to collaborate to address the immediate needs of the affected people. Most importantly, the simulation addressed the need to stockpile resources required during an emergency, the training required to act for rescue and response, and the plan required for implementing responses in the aftermath of the disaster. This is one of the events that I got involved in as part of my present responsibility. My involvement in such events makes me feel happy that I am a part of a larger team who is striving to make a disaster resilient community.
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Sibylle Hagler I chose to become a UN Volunteer for a number of reasons, but mostly I wanted to challenge myself by living abroad and to have the opportunity to do work that was meaningful and interesting. In particular, I was drawn to a post in Nepal that supports climate and disaster risk management. Previously, I worked for the Swiss Ministry of Economic Affairs for International Cooperation. This job gave me experience working on the ground in a developing country and helped me to strengthen important skills for directly interacting with beneficiaries. I was able to utilise and build upon the skills that I had developed with the Swiss Ministry during my assignment with UNV Nepal. My work focuses on supporting the implementation of the climate risk management initiatives under the Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Programme (CDRMP). Every day is different and often hectic; I work closely with my colleagues to organize trainings, stakeholder consultations, write Terms of References and evaluate offers, discuss budgets and produce knowledge management products, etc. I have also been involved with an international conference on Integrated Climate Risk Management held in August in Kathmandu. Our small Climate Risk Management team currently includes two UN Volunteers from Korea and Switzerland, along with two Nepali colleagues. As a multinational team, our exchanges are diverse and engaging. Because I work as part of a team, it is difficult to claim any accomplishment as mine alone. We all work together to achieve
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International UN Youth Volunteer Sibylle discussing the impacts of floods on the agriculture together with local government officials in Surkhet
I feel enthusiastic about my assignment because the UNV’s Youth Volunteer scheme gives young people the opportunity to work with the United Nations and, at the same time, UN agencies benefit due to the addition of young people that often prove to be motivated and flexible staff. our climate and disaster risk management goals. This year we have been able to successfully implement two new initiatives linking climate risk management, livelihood, and agriculture in four districts of Nepal. To me, this project is interesting because it offers a unique opportunity to interact with stakeholders. We offer them consultations with communities and government officials, both at local and national levels. Working at the community level in Nepal can be difficult because I am not fluent in Nepali. These experiences have inspired me to learn Nepali. Learning a new language is never easy, but it is worth the effort because I feel a great sense of pride when I am able to communicate in Nepali with stakeholders.
UNV Executive Coordinator Mr. Richard Dictus visited Nepal Mr. Richard Dictus, UNV Executive Coordinator and Ms. Yvonne Maharoof-Marathovouniotis, UNV Portfolio Manager for South Asia had a mission to Nepal in May. Richard Dictus met with Minister Federal Affairs and Local Development, UN Resident Coordinator, UN Country Team, Representatives of Volunteer involving Organizations and UN Volunteers “The meeting with the UN Volunteers was a pleasure and a privilege – both national and international volunteers exemplified due zeal and fervor in reflecting on their respective assignments!” – Richard Dictus Seen in the photos are (from right to left) UNV Portfolio Manager Ms. Yvonne Maharoof-Marathovouniotis, UNV Programme Officer Ms. Tatiana Prokhorova, UNV Executive Coordinator Mr. Richard Dictus, UNFPA Nepal Country Representative Ms. Giulia Vallese, international UN Volunteer Ms. Marte Solberg, and a staff from the Safe House in Kavre, Nepal
UNV Executive Coordinator Richard Dictus talking to f UN Volunteers
UNV Executive Coordinator Richard Dictus writing on the leg of a girl during his visit to One-Stop Crisis Management Centre in Dhulikhel.
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UNV Executive Coordinator Richard Dictus (second from left) meeting with UN Resident Coordinator Jamie McGoldrick (second from right). Also seen in the picture are Yvonne Maharoof-Marathovouniotis, UNV Portfolio Manager (right) and Tatiana Prokhorova, UNV Programme Officer (left).
UNV Executive Coordinator Richard Dictus (right) talking to UN Volunteers. Also seen in the picture is Yvonne Maharoof-Marathovouniotis, UNV Portfolio Manager (second from right).
UNV Executive Coordinator Richard Dictus with UNV Team Nepal
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UNV Nepal observed International Youth Day 2014 On August 12, UNV Nepal celebrated International Youth Day with youths, representatives of Volunteer Involving Organizations, Youth NGOs and UN Volunteers. Over 100 participants attended the event at the UN Conference Hall, UN House. The Youth Day event consisted of activities aligned with the theme of this year’s International Youth Day: “Mental Health Matters”.
Youth Initiative Team performing drama on “Youth and Mental Health” (Photo credit: Sashish Abhiman Thapa)
Tatiana Prokhorova, Programme Officer of UNV Nepal, sharing her views on International Youth Day (Photo credit: Sashish Abhiman Thapa)
The winner of the Public Speaking Competition organized on the occasion of International Youth Day.
Participants of IYD event at UN House (Photo credit: Sashish Abhiman Thapa)
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The moderator and the panelists of panel discussion on “Youth and Mental Health” (Photo credit: Sashish Abhiman Thapa)
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UNV Retreat UNV NEPAL ORGANIZED RETREAT IN November 2014
35 Massimo Diana, Head of RCO, sharing his experience with UN Volunteers
Ariani Soejoti, international UN Volunteer working as Communication and Public Relations Officer at IOM, leading teambuilding session
UN Volunteers in Nepal (group photo)
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Juho Siltanen, international UN Volunteer working as Coordination Associate at RCO, presenting about UNDAF outcomes
UNV, UNFPA and RCO developed the framework of SystemWide Action Plan (SWAP) on Youth in Nepal UNV, along with UNFPA and RCO as lead agencies, have joined together to develop the framework for Youth System Wide Action Plan (SWAP) by aligning it with the outputs and indicators of Nepal’s United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). Tatiana Prokhorova from UNV, Aradhana Gurung from UNFPA and Juho Siltanen from RCO were the key people from their respective agencies behind this achievement. Consultations with Youth Focal Points of several UN agencies, as well as the United Nations Youth Advisory Panel (UNYAP) members, took place on multiple occasions to customize the Youth SWAP. UN agencies were requested to prepare “Report cards” indicating their programmatic focus in relation to youth, which were included later in the customized Youth SWAP. Youth SWAP in Nepal is a result of the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) Nepal’s increased efforts to focus more programs on young people. It is set out to serve as a strong platform to further the UN’s commitments towards meaningful youth participation and leadership.
Youth SWAP meeting at UNV Nepal office. Seen in the picture from left to right are Tatiana Prokhorova, Biplav Pradhan, Aradhana Gurung and Juho Siltanen.
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International Volunteer Day UNV Nepal celebrated International Volunteer Day (IVD) in Kathmandu and in two regions - Biratnagar and Pokhara. In Kathmandu, UNV Nepal took a lead in organizing IVD event where more than 200 participants. Other partner organizers were Australian Volunteers for International Development (AVID), JICA, KOICA, NDVS, Peace Corps, Uniterra, and VSO. In the regions, national UN Volunteers Mohita Joshi and Ekendra Lamsal organized separate events to mark “International Volunteer Day 2014.” Australian Ambassador to Nepal His Excellency Glenn White giving opening statement on International Volunteer Day
Participants of International Volunteer Day event on Dec 5, 2014 in Kathmandu
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UNDP Country Director (a.i.) Sophie Kemkhadze giving remarks on International Volunteer Day
Youth Initiative team performing drama on the theme of this year’s International Volunteer Day
Student putting dried leaf waste during Green Garbage bins meant for Biodegradable waste in an IVD event in Biratnagar organized by national UN Volunteer Mohita Joshi
dance4life team of Restless Development performing dance
In an IVD event organized by national UN Volunteer Mohita Joshi in Biratnagar, students raise their hands after agreeing to dispose wastes in their respective garbage bins.
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National Youth UN Volunteers for the first time in Nepal National UN Youth Volunteers have been recruited for the first time in Nepal. UNDP became the first agency in Nepal to involve this modality of volunteers. There are 5 national UN Youth Volunteers who will be working in UNDP’s Electoral Support Project (ESP) starting from December 1. Each of them will be based in 5 different regions: Biratnagar, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nepalgunj and Dhangadhi. They will be working under the supervision of national UN Volunteers assigned for the same project. UNDP/ESP provides technical assistance and advisory support to the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) for the period (2008-2016). This project aims at building sustainable and enduring institutional and professional capacity within the ECN that could be easily and effectively deployed in future elections. The modality of national Youth Volunteers came into effect with an aim to provide opportunity to less experienced Nepali youths in the UN working environment. Learning and development are a central part of the UN Youth Volunteer’s assignment and take place before, during and after his or her assignment in the field. UN Youth Volunteers are offered diverse opportunities for learning and development, with an aim to strengthen the volunteer’s skills and competences, improve the quality of the assignment and keep the volunteer’s motivation high.
Newly recruited national UN Youth Volunteers, along with other UN Volunteers and UNDP staff, during their induction training on Dec 1
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UN Online Volunteering Anyone can be an online volunteer via the UNV Online Volunteering service. All they need is a computer, an Internet connection and skills to offer. Online volunteers are professionals, students, homemakers, retirees, people with disabilities and expatriates from across the globe. They all have one thing in common – a commitment to making a real difference to peace and development. There are no costs involved. Online volunteers cooperate across the world, without ever leaving their own homes. Online volunteers not only provide valuable skills and expertise. Coming from various backgrounds and cultures, they also bring new ideas and fresh perspectives. And they can help develop capacity in the organizations they work with, training staff, teaching new skills or providing guidance and advice. It’s a virtuous circle: online volunteers learn about the development world and the people they serve, and in turn share this information with their friends and colleagues, thereby mobilizing additional support.
FAQs on Online Volunteering (adapted from www.onlinevolunteering.org) What is an online volunteer? An online volunteer is an individual who commits her/his time and skills over the Internet, freely and without financial considerations, for the benefit of society. What can online volunteers do? Through the Online Volunteering service volunteers can take action for sustainable human development by supporting the activities of development organizations over the Internet. To discover the many possibilities of helping grassroots organizations, international NGOs, local governments, educational institutions and United Nations agencies in addressing development challenges go to the Opportunity Search. How does online volunteering work? The Online Volunteering service offers a database of online
Online Volunteering poster
volunteering opportunities submitted by development organizations worldwide. Interested individuals identify opportunities that match their interests, expertise, and skills, and submit their applications directly to the organizations, which select the volunteers they would like to engage in their activities. Are online volunteers UN Volunteers? No. Online volunteers mobilized through the Online Volunteering service are volunteers for the organization with which they collaborate. Do online volunteers receive financial compensation? Online volunteers share their time and expertise on a voluntary basis and do not receive any financial compensation. Contributing to sustainable human development, developing knowledge and skills, expanding networks and working in a multicultural environment are some of the many benefits of online volunteering.
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Acronyms FU Field Unit ICT Information and Communication Technology ICTV Information and Communication Technology Volunteer IDP Internally Displaced Person IOM International Organization for Migration IVD International Volunteer Day IYD International Youth Day JICA Japanese International Cooperation Agency LB Local Body LGBT Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender LGCDP Local Governance and Community Development Programme MoFALD Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development NDVS National Development Volunteer Service PCU Programme Coordination Unit POC Protection of Civilians RCHCO Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator Office RCU Regional Coordination Unit SWAP System Wide Action Plan UNDP United Nations Development Programme UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization UNFPA United Nations Population Fund UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund UNMIL United Nations Mission in Liberia UNMIN United Nations Mission in Nepal UNMISS United Nations Mission in South Sudan UNRCPD United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament UNV United Nations Volunteers VIO Volunteer Involving Organization WFP World Food Programme
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Contact us directly at: United Nations Volunteers UNDP PO Box 107 Kathmandu, Nepal Tel: 977-1-5523200 Fax: 977-1-5523991
[email protected]
For more information: Please log on to our websites www.unv.org.np www.unv.org www.onlinevolunteering.org www.volunteeractioncounts.org
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