United Nations Volunteers

he United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide27. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, benefitting both society and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity, and reciprocity.

• The UNV Multi-Country Field Unit in the Pacific, administered by the UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji, promotes and advocates for the recognition of volunteerism and manages UN volunteer assignments in 14 Pacific Island countries2.

• UN Volunteers have supported development efforts of UN agencies, governments, and civil society actors in the Pacific since 1973, providing technical assistance in various fields such as education, health, environment, and human rights2.

• In 2023, 99 UN Volunteers were mobilized to 17 UN agencies in 9 countries across the Pacific2.

• UNHCR volunteers in Malaysia selflessly offer their time, resources, and expertise to assist refugees and asylum seekers with a diverse range of projects1. Currently, over 400 Malaysian and non-Malaysians volunteer their time to help refugees under the UNHCR Volunteer Programme1.

• From 2008 to 2011, a UNV Interpreter under the UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, learned more about the plight and struggles of refugees from Myanmar in Malaysia, and gained a new understanding of how UNHCR, the United States and other countries provide protection and resettlement for refugees4.