United Nations Volunteers in Papua New Guinea

United Nations Volunteers

UNV Work in Papua New Guinea

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) is the UN organization that provides the technical assistance of high quality international development professionals to governments, NGOs, and civil society groups at both national and local levels. It is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

UNV supports sustainable human development globally through the promotion of volunteerism and the mobilization of volunteers. It serves the causes of peace and development by enhancing opportunities for people's participation. It supports the notion that volunteerism is universal, inclusive, diverse and is embedded in all cultures.

UNV embraces volunteer actions in all its diversity. Voluntary action, in its various forms, brings benefits to others as well as to the individual volunteer. It makes important economic and social contributions, and contributes to creating social capital and cohesion by helping to build trust and reciprocity among people.

The role of UNVs

UNVs are world class professionals from a wide range of fields that raise the capacities of national and local level governments and organizations.
UNVs are only utilized when desired assistance cannot be provided from local sources.

Who are UNVs?

International mid-career professionals with 10 to 15 years of experience in their fields.
Recruited from an extensive global roster of qualified candidates.

When do UNVs provide advantages over other international experts?

South-South Cooperation: As nationals of developing countries, most UNVs offer an effective form of South-South cooperation.
Longer in-country assignments: Assignments lasting 6– 24 months allow UNVs to provide more sustainable capacity building to national institutions/national staff.
Cost effective expertise : UNVs provide lower costs expertise to projects as compared to international experts with similar qualifications.
Community based assistance : UNVs can be stationed at the provincial or community level to work closely with local counterparts.
High level of dedication : UNVs are specially-selected professionals that demonstrate a volunteer spirit for achieving high results.
Variable length of assignments: UNVs are available from several months to several years.

How are UNVs funded?

Projects that wish to utilize a UNV must provide funding for the UNV's costs
Funding can be provided via cost sharing among various project donors or participants (government, NGOs, private sector, civil society, etc.)