The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the volunteer arm of the United Nations. It was created by the UN General Assembly in 1970 to serve as a partner in development cooperation at the request of UN member states. It is administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and works through the UNDP's country offices around the world.

Mission statement

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.

UNV in Egypt

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme has been active in Egypt since 1988. It has been supported by more than 260 national and international volunteers, who have worked with different UN partners as well as with government organizations and civil society. The Egyptian UNV Office also fields Egyptian International UNVs in other less economically developed countries.

Currently around 60 UNVs and more than 150 UNV Associates are serving in the country. UNV recruits both national and international volunteers who work as field workers, specialists and associates.

UNV volunteers are full time volunteers who work in a wide variety of development projects throughout Egypt and with different UN agencies.

UNV Associates are fielded to support different projects; they are usually highly committed professionals willing to volunteer their time and share their expertise for a few hours a week.

UNV Egypt promotes volunteerism, celebrating International Volunteer Day every year in early December. It is a unique opportunity for volunteer-involving organizations and individual volunteers to work together on projects and campaigns promoting their contributions to economic and social development at local, national and international levels. Merging UN support with a grassroots centred approach, International Volunteer Day is a unique opportunity for government agencies, non-profit organizations, the private sector and volunteer-involving organizations to work together to achieve common goals.  

• Leticia Troncoso Perera (Spain) Programme Officer leticia.troncoso@undp.org
• Itziar Gomez Carrasco (Spain) Programme Officer itziar.gomez@undp.org
• Nancy El Khatib (Egypt) Country Operations Assistant nancy.elkhatib@undp.org