Volunteers are often the first to act in times of crisis, helping millions to survive despite the risks. Their work upholds our common humanity." - Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres
Overview
Volunteerism is a universal expression of solidarity, rooted in people¡¯s willingness to contribute to the well-being of others and to the common good. Across cultures and societies, volunteering is embedded in everyday life, enabling individuals and communities to work together to address shared challenges.
In the context of sustainable development, volunteerism is not only a mechanism for delivering services, but also a driver of participation, empowerment and social transformation. By linking local action to global priorities, volunteerism contributes to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and supports inclusive, people-centred development processes.
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Key facts
- Globally, 34.5% of the working-age population¡ª2.1 billion people¡ªvolunteer monthly
- Over 10,000 individuals engage in online volunteering
- A large proportion of volunteering takes place informally
- Volunteers often play a key role in emergency response
- International Volunteer Day is observed on 5 December
A force for sustainable development
Volunteerism contributes to sustainable development in ways that extend beyond traditional service delivery. It strengthens trust, fosters cooperation and enables communities to participate actively in shaping their own development pathways.
Evidence highlights five key contributions of volunteerism:
- Inclusion ¨C extending the reach of services to marginalized populations
- Ownership ¨C strengthening local leadership and decision-making
- Participation ¨C promoting active citizenship and civic engagement
- Innovation ¨C supporting new partnerships and solutions
- Inspiration ¨C fostering solidarity and shared responsibility
These dimensions underline the role of volunteerism as both a means of achieving development outcomes and a process that enhances the effectiveness and sustainability of interventions.
Volunteerism in practice
Volunteerism takes diverse forms across social, cultural and economic contexts. It may be formal or informal, local or international, short-term or long-term, and, increasingly, digital.
Principal forms of volunteerism
Volunteer activities can broadly be grouped into four interrelated categories:
- Mutual aid and self-help ¨C community members supporting one another
- Service to others ¨C organized efforts to assist individuals or groups
- Civic participation ¨C engagement in governance and decision-making processes
- Advocacy and campaigning ¨C collective action to influence policies and social change
These forms are not mutually exclusive and frequently overlap in practice.
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Volunteerism in the United Nations system
Volunteerism is integrated across the work of the United Nations system, contributing to its three pillars: development, peace and security, and human rights.
The United Nations Volunteers () programme, administered by the United Nations Development Programme (), mobilizes volunteers to support United Nations activities worldwide. Established by General Assembly in 1970 and operational since 1971, UNV has evolved into a global platform for promoting volunteerism as a strategic resource for development.
Scale and reach
Each year:
- More than 17,000 UN Volunteers serve in over 170 countries
- Volunteers represent more than 180 nationalities
- 32,541 Online Volunteers were requested by United Nations entities, Member States and civil society partners in 2025.
UN Volunteers support a wide range of activities, including strengthening public services, promoting gender equality, supporting health initiatives, and contributing to peacebuilding and humanitarian efforts.
Partnerships across the system
UNV works with United Nations agencies, funds and programmes, including Food and Agriculture Organization (), International Labour Organization (), World Food Programme (), World Health Organization (), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization () and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (). Within these partnerships, UNV:
- Deploys volunteers to support the implementation of programmes
- Facilitates knowledge exchange and technical cooperation
- Strengthens connections between global frameworks and local communities
Through this system-wide engagement, UNV contributes to integrating volunteerism across sectors such as health, education, agriculture, governance and humanitarian response.
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Responding to global challenges
Volunteerism plays an important role in addressing global challenges and supporting communities in crisis and recovery situations.
Crisis response and resilience
Volunteers are often among the first to respond to emergencies, providing immediate assistance and supporting recovery efforts over time. Their proximity to communities enables context-specific and timely responses.
Health and social services
Volunteers contribute to public health efforts, including vaccination campaigns, disease prevention and community outreach, particularly in underserved areas.
Peacebuilding and human rights
Through dialogue facilitation, community engagement and advocacy, volunteers help strengthen social cohesion and support the promotion and protection of human rights.
Evolving forms of volunteerism
Volunteerism continues 51ÁÔÆæ in response to technological change and shifting social dynamics.
Digital volunteering
enable individuals to contribute skills remotely, expanding access to opportunities and broadening participation.
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Informal volunteering
A significant share of volunteering takes place informally through everyday interactions within communities, reflecting deeply embedded social practices.
Flexible engagement
Short-term and episodic volunteering is increasingly common, allowing individuals to engage according to their availability and priorities.
Inclusion and equality
Volunteerism promotes inclusion by engaging diverse groups and amplifying the voices of those who may be marginalized. It contributes to reducing inequalities and strengthening social cohesion.
Women play a central role in volunteer activities globally, particularly in social and health services, although their contributions are sometimes undervalued. Expanding access to volunteer opportunities for youth, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples and other groups remains essential.
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Partnerships and enabling environments
Effective volunteerism depends on supportive policies, partnerships and enabling environments. Governments, civil society, the private sector and international organizations play key roles in strengthening volunteer engagement.
The highlights the importance of:
- strengthening ownership of development processes
- integrating volunteerism into policies and strategies
- improving measurement of its contribution to development outcomes
Recognizing volunteers worldwide
International Volunteer Day
International Volunteer Day (IVD), observed on 5 December, was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1985. It provides an opportunity to recognize the contributions of volunteers and to promote volunteerism at the local, national and international levels.
The Day highlights the role of volunteers in advancing peace and development and encourages broader participation in volunteer activities. It also brings together governments, the United Nations system, civil society and the private sector to support volunteer action and promote people-led solutions to global challenges.
Through annual themes and global campaigns coordinated by the United Nations Volunteers programme, International Volunteer Day reinforces the importance of volunteerism in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
International Year of Volunteers
International Volunteer Day has been closely linked to global efforts to strengthen recognition of volunteerism. In 1997, the United Nations General Assembly 2001 as the International Year of Volunteers (IYV) to promote the value of volunteer service, facilitate volunteer work and enhance cooperation among stakeholders.
The International Year marked an important milestone in placing volunteerism firmly on the global development agenda. It led to increased awareness, strengthened networks and informed policy discussions on how governments and the United Nations system can better support volunteer engagement worldwide.
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (2026)
Building on this legacy, the United Nations General Assembly 2026 as the . This initiative aims to further recognize the role of volunteerism in accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.
The International Year underscores the importance of integrating volunteerism into development policies and practices, while promoting greater participation across all sectors of society. It also provides an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and highlight the contribution of volunteers in addressing global challenges, from climate change to inequality.
Through these global observances and initiatives, International Volunteer Day continues to reinforce volunteerism as a strategic resource for sustainable development and a key driver of inclusive and participatory progress worldwide.
Looking ahead
Volunteerism is both a means and an end in advancing sustainable development. It strengthens communities, supports participation and promotes shared responsibility.
As global challenges become increasingly complex, volunteerism will remain an important mechanism for collective action. Strengthening recognition, support and integration of volunteerism into development strategies will help advance progress towards more inclusive, resilient and sustainable societies.
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Resources
¡¡¡¡&²Ô²ú²õ±è;
