Background research on Gender and Volunteerism

Education for Change has been commissioned by the United Nations Volunteer programme to undertake a Background research on Gender and Volunteerism for Development. 

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme is the UN organization that promotes volunteerism to support peace and development worldwide. Volunteerism can transform the pace and nature of development, and it benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer. UNV contributes to peace and development by advocating for volunteerism globally, encouraging partners to integrate volunteerism into development programming, and mobilizing volunteers.

This background research aims to map the landscape of gender and volunteerism for development. It will highlight the intersections between gender and volunteerism and issues arising, and collect organisational, programme and project examples of good practice that touch upon aspects of gender and volunteerism. This research is a first step, which shall be followed by a more comprehensive project to increase global knowledge on gender and volunteerism and for UNV to develop prescriptive content on the topic.

Core components of this Background research on Gender and Volunteerism for Development include:

• a desk review,
• interviews with UN agencies, academics and VIOs,
• an online survey for VIOs,
• an online survey for men and women volunteers,
• a consultation workshop with key stakeholders,
• concept note and research proposal development,
• identification of research partners.

Online survey

As part of this background research organisations that work with volunteers internationally and men and women volunteers were invited to complete an online survey from the 30th of April to the 1st of June. The survey is now closed but questionnaires can be downloaded from the Documents section.

Consultation workshop

EfC facilitated a workshop on Gender and Volunteerism in UNV HQs in Bonn, 28-29 May 2009. Participants (33) included representatives of UNV, UNIFEM, IOM, UNDP and UNHCR, UNV Volunteers and representatives of volunteer involving organisations and other civil society organisations.