Valuing the work of a volunteer [Archives:2002/22/Reportage]
May 27 2002
BY MOHAMMED BIN SALLAM
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
More than 5,000 volunteers from 140 countries, including Yemen, work in this field adopted by the UN. Seventeen volunteers are now employed with many international organization, governmental and non-governmental institutions, two of whom are local volunteers. More than 600 volunteers from various world countries work in Yemen in vital areas and their work does have effective role at all local levels.
Yemen Times has interviewed Ms, Kalthoum Mohammed Adem, officer programs volunteers administration of the UN and Coordinator of the program activities in Yemen. Ms, Kalthoum assumed several posts for the UN volunteers program in Tanzania and Mozambique before being employed in Yemen.
International year for volunteers
Ms. Kalthoum began her talk on the idea of volunteers international year by saying that the UN and the international community observe the occasion of volunteers international year at a time there is an increasing need for volunteer work in economic, social, cultural and humanitarian areas. The idea of this occasion is the product of proposals offered during deliberations between many international and non-governmental organization in the early 1990s of last century. The UN adopted a proposal presented by the Japanese government to the UN Secretary General, Kufi Anan February 1997, which later was approved by the General Assembly in its 52nd session on 20 November 1997.
Ms. Kalthoum has further said that objectives of volunteers international year could be summarized as:
– It aims at enhancing the recognition by governments and local authorities of the role played by volunteering bodies in development working out mechanisms for integrating volunteer work with development.
– The second goal is to encourage volunteering work at various sector of society by raising the level of volunteers qualifications, legally recognition of volunteering bodies and providing them with protection through allocating some resources.
– The third purpose is to establish a network of communication among societies and among themselves, as well as getting highest benefit from their experiences.
– It also aims at promoting the principal of voluntary work, mustering the biggest number of volunteers, making publicity of the most successful volunteering experiments and shedding light on benefits for the society gained from volunteering work, such as blood donation campaigns, combating illiteracy and protection of environment.
UN volunteers program work under supervision of UN Development Program Offices based in concerned countries. It acts as the central coordinator of the international year. The program aims to engage societies, at the largest scale, in the efforts for founding a new field of international cooperation in volunteering work. This objective is achieved through developing more support and resources for propagating to volunteers international year. The years established an important international year. The years establishes out working plan and prepares a climate for the realization of strategic accomplishments and contributions.
Local Volunteers in Yemen
On the international year of Volunteers, Ms Kalthoum said the basic targeted a achievements is the set up of local Volunteer team. Four local volunteers had joined the program in May 2001, assuming their job at the Refugees commission. Then essence of recruiting local volunteers is meant for adding values to development cooperation and charity work.
Local volunteers usually possess skills suitable for local needs and are acquainted with countries social, cultural and political situations. This characteristics would facilitate their being integrated with the program and local environment, It also help, their integration with their local and international counterparts. Recruiting local volunteers would as well enhance possibilities of building national potentials and development of human wealth through strengthening the remaining expertise and knowledge inside the country. It would also employ more volunteers to work in Yemen and would undoubtedly expand the volunteering program . Among activities including in making the international year, the UN program in Yemen had honored local and international volunteers in late of last year April. The honoring ceremony was attended by the deputy minister of planning and development, employees at the UN Agencies in Yemen, and representatives for Universities, volunteer organizations and media men.
Volunteers program has been working in Yemen for more than thirty years. The program aims to offer a technical help and support to all word nations by the employment of will-trained field practitioners.
She also reviewed benefits of volunteering process and its economic and social contribution. She also has pointed out that Yemen was among the first countries to receive international volunteers in 1971, when the program inaugurated the volunteering program to serve the development and expansion of technical cooperation. Yemeni volunteers in areas of productive health to improve women health and prosperity of their families. They also work in fields the best assessment and planning, implementation of development programs , assisting refugees , improving people opportunities to obtain food and help Yemen improve water resources and human rights.
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