Remarks by Anel Bakytbekkyzy, Deputy Permanent Representative, at the Annual Session of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS on the UN Volunteers Programme Annual Report.
Madam President,
Kazakhstan, as a Member State deeply committed to volunteerism, is pleased to address this distinguished session of the Executive Boards of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS. The 2021 Report exemplifies the outstanding progress and contribution of UN Volunteers to the UN system and the Member States in peacebuilding, humanitarian assistance and development cooperation.
UNV and Kazakhstan have partnered since 1993 to make sustainable development a reality. Thus, UN Volunteers can count on the unfailing support of my Government for the future direction of UNV with its comprehensive and far reaching visionary approaches for the 21st century.
We strongly believe that volunteerism stands at the core of a people-centered approach to reach the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
Kazakhstan and UNV have cooperated admirably in promoting volunteerism at the national level. In 2021, 61 Kazakhstan nationals served as UN Volunteers, the vast majority of them serving in our country in projects of UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNV, WHO and UNDRR. These were related to the COVID-19 response, technical capacity building, mobilization and management of civil society, sustainable ecosystem and biodiversity. Those Kazakh UN volunteers working oversees are recognized for their outstanding work.
We thank UNV for supporting UNICEF and our Government in developing a recruitment and training programme for young people, whereby we mobilized 1,803 online volunteers to prevent bullying in schools, raise awareness of children’s rights, environmental issues, and reduce disaster risks.
Allow me to mention UNV’s guidance and inputs in preparing Kazakhstan’s 2nd Voluntary National Review regarding development volunteerism to achieve the SDGs. We also grateful for UNV support for our National Working Group on amending laws related to volunteerism, to be approved by the end of this year.
I am also pleased to note the continued strategic use of UNV’s Special Voluntary Fund, particularly on the research and production of the triennial 2022 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report, which contains notable case studies from Kazakhstan’s experience on volunteer-state partnership.
The Government of Kazakhstan has further contributed to the Special Voluntary Fund of UNVs, and appeals to Member States to expand the Fund’s resources to recruit more volunteers: women, youth, professionals, experts, community aides, refugees and even eminent citizens. We need to assist UNV with more tool kits, flexible fast track emergency deployment, and seeking out newer hosts, including private sector and local organizations, in critical under-served areas.
To conclude, I thank the UN Volunteers Programme for supporting the initiative of President Tokayev of Kazakhstan to proclaim, in the near future, an International Year of Mobilizing Volunteers for Development.
We will continue to partner with UNV to ensure that the inspiring spirit of volunteerism touches the hearts of disadvantaged people worldwide.
Thank you.
