Volunteering has proved to be an effective method for the United Nations to reach out to people and places that are facing conflict. Volunteers have been relentlessly working across the world to promote social stability and economic progress

On International Volunteers Day, observed on December 5, UN secretary General Ban Ki-moon said, “Beginning with the words ‘We the people’, the United Nations charter reminds us that crafting solutions to global challenges is a job not only for Governments, but for people, communities and civil society.” The UN observes the International Volunteers Day every year to recognise the dedication of volunteers, their admirable spirit of service, and their wide-ranging efforts to promote the goals of the United Nations.

Emphasising the contribution of volunteering to the Millennium Development Goals, and calling for a people-centred, holistic approach to development, the United Nations General Assembly has set the path for the future of volunteerism. The Resolution also emphasises the participation of individuals and communities to the achievement of sustainable development and related initiatives.

All over the globe, millions of volunteers are helping to advance sustainable development and peace. This engagement takes many forms: Volunteering organisations, individuals working on their own in their communities, and service with United Nations. “With the world population having surpassed seven billion this year, we must tap every person’s potential to help others. Everyone can make a difference. Volunteering matters”, Mr Ban Ki-Moon said.

The United Nations Volunteers programme contributes to peace and development through volunteerism worldwide. Volunteerism is a powerful means of engaging people in tackling development challenges, and it can transform the peace and nature of development. Volunteerism benefits both society at large and the individual volunteer by strengthening trust, solidarity and reciprocity among citizens, and by purposefully creating opportunities for participation.

In its first ever publication, ‘State of World’s Volunteerism Report — Universal Values for Global Well-being’, also as part of the UN General Assembly session, the UN showcased the impact that volunteers have made. The report clarifies views as to what volunteerism is and what it achieves, in keeping with realities on the ground. The focus of the report is on the universal values that motivate people over the world to volunteer for the common good and on the impact of volunteer action on societies and individuals. “We believe in the power of volunteering to promote cooperation, encourage participation and contribute to the wellbeing of individuals and of society as a whole”, Flavia Pansieri, executive coordinator, United Nations Volunteers, said.

Around the world, people are increasingly recognising that our unsustainable production and consumption patterns need to change significantly. In order to achieve this, political effort alone is not sufficient. People need to participate and engage.

Addressing the UN General Assembly, Ms Pansieri said that, nearly 8,000 UN volunteers were working in areas of their professional expertise, sometimes in hardship and danger. They were doing so because they believed in solidarity and personal commitment, and saw their work “not as a condescending act of charity, but rather the expression of a relationship of reciprocity”.

She added that the primary goal of the 10th anniversary of the International Year of Volunteers in 2011 had been to shift the debate on volunteerism from being perceived as a marginal factor to being recognised as a mainstream asset.

Volunteerism is not a panacea. It should not replace the responsibility of the state. Yet it is an essential component of any strategy that recognises that progress cannot be measured solely in terms of economic return. Such development strategies acknowledge that people are not motivated by self-interest alone but by their deeply held values and beliefs.

Volunteerism is an expression of the individual’s involvement in their community. Participation, trust, solidarity and reciprocity, grounded in a shared understanding and a sense of common obligations, are mutually reinforcing values at the heart of governance and good citizenship. Volunteering is not a nostalgic relic of the past. Today it is the first line of defence against social atomisation in a globalising world — more than ever before, caring and sharing are a necessity and not a charitable act. In the words of Ms Flavia, “The priorities are clear: Volunteer activities and their results needed to be documented, and new ways to measure those impacts needed to be found.”

Volunteerism occurs in every society in the world. The terms which define it and the forms of its expression may vary in different languages and cultures, but the values which drive it are common and universal: A desire to contribute to the common good, out of free will and in a spirit of solidarity, without expectation of material reward.

The UN identifies the three criteria of ‘free will’, ‘non pecuniary motivation’, and ‘benefit to others’ can be applied to any action to assess whether it is volunteerism. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has once coined in, “Volunteerism is a source of community strength, resilience, solidarity and social cohesion. It can bring positive social change by fostering respect for diversity, equality and the participation of all. It is among society’s most vital assets.”

Yet volunteerism still remains largely absent from the peace and development agenda. The full potential of volunteerism can only be unleashed when it is recognised as a powerful and universal renewable resource and a vital component of the social capital of every nation.

The moment has come to ensure that volunteerism is an integral part of any new development consensus.