Volunteerism Integration in Lusophone UN Frameworks

Host entity: UNDP

Areas of expertise: Communication, advocacy, public information, Partnerships, resource mobilisation, Volunteer management and advocacy

Application deadline: 04/11/2026

Mission and objectives

Cabo Verde became the first pilot Joint Office (JO) of the Ex-Com agencies (UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and WFP) on 1 January 2006. This was a major step in the UN reform towards the harmonization and simplification of UN activities in small countries. The Joint Office model consists of a single UN office of the participating agencies, led by one representative who equally represents all the participating agencies. The JO has one organizational structure and a single program/common country program encompassing the activities and mandates of all participating agencies, and uses one set of business processes, rules, and regulations under a “support agency”. Since 2010, with the discontinuation of WFP Office in Cabo Verde, following the graduation to a Middle-Income Country in 2008 , the Joint Office is now comprised of three agencies - UNDP, UNFPA and UNICEF.

Assignment context

Volunteerism is increasingly recognized as a powerful mechanism for achieving sustainable development outcomes, strengthening community participation, and supporting implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, limited information is currently available regarding the volunteerism ecosystem in Cabo Verde. This assignment will help generate evidence and insights to support future UNV engagement, partnership development, and volunteer mobilization efforts in the country.

Task description

UNV is seeking one Online Volunteer to conduct desk research and provide analytical support on opportunities to mainstream volunteerism within UN planning frameworks in Lusophone countries, including Angola, Cabo Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Equatorial Guinea.

Under the guidance of the Regional Office, the Online Volunteer will:

Review existing UNSDCFs, CPDs, and other relevant UN strategic documents.
Identify references to community engagement, civic participation, youth engagement, localization, social cohesion, and volunteerism.
Analyze how volunteerism can contribute to achieving UN development priorities and Sustainable Development Goals.
Research examples and good practices of volunteerism integration from UN agencies and development partners.
Identify opportunities for mobilizing onsite and online volunteers to support priority areas such as health, youth empowerment, gender equality, climate action, and community resilience.
Develop recommendations for strengthening the inclusion of volunteerism in future planning and programming frameworks.
Prepare a concise summary of findings, including practical recommendations and priority entry points for engagement.

By the end of the assignment, the Online Volunteer will submit:

A mapping of references to volunteerism and community engagement across reviewed documents.
A short research brief summarizing findings and good practices.
Recommendations for strengthening the integration of volunteerism into UNSDCFs, CPDs, and related UN planning frameworks.
A matrix highlighting potential volunteer engagement opportunities aligned with UN priorities in Lusophone countrie

Skills and experience

Required Skills and Experience
Strong desk research and analytical skills.
Ability to review and synthesize policy and strategic documents.
Excellent writing and reporting skills.
Interest in sustainable development, volunteerism, and UN programming.
Experience in international development, public policy, social sciences, or related fields is desirable.
Familiarity with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is an asset.
Ability to work independently and deliver quality outputs within agreed timelines.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.