Research Results from HSE University Form Basis of UN Report on Volunteering
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The first Regional State of Volunteering in Central Asia Review was presented at the UN Headquarters in New York as part of the annual High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The preparation of this document included the research conducted by the HSE Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector (CSCSNS), with Viacheslav Ivanov, the Chief Expert of the Centre, serving as the lead author of the review.
The review, prepared by the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) programme, provides an overview of the evolution of volunteering activities, highlights the value of volunteers' contributions, and identifies best practices in the regional volunteer movement.
This review on volunteering in Central Asia is the first comprehensive informational product on the participation of citizens of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan in volunteering activities as well as the legal framework for these activities. It shows how volunteering is integrated into key UN strategies and national development plans for the countries in the region, and provides examples of how volunteers contribute to national development priorities and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Additionally, the review highlights various advanced volunteering practices in Central Asia, providing a unique resource for knowledge sharing between the countries of the South and the rest of the world.
The review's conclusions include various examples of volunteer activities that can help to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the countries of the region. The review was officially recognized as a separate report at the International Volunteer Forum in Astana in 2023.
In the UNV press release, special attention was paid to the contribution of the HSE Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit.
‘The Report benefitted from the valuable input of partners, together with government officials, representatives from UN agencies, academic researchers, such as those from the HSE Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector, independent experts, and members of volunteer movements and organisations,’ the press release stated.
The lead researcher and author of the report was Viacheslav Ivanov, the Chief Expert of the Centre.
Viacheslav Ivanov
‘The review opens a new chapter in the academic understanding of modern volunteering. It was published at a time when the volunteer movement has become an important part of society in all Central Asian countries. Every volunteer in the region can find themselves represented on its pages, and those who support the growth of the volunteer movement will learn new ideas for promoting volunteering and philanthropy,’ said Vyacheslav Ivanov.
Lev Jakobson, Vice President of HSE University, Academic Supervisor of the HSE Centre for Studies of Civil Society and Nonprofit Sector
‘The Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector has been working closely with the UN Volunteers programme for many years. Our experts have traditionally made a significant contribution to the preparation of programme materials. However, the report on the state of volunteering in Central Asian countries is not just another publication of this kind. Those who prepared the report learned many new and valuable things, which readers will now discover. The preparation of the report has played an important role in strengthening the centre's partnerships with colleagues from these countries, whose current state of public self-organisation is of particular interest to us. It is extremely fascinating and instructive to see how the influence of the recent shared past of our countries, the historical roots of their societies, and their current paths are reflected in its features.’
To view the Report in Russian and its summary in English, please click here.
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