United Nations Volunteers is the United Nations focal point for promoting and harnessing volunteerism for effective development. UNV is a strategic source of knowledge and advice about the role and contribution of volunteerism and the benefits of civic engagement in development programmes. UNV is dedicated to using Volunteerism for Development (V4D) to make distinctive contributions to the effectiveness of development.
UNV was created by the UN General Assembly in 1971 at the request of UN Member Countries in order to be a development partner for the UN system. It is entrusted with raising awareness of volunteerism and its contribution to development, providing technical assistance to develop volunteerism, and mobilizing volunteers nationally and internationally.

UNV is based in Bonn, Germany, and is active in more than 140 countries. It is represented worldwide through the offices of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).