Programme Research and Communications Support Volunteer
Assist in researching and communicating gender-based violence policies and practices.
Overview
Assist in researching and communicating gender-based violence policies and practices.
You have:
- At least Secondary education or equivalent. A bachelor's degree is an asset.
- Experience and/or interest in gender and governance-related topics and communications.
- Skills in community development and interest in community of practice.
- Interest in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment; smarter public policies against GBV; south-south cooperation; and public sector innovation.
- Basic usage of computer and office applications.
- Good communication skills.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign (between 25 November – 10 December) for the elimination of violence against women and girls. Every year, the UNITE Campaign focuses on a specific theme. The campaign calls on citizens to show how much they care about ending violence against women and girls by sharing the actions they are taking to create a world free from violence towards women and girls. In 2025, the campaign focuses on ending digital violence against all women and girls, including persons with disabilities.
The selected national UN Community Volunteer will assist the Global Policy Specialist and the Communications Specialist to conduct targeted research on gender-based violence (GBV) policies/practices across different country contexts, with a particular focus on the interface between GBV and (i) a ‘Legal Identity for All Agenda’; (ii) integrity and anti-corruption in the public sector; (iii) innovation in the public sector, including through the use of behavioural insights, digital tools and data to inform decision-making. Through such research, and through the relevant data entries and content classification/categorization, s/he will contribute to the FutureGov Knowledge Bank: https://futuregov.org/knowledge-bank/
Under the supervision of the Communications Specialist and GPGS team, the UN Volunteer will contribute to the following tasks:
• Support the development, organization, and maintenance of the FutureGov Knowledge Bank database, ensuring systematic categorization and tagging of resources on GBV – particularly as it interfaces with key thematic areas for the Governance for Public Goods & Services Team — including Legal Identity, Public Sector Transformation (digitalization/data; behavioural insights), Integrity and Anti-corruption. • Conduct targeted desk research to identify relevant policies, case studies, tools, and good practices and propose a curated list of materials (with relevant tags and concise summaries) to the Communications Specialist for review. • Draft concise summaries and descriptions for uploaded resources to enhance accessibility and user engagement. • Assist in uploading and organizing approved materials in both the FutureGov Knowledge Bank and the FutureGov AI database, ensuring proper tagging, integration, and version control. • Contribute to communications and knowledge-sharing outputs, such as newsletters, social media content, and highlight stories promoting the new FutureGov Knowledge Bank and AI features. • Engage with relevant personnel in UNDP Country Offices, under the direct supervision of the Communication Specialist, to support relevant research and communications activities in preparation for the 16-Days of Activism against GBV at country level. • Perform any other related tasks as assigned by the supervisor to support knowledge management and communications efforts.
• Accountability • Adaptability and flexibility • Creativity • Judgement and decision-making • Planning and organising • Professionalism • Self-management
• At least Secondary education or equivalent. A bachelor's degree is an asset. • Experience and/or interest in gender and governance-related topics and communications. • Skills in community development and interest in community of practice. • Interest in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment; smarter public policies against GBV; south-south cooperation; and public sector innovation. • Basic usage of computer and office applications. • Good communication skills.
UN Community Volunteers are expected to be recruited locally and work within their communities. For this specific assignment, if the selected UN Community Volunteer is required to travel or attend specific events, travel and daily meal expenses will be covered by the host entity. Upon successful completion of the assignment, UN Community Volunteers will receive a UNV Certificate of Service.
This is a volunteer assignment, not employment. By sharing your time, energy, and talents, you can support communities in need and become part of something greater than yourself — a global movement for peace, development, and humanitarian aid. Volunteering strengthens trust, solidarity, and reciprocity among citizens, and it can promote a sense of belonging and purpose.
The UN Volunteer will be based in Istanbul Türkiye and will preferably be working from the office (location is Istanbul, Sisli area) two days a week to connect and collaborate with staff members. The UN Volunteers are responsible for arranging her/his own housing and other living essentials within UNV contract period.
Summary of this national UN Volunteer Entitlements: • Private insurance: Health, dental, life and dismemberment (coverage by CIGNA) • Certificate of Service • Experience with UN programme • There will be no payment, stipend, or any allowances.
UN Volunteer supporting SPI in Europe and Central Asia region: The support provided by the UN Volunteer for tasks supporting the host UN entity in the region of Europe and Central Asia is a Special Programme Initiative (SPI) by UNV. SPIs respond to volunteer-specific needs of the United Nations system and donor entities. They are established by specific policy documents that address the desired programmatic aims and broader SDGs’ outcomes in line with UNV guiding principles. UN Volunteers for this SPI in the Europe and Central Asia region are governed by the particular conditions set out in their offers and contracts.
Potential interview questions
| Describe a time you conducted research on gender-based issues. What was your approach? | The interviewer wants to assess your research skills and experience in gender issues. | Provide a clear example including your research methods and findings. |
| How would you categorize resources dealing with gender-based violence in a database? | This evaluates your organizational and categorization skills related to knowledge management. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you give an example of how you've promoted gender equality or women's empowerment in your community? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What strategies would you use to engage communities in discussions about GBV? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Discuss a challenging situation you faced while working on a team project. How did you handle it? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you stay informed about current trends and policies on GBV? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What role do you think data plays in influencing public policy on GBV? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What creative ideas do you have to communicate knowledge about GBV effectively? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |