Iceland deploys its first fully funded UN Volunteer in India

Chinenye Anekwe is a UN Volunteer Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) India Office since August 2024. She is a 2018 fellow of GRÓ Gender Equality Studies and Training Programme (GRÓ GEST). 

In her volunteer assignment, Chinenye concentrates on national-level policy initiatives such as implementing the gender equality workstream. She develops evidence-based strategies to identify and then transform the expressions of masculinity and other social norms that impede gender equality and women’s empowerment.

The United Nations commitment to development, human rights and dignity aligns with my personal values, and I felt a strong calling to be part of that mission. Grateful for the Government of Iceland and GRÓ for this opportunity." Chinenye Anekwe, fully funded UN Volunteer with UNESCO.

Chinenye previously worked on a project with GRÓ GEST on women’s empowerment in the rural landscape of Nigeria. She trained women on the assembly, installation, maintenance and repair of solar systems for cooking and lighting.

The GRÓ programmes have for decades trained specialists from around the world. Its alumni are doing tremendously important work to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in their home countries, including here in India, as there are 22 Indians that have attended the GRÓ programmes. This partnership with UNV is an excellent way to support UNESCO’s work in South Asian countries and provide interesting opportunities for the alumni.” Benedikt Höskuldsson, Ambassador of Iceland to India. 

GRÓ International Centre for Capacity Development, Sustainability and Societal Change operates under the auspices of UNESCO with an objective to strengthen individual and institutional capacities in low and middle income countries to deliver development results in line with the Sustainable Development Goals in the fields of geothermal energy, fisheries, land restoration and gender equality.

The partnership with UNV strengthens cooperation between the two organizations and contributes to GRÓ's alumni strategy—collaboration for positive change through dedicated volunteer efforts.