Organization Mission

UN DESA is a pioneer of sustainable development and the home of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), where each goal finds its space and where all stakeholders can do their part to leave no one behind. We are a leading analytical voice for promoting inclusion, reducing inequalities and eradicating poverty, and a champion for tearing down the barriers that keep people in poverty.

UN DESA helps countries make informed decisions by providing a wealth of information through our publications and databases and through our support for international deliberations at the United Nations General Assembly, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Commissions, Forums and other bodies.

Step by step, UN DESA works towards sustainable development for all.

Context

The Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) is the mechanism through which the General Assembly assesses the effectiveness, efficiency, coherence and impact of UN operational activities for development. It is the only resolution that provides the strategic guidance on the operational activities of the whole UN development system. Every year, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) drafts the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the QCPR. It is an evidence-based analytical report that assesses how well the QCPR is being implemented by the UN system, highlighting challenges and successes, and also making recommendations.

One of the key sources of data is the Survey of governments. In the 2024 government survey Member States were asked on the following subjects: Support of the UN development system to national needs and priorities, Alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, Resident Coordinators and UN country teams, UN regional support, Developing national capacities, Strengthening complementarity among humanitarian, development and peacebuilding efforts, Climate action, Reporting on results, Efficiency and Resources Use/Mobilization, Partnerships, National Development/SDGs Financing Strategy, Development partners collaboration, Funding the Resident Coordinator System, Funding Compact implementation, UNDS repositioning, and Reporting on results.

As we are preparing for the next cycle of the Secretary-General´s report, we will require support with translating the government survey into the UN official languages.

Key Responsibilities

We are looking for (5) online volunteers to support with the translation of the Government survey used to inform the 2025 Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of the QCPR from English to Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. The selected Online Volunteers will be provided with the documents in the original language (English) and will receive guidance on the target audience and our communications guidelines as well as other guidance as needed.

The online volunteers will be responsible for:
– Translation from English into one of the UN official languages
– Ensure the translation is concise, in line with our communications guidelines, and fits the audience
– Entering and uploading the translation into the relevant survey database

Required Skills and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in languages, translation, linguistic and intercultural mediation or International Relations, Humanitarian studies or a similar field is preferred. Strong translation skills from English into one of the UN official languages is required. Knowledge of development-related terms would be a strong asset. Previous translation experience is considered an asset and respect for deadlines is desirable.