​UN volunteers salary and benefits.

International UNV volunteers serve in countries other than their own. They are recruited for specialized inputs to development programmes, and increasingly, in the areas of peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and UN-supported electoral processes. The UNV programme maintains a roster of candidates with relevant experience in these sectors. It covers more than 100 professional categories including, for example, programme/project development, administration, communications, community development, demobilization and reintegration, disaster prevention, humanitarian and civil affairs, engineering, environment, HIV/AIDS, medicine, human rights, logistics and election support.

The UN Volunteer receives the following entitlements:

a. Travel of eligible Primary Family Unit members to approved family designated duty stations;

b. Pre-departure Allowance, a one-time payment made only to the UN Volunteer to help meet expenses incurred before traveling to the duty station such as medical examination and initial visa clearances;

c. Travel to and from the duty station with 23 kilograms checked-in luggage allowance;

d. A Settling-In-Grant (SIG), one-time lump sum amount to help meet initial expenses after arriving at the designated duty station;

e. A monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA), which includes a Monthly Living Allowance (MLA) intended to contribute to safe and adequate accommodation, transportation, and a modest standard of living, as well as Family Allowance (FA) for those with an eligible Primary Family Unit members;

f. A Well-Being Differential to ameliorate the added financial burden for those serving in hardship duty stations;

g. In some locations, there is an Accommodation Supplement to recognize distorted rental markets that place an undue financial burden on the UN Volunteer or the need for additional residential security measures or both.

h. Facilitation of Home Visit, depending on duration of assignment and the nature of the duty station;

i. Provision for Annual Leave, uncertified/certified Sick Leave, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Family Leave, and official holidays;

Social security provisions, in the form of insurance for medical, dental and hospital care; and life and disability insurance;

k. Assistance for emergencies related to safety/security and medical needs;

l. A Resettlement Allowance (RSA) to assist the international UN Volunteer to readjust both professionally and personally upon completion of service.

Let's see a detailed example of the salary and benefits for the UN International Volunteer (specialist) position in Kenya with 1 year contract.

• COUNTRY OF ASSIGNMENT

KENYA

• DUTY STATION

NAIROBI

• DUTY STATION

CLASSIFICATION B

• VOLUNTEER TYPE

INTERNATIONAL SPECIALIST

• DURATION

12 MONTHS

• FUNDING SOURCE

OTHER SOURCES

• TYPE OF ENTITY
• UN ENTITY DEPENDENTS

YES (1)

• RESETTLEMENT ALLOWANCE

YES

Detailed salary and allowance for this example

Pre-assignment entitlements

Travel Is eligible

Shipment of personal effects (one time) USD 500.00

During assignment

Volunteer living allowance (MLA + FA) (monthly) USD 2,616.57

Monthly living allowance (monthly) USD 2,366.57

Family allowance (monthly) USD 250.00

Settling-in-Grant (one time) USD 4,733.15

Dependent Settling in Grant (one time) USD 1,561.94

Well-Being differential (monthly) Not eligible

Learning USD 500.00

End of assignment

Resettlement allowance (one time) USD 2,400.00

Repatriation entitlement (one time) Is eligible

SIG to refund (in case of resignation)

You may use UN Volunteer Salary Calculator

Remarks

Learning

UN Volunteers receive an allowance for any training activities deemed relevant in line with the applicable

Travel

This covers initial and end of assignment travel (and home visits if eligible) and pre-departure expenses. For UN Volunteers serving in a family duty station, travel package includes authorized dependents as well.

Residential Security

For agency, funds and programmes-funded assignments: The security charge is to ensure compliance with Residential Security Measures as defined by UNDSS in each country. These costs are charged directly to the project/host agency/donor including security relocation/evacuation related charges. A UNDP personnel security charge is applied to assignments with UNDP, UNCDF and UNV at the following rates: 4% for all UN Volunteers in H, A, B & C duty stations or 6% for all UN Volunteers in D & E duty stations

Read more about UNDP Salary Scale