COMPARATIVE FINDINGS ON VOLUNTEERISM: Insights from Eight Countries
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This report presents findings from the first comparable cross-national study of volunteerism across eight countries in the Global South—Bolivia, China, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria and Uganda. Drawing on nationally representative surveys of over 8,000 respondents, it examines who volunteers, how people volunteer, the activities they undertake, their motivations, barriers to participation and the role of formal and informal volunteering. The findings show that volunteerism is widespread but overwhelmingly informal, with young people and caregiving playing a central role. While participation patterns vary across countries, the study highlights volunteerism as a critical contributor to social cohesion, community resilience and sustainable development, while identifying opportunities to strengthen volunteer engagement through evidence-informed policies and programmes.
SUMMARY
This report provides comparative evidence on volunteerism across eight countries in the Global South: Bolivia, China, Ethiopia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria and Uganda. Based on nationally representative telephone surveys conducted with more than 8,000 respondents, the study generates comparable data on volunteer participation, addressing longstanding evidence gaps on informal, direct and short-term volunteer work. It contributes to the evidence base underpinning the 2026 State of the World’s Volunteerism Report and complements existing national statistics.
The findings demonstrate that volunteerism is widespread across all eight countries, although participation levels and volunteering patterns vary considerably. Informal volunteering accounts for the vast majority of volunteer activity, with individuals most often organizing their own activities or volunteering through community networks rather than formal institutions. Young people represent the largest share of volunteers overall, while participation is broadly balanced between women and men. Caregiving emerges as the most common form of volunteer work, complemented by activities related to religion, community development, environmental action, advocacy and civic engagement. The study also explores volunteering intensity, motivations, barriers to participation and the limited role of compensation in supporting volunteer engagement.
Across the eight countries, volunteers are primarily motivated by altruism and a desire to support others. However, lack of time, financial constraints, transportation challenges and limited information continue to restrict participation. The report highlights important differences between countries in volunteer demographics, organizational models and educational profiles, demonstrating that volunteerism takes diverse forms depending on local social, cultural and institutional contexts. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening policies, measurement approaches and enabling environments that recognize and support both formal and informal volunteerism as essential contributors to community resilience, social cohesion and sustainable development.
