United Nations Organization
Harmonizing the actions of nations
United Nations Day, on 24 October, marks the anniversary of the entry into force in 1945 of the UN Charter. There is no other global organization with the legitimacy, convening power and normative impact of the United Nations. No other global organization gives hope to so many people for a better world and can deliver the future we want. UN Day offers the opportunity to amplify our common agenda and reaffirm the purposes and principles of the UN Charter that have guided us for the past 77 years.
The olive branch of the United Nations emblem is a symbol of peace, while the world map represents the Organization in its quest to attain world peace.
Photo:UN Photo/John Isaac
ActNow Campaign
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Goal of the Month
Zero Hunger
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
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United Nations
Featured stories from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.
Thirty years of hope and higher education for refugees in West Africa
Ornella Banam escaped the civil war in Central African Republic in 2014, fleeing to Burkina Faso. She managed to continue her studies there but dropped out after her father died when she could no longer afford the fees. Last year, Banam was selected for the DAFI [Albert Einstein German Academic Refugee Initiative] scholarship programme, allowing her to return to higher education. The DAFI Tertiary Scholarship programme – funded by the UN Refugee Agency and partners is crucial to achieving the 15by30 goal, achieving 15 per cent higher education enrolment of refugees by 2030.
Addressing health threats to humans, animals, plants and environment
A new One Health Joint Plan of Action was launched by FAO, UNEP, WHO, and partners. This first joint plan aims to integrate systems to better prevent, predict, detect, and respond to health threats. This initiative seeks to improve the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment, while contributing to sustainable development. The five-year plan focuses on expanding capacities in six areas: health system capacity, zoonotic epidemics, endemic zoonotic, neglected tropical and vector-borne diseases, food safety risks, antimicrobial resistance and the environment.
Indigenous peoples face growing challenges to access safe water
Indigenous peoples offer us valuable ways to address the global water crisis through their traditional practices, both in terms of the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems and the democratic governance of safe drinking water and sanitation. In the worldviews of indigenous peoples, water belongs to everyone and should remain available to all, as a common good. Voicing their concerns, indigenous peoples pointed out numerous challenges on water rights they face that have undermined their access to clean water and proper sanitation, according to a new OHCHR report.
Humanitarian Aid, WFP
UN Fleet
UNHCR and WFP set up an independent service - UN FLEET - to help their sister UN organizations lease the vehicles they need for operations around the world.
Maintain International Peace and Security
The United Nations came into being in 1945, following the devastation of the Second World War, with one central mission: the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN does this by working to prevent conflict; helping parties in conflict make peace; peacekeeping; and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and flourish. These activities often overlap and should reinforce one another, to be effective. The UN Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security. The General Assembly and the Secretary-General play major, important, and complementary roles, along with other UN offices and bodies.
Protect Human Rights
The term “human rights” was mentioned seven times in the UN's founding Charter, making the promotion and protection of human rights a key purpose and guiding principle of the Organization. In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights brought human rights into the realm of international law. Since then, the Organization has diligently protected human rights through legal instruments and on-the-ground activities.
Deliver Humanitarian Aid
One of the purposes of the United Nations, as stated in its Charter, is "to achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character." The UN first did this in the aftermath of the Second World War on the devastated continent of Europe, which it helped to rebuild. The Organization is now relied upon by the international community to coordinate humanitarian relief operations due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of national authorities alone.
Promote Sustainable Development
From the start in 1945, one of the main priorities of the United Nations was to “achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.” Improving people’s well-being continues to be one of the main focuses of the UN. The global understanding of development has changed over the years, and countries now have agreed that sustainable development offers the best path forward for improving the lives of people everywhere.
Uphold International Law
The UN Charter, in its Preamble, set an objective: "to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained." Ever since, the development of, and respect for international law has been a key part of the work of the Organization. This work is carried out in many ways - by courts, tribunals, multilateral treaties - and by the Security Council, which can approve peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, or authorize the use of force when there is a threat to international peace and security, if it deems this necessary. These powers are given to it by the UN Charter, which is considered an international treaty. As such, it is an instrument of international law, and UN Member States are bound by it. The UN Charter codifies the major principles of international relations, from sovereign equality of States to the prohibition of the use of force in international relations.
General Assembly
The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN. All 193 Member States of the UN are represented in the General Assembly, making it the only UN body with universal representation.
Security Council
The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members [5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members]. Each Member has one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.
Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals.
Trusteeship Council
The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN Charter, under Chapter XIII, to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed under the administration of seven Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence.
International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague [Netherlands]. It is the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York [United States of America].
Secretariat
The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the Organization's other principal organs.
Learn more
Climate Change
Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now is the defining moment to do something about it. There is still time to tackle climate change, but it will require an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society.
Gender Equality
Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.
Ending Poverty
While global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000, one in ten people in developing regions still lives on less than US$1.90 a day — the internationally agreed poverty line, and millions of others live on slightly more than this daily amount.
Our Common Agenda
Following up on a pledge made by UN Member States at the UN’s 75th anniversary, the report Our Common Agenda looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation. It calls for inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges.
Did you know?
As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone.
Watch and Listen
Video and audio from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.
How a Minecraft Expert got the 'Best Job in the World' | United Nations | Global Lens
Minecraft is not only the best-selling video game of all time, it is ALSO a surprisingly effective way to visualize a three-dimensional environment and design urban spaces. Block by Block is an organization that allows Minecraft players to turn neglected urban spaces into vibrant places that improve quality of life for local residents. Thanks to Minecraft people of all ages, backgrounds and education levels can quickly change their environments by integrating the game into urban design plans Eugenio Gastelum grew up in Mexico City playing Minecraft through the night with his friends and now uses his gaming skills to help the United Nations serve communities across the planet. “It’s the best job in the world,” he says, describing his journey from gamer to game-changer. From Kathmandu to Kosovo, Minecraft and Block by Block give neighborhood residents the training, tools and platforms to participate and contribute their ideas in a collaborative process that helps develop inclusive, sustainable cities. Thanks to Block by Block partnering with UN-Habitat to use Minecraft, people of all ages, backgrounds, and education levels can quickly change their environments by integrating the game into urban design plans.
What's the deal with methane?
Methane: you’ve probably heard of it, but what is it and why is it important to reduce it? Methane is a greenhouse gas mainly emitted from dumpsites, oil and gas wells, coal mines, wetlands and cow burps.
How blockchain can help us transform our agrifood systems
Innovative technologies can help us make our agrifood systems become more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable. One such “new kid on the block” is blockchain technology.
UN Podcasts
Is the menopause a workplace issue?
Traditionally the menopause has been an almost invisible issue, regarded as a medical or personal matter for women and their families only.
But women of menopausal age now account for 11% of the G7 workforce alone, and the number affected will rise globally, as populations age. Recent research has shown that the effects of the menopause are far more extensive than previously understood, including anxiety, depression, ‘brain fog’, insomnia, exhaustion and heart palpitations.
One study has estimated global menopause-related productivity losses at more than US$150 billion a year.
A growing cohort of companies, trade unions and policymakers are re-evaluating the menopause as a business, economic and even legislative issue, one that is an integral part of the world of work. So, how should the menopause be handled in the workplace?
Hear from experts in the field in this episode of ILO's The Future of Work Podcast.
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The United Nations in Pictures
Images from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.
Photo:IOM/Iryna Tymchyshyn
When a school gym becomes home for Ukraine’s displaced
An estimated 6,645,000 people remained internally displaced in Ukraine as of 23 July, according to data from the International Organization for Migration [IOM]. More than 100 internally displaced persons [IDPs], found shelter in this western Ukraine high school. In the early days of the Russian invasion, many communal facilities, such as schools, kindergartens, dormitories and religious buildings, were rapidly turned into centres for those fleeing the war. Not designed to serve as accommodations, they were meant to provide only temporary shelter to displaced Ukrainians. Six months later, however, people are still living there, often sharing one open space with little privacy. IOM is addressing the urgent needs of IDPs by providing the facility with basic household items.
Photo:WFP/Giulio d'Adamo
Supporting Latin America's 'custodians of the seeds'
Indigenous women like this Ecuadoran farmer have precious ancestral knowledge about growing and using traditional foods. They are the backbone of their families and communities — and make up roughly one-eighth of Latin America’s rural population. Even more crucially, perhaps, they keep and transmit precious ancestral knowledge on growing and using traditional foods, whose importance is only now being recognized. Yet the vital role the region’s Indigenous rural women play in their communities and society is very seldom acknowledged, much less celebrated. WFP helps to support Indigenous rural women to overcome historic barriers, fully harness the ancestral wisdom they carry, and contribute on an equal footing to the life of their communities.