Two women shaking hands over a world map, promoting peace and diplomacy.
Women and Gender Equality

Supporting women's leadership in diplomacy

Despite global commitments to gender equality, women remain significantly underrepresented in diplomacy and political leadership, with recent trends showing troubling regression. The Human Rights Council and UN Women both highlight systemic barriers, including discrimination, gender stereotypes, and political violence, which continue to exclude women from high-level decision-making.  Bold action is needed - from implementing quotas and leadership appointments to mentorship and anti-harassment measures - to achieve meaningful, equal representation and uphold the promises of the Beijing Platform and Sustainable Development Goals.

When women are represented in legislative bodies, it enhances the effectiveness of governance and ensures a wider range of perspectives. 
Photo:Adobe stock/ Sholeh
Secretary-General António Guterres briefs Member States in the General Assembly (file).

Guterres urges Iran and Israel to ‘fully respect’ ceasefire

24 June 2025 — The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday welcomed the ceasefire announcement between Iran and Israel which was announced on social media overnight by US President Donald Trump.

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The principles of the UN Charter are the foundation of the Organization’s work—guiding its mission to promote peace, development, and human rights for all.

UN80 Initiative: What it is – and why it matters to the world

23 June 2025 — In a world grappling with growing crises, deepening inequalities, and eroding trust in global institutions, the United Nations has launched an ambitious effort to strengthen how it...

Gazans are desperate and hungry after 20 months of war and a near-total blockade, aid teams have warned repeatedly.

Gaza: Over 400 Palestinians killed around private aid hubs, UN rights office says

24 June 2025 — At least 410 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to fetch from controversial new aid hubs in Gaza – a likely war crime – the UN human rights office,...

UN Sustainable Development Goals

17 Goals to transform our world

The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries — poor, rich and middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.

hands holding megaphone and speech bubble

ActNow Campaign

ActNow is the UN campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the lead up to the Summit of the Future, join the 1 Million Actions for our Common Future challenge to contribute to a more sustainable and peaceful world. Find new inspiring actions on the app and at un.org/actnow.

Thomas the Tank engine

Student Resources on the SDGs

Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals! On our student resources page you will find plenty of materials for young people and adults alike. Share with your family and friends to help achieve a better world for all.

Save the date image for 2025 UN Ocean conference.

SDG Media Zone

Be part of the global conversation on ocean action and sustainable development at the UN Ocean Conference. From ocean science and biodiversity to pollution, maritime transport, and sustainable fishing, this pivotal event will spotlight the urgent solutions needed to achieve the SDGs. Don’t miss the SDG Media Zone, where global changemakers bring key issues to life through powerful interviews and thought-provoking discussions. Full programme

icon with fish swimming below waves

Goal of the month

 

Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

Healthy oceans and seas are essential to human existence and life on Earth.

More about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

More from the
United Nations

Featured stories from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

A pair of arms reaching through the bars of a cell. Human Rights, OHCHR

Tackling racism in criminal justice systems worldwide

Livia Sant’Anna Vaz, a Brazilian prosecutor of African descent, likens Brazil's prisons to the slave quarters of colonial times, highlighting the ongoing dehumanization of Black individuals within a predominantly white judicial system. According to UN Human Rights, systemic racism remains embedded in countries across the world, affecting each phase of criminal proceedings, from a Black person’s initial arrest, through prosecution, and trial, conviction, sentencing and on to implementation of sentence. This issue is under international scrutiny through the UN Expert Mechanism to Advance Racial Justice and Equality in Law Enforcement, which focuses on addressing systemic racism in policing and justice. Sant’Anna Vaz describes her experience as a Black woman in the justice system as one of exclusion, citing problems such as racial profiling, wrongful incarcerations, and inadequate legal support, which contribute to suffering and neglect in prisons.

Two men shaking hands during an open day at a Model Police Station in Iraq. Social Development, UNDP

For development, we need security. For security, we need rule of law

Safety and security are essential for our daily lives, impacting our well-being, relationships, and opportunities. They are crucial for fostering progress, as individuals who feel secure are more likely to engage in education and community contributions. To create safe environments, it is important to enhance rights protection, deliver justice, and strengthen the rule of law. A strong, people-centered police force is vital for community security. Through its Global Programme on Rule of Law and Human Rights, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supports police and security sector reforms in various countries, promoting community policing to rebuild trust between communities and law enforcement.

Close-up of the head and neck of a hen with her gaze shifted to the side. Health, FAO

Four reasons why avian influenza should be on your radar

If you thought it was just a problem for the birds, think again. Humans and animals have always been connected. Animals provide us with essential resources such as food, clothing, transport and livelihoods, as well as companionship, while supporting healthy ecosystems.  With growing populations, urbanisation and increased global livestock production, we are now sharing more spaces than ever.  This makes animal health critical—their well-being directly affects ours. Monitoring animal health and disease outbreaks helps save lives, prevent economic losses and stop the spread of diseases—whether they are epidemics or pandemics. Avian influenza is a serious threat to both human and animal health. Here are four things you need to know about avian influenza and how the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is working to protect animals and humans.

A rusted water tower on the ground and a new one standing in its place.
Peace and Security, UNOPS

Rebuilding Ukraine

Through a partnership with Denmark, UNOPS has helped restore essential services in war-impacted Mykolaiv, Ukraine—delivering waste trucks, water towers, firefighting equipment, and buses to support local resilience and daily life.

Economic Development, UNCTAD

Global FDI decline deepens further

Despite a headline rise in 2024, UNCTAD warns that global FDI is in decline for the second year, exposing a widening disconnect between capital flows and development needs.

Humanitarian Aid, UNHCR

Hope returns slowly to Taiz

After years of war and displacement, UNHCR and partners are helping residents return to Taiz, where local resilience and international support are driving the city’s fragile recovery.

An illustration of musical notes and a piano keyboard.
Intellectual and Cultural Property, WIPO

AI music growth sparks copyright debate

As generative AI transforms music creation, researchers and artists push for fairer systems to trace influence, license training data, and ensure musicians are compensated for their contributions.

What we do

Due to the powers vested in its Charter and its unique international character, the United Nations can take action on the issues confronting humanity in the 21st century, including:

A UNIFIL peacekeeper from Spain on a regular patrol in the vicinity of Al Wazzani, south-eastern Lebanon as the sun sets in the horizon. Since 1948, more than a million women and men have served as UN peacekeepers.

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.

Students at Butkhak High School in Kabul, Afghanistan, cheer in unison on the last day of Global Action Week, an international campaign advocating free, quality education for all.

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.

A child has a meal at a food distribution centre in the Rwanda camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs), near Tawila, North Darfur. More than 8,000 women and children living in the camp benefit from nutrition programmes run by the World Food Programme

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.

Grace, a farmer from Kipilat village, and a leading member of the forest community in Ainabkoi, Kenya, planting a tree in 2012.

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.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivers its order on the request for the indication of provisional measures filed by Nicaragua on 11 October 2013 in the case concerning Construction of a Road in Costa Rica along the San Juan River.

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.

Structure of the
United Nations

The main parts of the UN structure are the General Assembly, the
Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established in 1945 when the UN was founded.

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.

More about the structure of the United Nations

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.

Women at UN CSW63 Side Event - “Take the Hot Seat”. Photo: UN Women/Ryan Brown

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.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres is greeted on his visit to the Central African Republic

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.

A young girl holds a smiling infant at the Zaatari Refugee Camp

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.

Watch and Listen

Video and audio from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

Navigating opportunities and challenges in the gig economy

The gig economy offers flexible income opportunities through digital platforms but comes with unpredictable earnings and limited worker protections. Understanding the impact of AI, skill requirements, and platform dynamics is essential for success in this evolving labor market.

Music sparks hope in Gaza

Music teacher Ahmed Abu Amsha founded “GPS,” a group of displaced children in Gaza who find hope and resilience through playing instruments amid harsh living conditions.

Power of community

On the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia, and Biphobia, 17 May, communities empower us to stand together against hate and create a future where everyone can thrive, no matter who they are or whom they love.

UN Podcasts

Four women cooking outdoors, with three standing and one sitting. The person sitting is stirring a pot on a stove, while another person is also attending to a pot.

Chef Binta: A Story of food and resilience

In West Africa, fonio farming is more than just agriculture, it’s a symbol of resilience and cultural heritage. Chef Binta, an award-winning chef and advocate for nomadic cuisine, is empowering women farmers by promoting this ancient grain. Through the Fulani Kitchen Foundation and support from FAO, she is helping communities enhance food security and shape a sustainable future while celebrating culinary traditions.

Latest Audio from UN News

The United Nations in Pictures

Images from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.

A group of people carrying large bags of food on their heads.
Photo:WFP/Benjamin Anguandia

Five hunger hotspots where famine is looming 

Impoverished communities in Palestine (Gaza), Haiti, Mali, South Sudan and Sudan are at risk of famine or already facing catastrophic conditions of acute food insecurity at IPC Phase 5 – the most life-threatening level on the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification – according to the latest UN Hunger Hotspots report. Published jointly twice a year by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the report confirms deepening crises in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Syria, Yemen and – in a new entry to the list – Nigeria, another country where critical emergency food assistance has faced unprecedented cuts. 

A natural landscape in Lebanon with several dark purple flowers growing in the foreground.
Photo:UNDP Lebanon

Healthy Land Is Everyone’s Business

Every year, the world loses at least 100 million hectares of healthy land — a swath the size of Egypt, becoming unable to support people, animals and plants. As soil turns to dust and vegetation withers, the ripple effects are massive: 1.3 billion people see their livelihoods threatened and the global economy loses an estimated US$878 billion annually, nearly 2% of what we produce in a year. Restoring health to soils and life to land is one of the smartest economic moves we can make. By restoring one billion hectares of degraded land (the current global target), we could unlock up to $1.8 trillion in value every year for people around the world. And the return on investment goes beyond economic gains.

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