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United Nations Organization

United Nations Global Issues

As the world’s only truly global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country alone. To its initial goals of safeguarding peace, protecting human rights, establishing the framework for international justice and promoting economic and social progress, the UN continues to add on new challenges, such as AIDS, big data and climate change. United Nations Global Issues include many of the issues the Organization, along with its specialized agencies, tackles to improve people’s lives.

Climate change is one of the major challenges of our time - from shifting weather patterns, to rising sea levels, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale.
Photo:The World Bank/Vincent Tremeau
An aerial view of Johannesburg, South Africa.

At BRICS Summit, Guterres global unity call in face of ‘existential’ challenges

23 August 2023 — The UN chief on Thursday underscored the urgent need for unity and justice to tackle humanity’s pressing challenges, which range from the climate crisis to economic disparities...

A slavery memorial in Stone Town, Zanzibar, Tanzania.

Abolish ‘human exploitation’ once and for all, UNESCO chief urges

23 August 2023 — Commemorating the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition on Wednesday, the head of the UN’s education, science and culture agency UNESCO,...

Water treated at a wastewater treatment plant in Jakarta, Indonesia, being discharged into a river.

Don’t let wastewater opportunities flow down the drain

23 August 2023 — Wastewater, long seen as an environmental and health hazard, possesses untapped potential as an alternative energy and clean water source to offset fertilizer use, the UN...

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.

Act Now

ActNow Campaign

ActNow is the United Nations campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs can improve life for all of us and everyone can join the global movement for change. To log your actions,download the app.

children holding up books

SDG Book Club

Reading and learning are essential to children’s growth and development; stories can fuel their imagination and raise awareness of new possibilities. The SDG Book Club aims to encourage them to learn about the Goals in a fun, engaging way, empowering them to make a difference.

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.

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

Goal of the Month

 

Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

 

More about the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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United Nations

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

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

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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.

World Humanitarian Day 2023

Around the world, humanitarians work tirelessly to save lives and bring hope to people in need. As crises multiply, it is unacceptable that humanitarians are being forced to reduce aid to millions of people in need. Humanitarianism itself is now under attack. On this World Humanitarian Day, we salute the courage and dedication of humanitarian aid workers everywhere. 

Botswana Gay activist victorious in decriminalising homosexuality

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a milestone document in the history of human rights, was drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world. Article 2 of the declaration states: "Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status".

Communities in Chad host families escaping conflict in Sudan

Over 50 people who fled conflict in Sudan have found shelter in Fatna Hamid’s home. Many Chadians like Fatna are opening their doors to Sudanese refugees arriving in Chad. Over 320,000 refugees have crossed into the country’s east since conflict began in April. Information for media form UNHCR.

UN Podcasts

A photo collage of two women talking with each other

WHO: Protect yourself from extreme heat

As parts of the world experience record breaking temperatures, learn how heat harms us, who is at risk and what you can do to protect yourself. Dr Joy Shumake-Guillemot explains in Science in 5. Science in 5 is WHO's conversation in science.

Photo Credit: ©WHO 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.

a farmer digs half-moons in a very arid terrain
Photo:WFP / Michael Teweld

Rethinking food systems in East Africa amid crises

Uganda is often described as Africa’s breadbasket, but it still faces a multipronged challenge in eradicating hunger. Floods earlier this year followed a prolonged drought, while global supply disruptions increased prices for imported foods. Traditional humanitarian assistance “cannot keep pace” with today’s soaring and complex hunger demands without simultaneously addressing their root causes, says WFP East Africa Senior Advisor Sibi Lawson-Marriott. She specializes in food systems and issues of climate action, resilience building and women’s empowerment. “We need a new approach”.

A woman and a smiling girl sit on a mattress on the ground.
Photo:UNOCHA / Vincent Tremeau

Lost in paradise

El Paraíso – or “Paradise” in English – a once-tranquil Honduran department close to Nicaragua has seen the arrival of an unprecedented number of migrants en route to North America. Between 2010 and 2021, just under 2,000 migrants made the crossing. But in 2022, that number ballooned to 141,290 – more than 70 times as many migrants as in the previous 11 years combined. More than 229,100 migrants have already crossed into El Paraíso in the first half of this year. UN Humanitarian reports on the work of the Honduras government, UNICEF and other organizations assisting refugees.

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