A group of students raising their hands in a big auditorium.
Éducation, UNESCO

Education empowers individuals to understand technological advances

The 2025 International Day of Education, themed “AI and Education: Preserving Human Agency in a World of Automation,” promotes reflection on how education allows individuals and communities to understand and navigate technological advances. As computer and AI-driven systems become more sophisticated, the distinction between human intent and machine-driven action often becomes unclear. This raises important questions about maintaining, redefining, and ideally enhancing human agency in an era of rapid technological change. Today, the UN is holding two events to mark the day (Paris and New York).

AI’s application in learning contexts needs to be guided by the principles of inclusion and equity.
Photo:© UNESCO / C. Alix
Razan (11) lost her mother, Father and her three brothers during the ongoing escalation of hostilities in the Gaza Strip. After a house next to hers was bombed, Razan’s left leg was seriously injured, and doctors were forced to amputate it due to the la…

‘We must be there for them now,’ says UN relief chief, highlighting plight of Gaza’s children

23 January 2025 — In a rare moment of cautious optimism, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher addressed the Security Council on the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza on Thursday,...

Warm clothes are distributed to families in Khan Younis, Gaza.

Middle East crisis: Updates for 23 January, UN relief chief says ‘we can save more lives’ if Gaza ceasefire holds

23 January 2025 — The Security Council met on Thursday afternoon in New York to discuss the life-threatening dangers faced by Palestinian children – thousands of whom have been killed during the...

Young women in Afghanistan are prevented from going to school.

Afghanistan: ICC seeks arrest warrants for Taliban leaders over gender-based persecution

23 January 2025 — The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken an historic step towards addressing the “unacceptable” systemic repression of Afghan women, girls and LGBTQI+ individuals by the...

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.

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.

SDG7 - affordable and clean energy

Goal of the month

 
Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

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.

The crew of the Ocean Viking, a ship operated by SOS Méditerranée, a European humanitarian organisation dedicated to maritime rescue in the Mediterranean. Human Rights, OHCHR

Promoting a more integrative, compassionate approach to migration

Many migrants and refugees are forced to flee their homes due to complex issues, facing violations of both civil and political rights, such as arbitrary detention and torture, as well as economic and social rights. Discriminatory laws and xenophobia often drive these violations and persist in host countries. The Ocean Viking is a search and rescue vessel for migrants in the Central Mediterranean operated by SOS Méditerranée, a humanitarian organization responding to the shipwreck crisis in the region. Rebecca, a midwife on the Ocean Viking emphasizes that the situation has become so politicized that people on the move are often seen as problems rather than individuals, leading to their dehumanization.

A displaced man faces the camera outside an informal settlement in Mozambique. Climate Change, UNHCR

Mozambique's triple crisis: climate change, conflict and political instability

Post-election unrest since October has forced thousands of Mozambicans and refugees to flee their homes. Additional displacement and misery have come in the wake of Cyclone Chido and Cyclone Dikeledi, which have left trails of destruction across the north of the country since December. Repeated climate shocks like these have added to the suffering of vulnerable populations, including people already displaced by the ongoing armed conflict in northern Cabo Delgado Province. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) describes this triple crisis based on climate change, conflict and political unrest.

A group of men pushing a car on a muddy surface. Agriculture and Food, FAO

Adventures in statistics: collecting agricultural statistics is worthwhile

Two four-wheel drive vehicles come to a halt on a muddy highway southeast of Monrovia, Liberia. The team of five dressed in fluorescent yellow jackets, comprising statisticians from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS), sets out on foot to reach their survey sites. LISGIS team leader Anthony Dymacole notes that accessibility is a major challenge for their work, alongside security roadblocks, flooded bridges, and wildlife encounters. Their efforts support the 50x2030 initiative, which aims to conduct agricultural statistical surveys in 50 countries by the next decade. This initiative emphasizes the critical role of agriculture in generating revenue and employment in low- and middle-income countries.

Protection of Civilians, UNFPA

Silent struggles of Gaza’s adolescent girls

Adolescent girls in Gaza face overwhelming challenges, including displacement, trauma, and a lack of basic resources, but initiatives offering psychosocial support and education provide hope for their recovery and future.

Science and Technology, UNEP

Drought forecasting for farmers

Saint Kitts and Nevis launches drought forecasting system to help farmers adapt to climate change and ensure food security.

Economic Development, UNCTAD

Global FDI growth faces challenges

Foreign direct investment (FDI) rose 11% globally in 2024, but excluding conduit economies, it fell 8%, signaling shifts in economic dynamics and persistent uncertainties.

Migrants, Peace and Security, IOM

A crisis within a crisis

Haiti, grappling with gang violence, economic collapse, and political instability, faces a severe humanitarian crisis, worsened by the influx of deported families and limited resources.

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.

Eliminating Trachoma in Bolivia’s indigenous communities

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Global Affairs Canada (GAC) have partnered to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem in the Americas, with efforts running from 2023 to 2027. 

In Bolivia, rapid trachoma assessments are being conducted in the Amazon basin, Chaco, and Cochabamba Tropics, where teams travel by river and on foot through dense jungles to reach indigenous communities.

Logone Birni flood response

In 2024, FAO, with support from partners, helped flood-affected communities in Logone Birni by building dykes, creating risk management plans, and providing monetary aid. 

Tracing Coffee’s Journey

Using nuclear techniques, the IAEA and FAO help countries trace coffee's journey from plant to cup, ensuring quality and authenticity.

UN Podcasts

Carmen holds a microphone at a stage, and as she speaks, a woman is seen seated behind her intently listening.

The battle to protect children from online abuse (AAN: S10-E6)

"[T]his is another place where the UN can play a role in bringing that public private connectivity together"

Carmen Corbin dreamt of serving with the United Nations from an early age. Now head of Transnational Organized Crime, Illicit Trafficking and Terrorism Prevention programmes at the Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in East Africa, she is dedicated to protecting children from shocking online exploitation.

“We won't know who is real and who is not real. We can't keep up. All of us, in some way, shape or form, will potentially suffer from the fact that we won't be able to trust anyone that we meet, because you're never sure if that person is truly who they say they are.”

The UNODC supports law enforcement efforts in tackling all transnational organized crime and counter terrorism, including cybercrime. In this episode, Carmen reflects on the challenges of overseeing a wide portfolio, on the psychological strain of prosecuting the worst kinds of cybercrimes and shares her advice for a successful international career.

Photo: ©Glory Ndaka

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.

Close-up of a child hugging a person.
Photo:©UNICEF/UNI607290/Ahmed

Generational crisis looms in Sudan

The situation in Sudan is devastating, marked by horrific violence and massive displacement. Amid this crisis, a looming nutrition disaster threatens future generations. Over 20 months of conflict have led to soaring malnutrition rates, with approximately 3.2 million children under five at risk of acute malnutrition by 2025 and over 770,000 expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition. Children facing this condition are vulnerable to developmental issues, diseases, and even death. The nutrition crisis is exacerbated by disease outbreaks, declining access to health services, and unprecedented displacement. In response, UNICEF is rapidly scaling up its nutrition efforts to combat the heightened risk of famine.

A football player with an amputated leg on crutches jumps a fence.
Photo:UNDP Ukraine/Reporters/Danylo pavlov

Hope For an Equitable Future After 2024

A lot happened in 2024, and not all of it was good. Wars continued, protracted conflicts sprung back to life, disasters struck and people took to the streets to protest for better governance, women’s rights and climate action. The United Nations Development Programme in Eurasia has a lot of work to do to put the world on track for a future that works for all. This means valuing the interdependent needs of humans, animals and nature, and keeping all the options open – environmental, economic, social – for current and future generations to flourish. As we look back to 2024 and forward to the next year, we have some New Year’s resolutions to guide our path, building on the good work and successes we’ve seen across Eurasia.

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