Scene from UN Headquarters in New York.
Multilateral System, United Nations Organization

Why a strong multilateral system matters

In today's increasingly interconnected world, multilateralism is essential for tackling complex global issues such as peace, security, climate change, sustainable development, and human rights. The importance of multilateralism cannot be overstated; it is essential for fostering dialogue, building trust, and addressing shared global issues. As the world accelerates efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, a strong multilateral system is crucial for navigating the complexities of international relations and securing a more peaceful and prosperous future for all nations.

A view of the Secretariat building with flags of Member States in the foreground.
Photo:UN Photo/Manuel Elías
Women in Gaza queue at a food distribution point.

‘Enough death and destruction’: Gazans hope for ceasefire and a better future

16 January 2025 — In the wake of Wednesday’s announcement of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas due to come into effect on Sunday, displaced Gazans – ground down by 15 months of devastating...

A malnourished child receives medical treatment in Haiti.

WHO launches $1.5 billion appeal to tackle global health crises

16 January 2025 — The world is facing an extraordinary convergence of crises that has left 305 million people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance. 

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A woman stands outside her bomb-damaged home in Kharkiv, Ukraine.

UN stands with Ukrainians for the long-term, insists UN aid chief

16 January 2025 — The embattled people of Ukraine and those forced abroad need $3.32 billion in lifesaving and sustained humanitarian assistance to help them cope as a fourth year of war looms...

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.

A group of people in a garden listen to the instructions of a UNDP staff member. Social Development, UNDP

5 Ways AI Can Help Respond to Crises Around the World

We live in turbulent times, with violent conflicts at their highest since World War Two and increasing climate disasters challenging global response efforts. Rapid responses can save lives and shorten recovery times, allowing communities to return to normalcy sooner. Artificial intelligence and digitalization are transforming crisis response. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is using these technologies to provide faster and smarter support for those affected by crises. Here’s how UNDP is currently using AI and our vision for future applications in crisis response.

A father sitting on a sofa hugs his two daughters. Human Rights, UNFPA

In Egypt, men and boys take a stand against female genital mutilation

Georgi Wahba, 53, a prominent advocate against female genital mutilation (FGM) in Upper Egypt, highlights the widespread nature of the practice despite it being outlawed. In his village, 96% of ever-married women aged 15 to 49 have undergone FGM. Wahba organizes sessions as part of the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) ‘Generation Dialogues’ project, which aims to change harmful practices by involving families in discussions about social norms. Funded by Norway, the initiative has engaged over 350 community members, training them to communicate effectively about FGM. Wahba emphasizes the importance of individual understanding and encourages community members to think critically about longstanding customs.

A whole jackfruit and a sliced jackfruit are placed on a table. Agriculture and Food, FAO

A jack of all fruits

Khadiga Khanom from Gazipur, Bangladesh, never considered jackfruit significant until she attended workshops on processing various jackfruit products. Inspired by the training provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), she started her own business, creating a range of goods such as pickles, jam, burgers, cakes, pizzas, and even plant-based leather. Now processing about 100 kilograms of jackfruit daily with five employees, she earns approximately $400 a month, which helps support her family and allows her to save for business expansion. Jackfruit, Bangladesh's national fruit and a symbol of abundance, has become a pivotal part of her life through the FAO's One Country One Priority Product initiative.

Natural Resources and the Environment, UNEP

Thawing Arctic ice threat

Thawing Arctic permafrost, accelerated by climate change, could release dormant, deadly microbes and pathogens, posing a growing threat to both human health and the environment.

Food Aid, WFP

Gaza ceasefire: Urgent funds needed

The World Food Programme urges the international community to increase funding and support a full-scale humanitarian response to address the urgent food security needs of over 2 million people in Gaza.

Economic Development, ILO

Empowering women through manufacturing

Linda Ampah's journey from a small home workshop to leading a successful garment manufacturing business has empowered hundreds of women, improving productivity, safety, and social policies in the workplace.

Humanitarian Aid, UNOPS

Kharkiv's resilient recovery

Despite ongoing threats, Kharkiv, Ukraine is gradually recovering with international aid, as a project funded by Japan and implemented by United Nations Office for Project Services repairs homes, offering hope and stability to displaced residents.

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.

How much do we actually know about the ocean?

Understanding the ocean is critical for protecting our climate, sustaining biodiversity, and supporting the livelihoods of over 3 billion people.

Three-quarters of seafloor remains unmapped, and hundreds of thousands of marine species are yet to be identified, reminding us that the ocean is one of the least understood parts of our planet. Over 600 scientific initiatives across the globe are deepening our understanding of this vital system and safeguard its future. 

Strengthening food safety

FAO highlights the EU-funded project’s efforts to strengthen food safety and plant health systems in 12 African Union countries, emphasizing its positive impact on public health, trade, and economic development.

Second global conference on air pollution and health

WHO's Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, with pre- and post-conference sessions, scheduled for 24 and 28 March 2025, will focus on health solutions and climate change combat.

UN Podcasts

Celeste studies glacier indicator instruments in Antarctica with others

How to save humanity from climate breakdown (AAN: S10-E5)

“We can see how many people are suffering…We can see that people are running out of food, are running out of water, and the real narrative is that this will affect everyone sooner or later.”

Celeste Saulo has always been fascinated by the weather. Now Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), she is seeing climate breakdown warp global weather systems beyond recognition, with devastating impacts on countless lives and livelihoods.

“We want to save lives. We need these early warnings to reach everyone on Earth.”

The UN Secretary-General has issued a red alert for the planet after a full decade of record-breaking heat driven by human activity. In this episode of Awake at Night, Celeste reflects on our shared responsibility to future generations, on an emotional meeting with Pope Francis, and on why she can never give up hope.

“If you work with youth, you need to have hope, because for me, it's not fair not having hope… We need to work along the lines we believe are better opportunities for them, and we need to engage them, and I would say, to follow them.”

Photo: ©WMO

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.

People walk in front of a destroyed building after the hostilities in September 2024 in Lebanon.
Photo:UNICEF/Ramzi Haidar

From loss to purpose

The conflict in Lebanon, which began on 8 October 2023, took a devastating turn as it escalated between September and November 2024, marking the darkest and most destructive period since the 2006 war - leaving no life untouched and no home unscarred. Entire areas were emptied as relentless Israeli bombardments and sweeping displacement orders forced hundreds of thousands of people to flee overnight. More than 1.2 million people - including humanitarians - were uprooted in South Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley, and Beirut’s southern suburbs, leaving behind lives, homes, and communities. For humanitarians, September 2024 became a turning point, marked by pain and courage. Despite being among the affected, they aided people in need. Some were killed alongside their families. Others were forced to leave their homes, haunted by fear and grief, mourning colleagues, friends, and loved ones.

View of 6 hectares of lost mangrove shoreline after the impact of Hurricane Beryl.
Photo:IOM/Gema Cortes

Winds of Climate Change: Displacement in the Caribbean

As the sun sets over the Caribbean, Union Island's mangrove ecosystems tell a stark story of climate change's impact. Hurricane Beryl, the earliest recorded Category Five hurricane in the Atlantic, has devastated the region, displacing thousands and plunging communities into despair. Union Island, which hosts the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Grenadines, has seen 90 percent of these vital coastal forests damaged. Kristy Shortte has worked tirelessly with Sustainable Grenadines Inc. to restore this habitat, crucial for marine life and as a buffer against storms. The loss of six hectares of mangroves threatens biodiversity, home to over 25 species of birds and rare green turtles. Despite contributing less than one percent to global emissions, Caribbean communities face significant climate disruptions, leading to increased displacement as they seek safer ground.

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