A woman holds a girl while walking in a hips-height flooded street
Climate Change, WMO

Early warning and early action

Weather, climate and water extremes are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of climate change.  Impact-based forecasts that inform the public of what the weather will do are vital to save lives and livelihoods. Yet one in three people are still not adequately covered by early warning systems. Greater coordination between hydrometeorological services and disaster management authorities is fundamental. This World Meteorological Day (23 March) spotlights the vital importance of Hydrometeorological and Climate Information for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Jakarta, Indonesia, suffers constant severe floods as high as 50-150 centimeters, like the one in Cipinang Melayu Village in 2017.
Photo:Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan (HAS)
Girls at school in Herat, Afghanistan.

Taliban’s backtracking on girls’ education, ‘deeply damaging’

23 March 2022 — Following a U-turn over re-opening girls’ secondary schools in Afghanistan on Wednesday, the UN human rights chief shared her “profound frustration and disappointment” that six...

A young boy stands in front of a waterhole in a drought zone in Bangladesh.

UN weather agency to spearhead 5 year early warning plan, boosting climate action

23 March 2022 — The UN set an ambitious five year deadline on Wednesday for countries to ensure that citizens worldwide are protected by early warning systems against extreme weather and climate...

Ukrainians at Lviv train station prepare to leave their country.

Time to negotiate end to ‘unwinnable’ war in Ukraine, Guterres declares

22 March 2022 — It’s time for a diplomatic solution to be found to end Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, amidst signs of hope that progress can be made to end an “unwinnable” and “indefensible” war, ...

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

The ActNow campaign aims to trigger individual action on the defining issue of our time. People around the world have joined to make a difference in all facets of their lives, from the food they eat to the clothes they wear.

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 15: Life on Land

Goal of the month

 

Goal 15: Life on Land

Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

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.

Portrait of a boy holding a small dog. Peace and Security, Children, UNICEF

War in Ukraine poses immediate threat to children

The war in Ukraine poses an immediate and growing threat to the lives and well-being of the country’s 7.5 million children. Humanitarian needs are multiplying by the hour as fighting intensifies. Children continue to be killed, wounded and deeply traumatized by the devastating violence all around them. Families are terrified, in shock, and desperate for safety. UNICEF is working with partners to reach vulnerable children and families with essential services – including health, education, protection, water and sanitation – as well as life-saving supplies.

A man stops a series of blocks falling, stopping the domino effect Economic Development, World Bank

Developing economies must act now to dampen the shocks from the Ukraine conflict

The war in Ukraine could not have come at a worse time for the global economy—when the recovery from the pandemic-induced contraction had begun to falter. The World Bank explains how the Ukraine crisis could make it harder for many low- and middle-income economies to regain their footing.  Besides higher commodity prices, the fallout is likely to arrive through several other vectors, including trade shocks. Countries closest to the conflict-due to trade and other links-are likely to suffer the greatest immediate harm. But the effects could ripple far beyond.

A woman and a girl talk to two ladies in on a cot in an Arena Health, Refugees, UNFPA

Attending to the sexual and reproductive health needs of refugees from Ukraine

UNFPA has operated programmes in Ukraine since 1997 and in the Republic of Moldova since 1995. In addition to providing technical and programme advisory services to the neighbouring countries to the Ukraine that are receiving refugees, the agency is working to bring reproductive health equipment and supplies and mobile health teams providing sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence services to Ukraine. It continues to operate 10 shelters, eight crisis rooms and a support hotline for gender-based violence survivors.

A girl sits next to a WFP food sack.
Humanitarian Aid, WFP

Millions at risk in Yemen

31,000 people face famine-like conditions in Yemen – by June 161,000 people will be at risk. WFP, FAO and UNICEF together sound the alarm - as WFP calls for US$1.97 billion to save lives. 

Illustration of people waiting behind a checkpoint guarded by someone in military uniform.
Agriculture and Food, FAO

Knowledge keeps moving even when people cannot

FAO works to utilize local knowledge sharing networks to raise awareness on how people – food producers in particular – can protect themselves from COVID-19 while maintaining their livelihoods.

A snorkeler measures corals with a ruler underwater.
Natural Resources and the Environment, UNEP

Nominations open for environmental award

UNEP calls for nominations for the Champions of the Earth Award - the UN’s highest environmental honour - to recognize outstanding leaders their transformative impact on the environment.

A woman speaks on a mike on stage.
Art, Culture, UNESCO

Winners of ‘African folktales, reimagined’

After launching ‘African Folktales, Reimagined, the ground-breaking competition to find some of Sub-Saharan Africa’s up and coming filmmakers, Netflix and UNESCO announce the six winners.

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

The Middelgrunden Off Shore Windturbines located in the Øresund Straight separating Denmark and Sweden. UN Photo

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.

young children smiling at camera

UN75 | Our Common Agenda

The UN’s 75th anniversary in 2020 arrived at a time of great upheaval and peril. To secure a world where everyone can thrive in peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet we need a multilateral system that is inclusive, networked and effective. "Our Common Agenda" builds on the 12 commitments contained in the UN75 Declaration.

Watch and Listen

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

“We will keep moving forward”: nomadic pastoralists and COVID-19

Using resilience and ancestral knowledge to respond to the pandemic.

Under the banner of Pillar IV of FAO’s component of the Global Humanitarian Response Plan for COVID-19; “Ensuring food supply chain actors are not at risk of virus transmission”, the USAID-funded project "Supporting critical agricultural value chains in food crisis countries in the context of COVID-19” developed a range of products including a series of documentaries and animated films to facilitate documentation and dissemination of emerging COVID-19 sensitization responses in 11 focus countries. These products rely on qualitative data collection and beneficiary-level evidence gathering carried out during on-the-ground missions and can all be accessed on the KORE portal.

It’s not too late: Climate action for women, by women

We have one planet, one chance to save it – and women and girls are leading the charge.

Women and girls are disproportionately vulnerable to the growing impacts of climate change, yet they are also critical advocates, innovators and decision-makers at the forefront of global climate action and solutions. This International Women’s Day (8 March 2022), under the theme “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” UN Women recognises and celebrates the contributions of women and girls around the world to build a more sustainable and equal future for all. By championing climate action by women, for women, we can ensure that it’s not too late. Learn more about UN Women's #IWD2022

Imagining Syria - For 11 years, these children have only been able to dream of home

Almost an entire generation of Syrian children are growing up as refugees in neighbouring countries who have either never seen or have no memory of their homeland.

Information for media: If you would like to use this video to communicate refugee stories or require B-Roll, transcripts, stills or much more information, please visit UNHCR's media page.

UN Podcasts

A hand holds a yellow pill

Influencers encourage dangerous drug use: Narcotics board chief

Social media influencers are glamourizing the use of cannabis, heroin and other controlled substances, and governments and companies need to do more to stop these kinds of messages being spread on popular platforms, the head of a UN-backed drug control body warned on Thursday.

Jagjit Pavadia, the President of the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), spoke to Conor Lennon from UN News on the launch of the organization’s annual report, which also shows that many potentially harmful drugs are easily available online.

Ms. Pavadia began by outlining the scale of the problem, and the danger it poses, particularly to young people and children.

Audio Duration: 11'10"
Photo Credit: Unsplash/Sharon McCutcheon

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 fisherman catches crab in his net
Photo:©IOM

Less Catch, Less Cash

What used to be abundant to catch has become more difficult to come by and has pushed fisherfolk to set up their traps wider and farther from the shore.

Bantayan, a small coastal island in central Philippines, is home to approximately 3,000 people – around 80 per cent of them fisherfolk and the rest, farmers. In Bisaya, the local language, bantayan means to look closely. As its name implies, bantayan is a signal for everyone to pay attention. It is a reminder that the realities and consequences of the climate crisis go beyond the discomfort of unpredictable weather. Their voices are the warning the world needs to hear. More on how Climate Change is affecting fisherfolk in the Philippines.

A woman catching fish
Photo:©UNDP Sierra Leone/Mohamed Kanu

Women at the front of climate action

Climate change and gender inequalities are deeply connected in many ways.

A local fish seller from Sulima Township in Pujehun District displays her catch with excitement as she heard UNDP had procured 25 solar refrigerators for women fishmongers in her chiefdom. Environmental degradation caused by the climate crisis can exacerbate food and water insecurity, and amplify poverty and underlying inequalities. When climate-induced natural disasters happen, women and girls are more likely to suffer food insecurity and poverty, and have a higher risk of being exposed to violence. Gender considerations need to be at the centre of efforts to combat the climate crisis. See how these 9 countries are working towards gender-responsive climate policies.

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