A nurse measuring the arm circumference of a malnourished child.
ILO, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The care economy is crucial for the future of decent work

Care work, both paid and unpaid, is crucial to the future of decent work. Growing populations, ageing societies, changing families, women’s secondary status in labour markets and shortcomings in social policies demand urgent action on the organization of care work from governments, employers, trade unions and individual citizens. The care economy is growing as the demand for childcare and care for the elderly is increasing in all regions. With the global demand for domestic workers likely to grow, the International Labour Organization steps up action to ensure they have access to decent work.

A nurse measures the arm of a severely malnourished child at a clinic for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in North Darfur.
Photo:UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran
UN Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the media in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Situation in Gaza ‘growing more desperate by the hour’, says UN chief Guterres

29 October 2023 — UN Secretary-General António Guterres began his official visit to Nepal by extending deep condolences to the families of the 10 Nepalese students killed in the terror attacks by...

A worker unloads ready-to-eat rations from a truck close to Alexandria, Egypt, in preparation for delivery to Gaza.

Thousands in Gaza storm UN warehouses; a sign of desperation after weeks-long ‘siege’

29 October 2023 — Relief agencies warned on Sunday that civil order is starting to break down in Gaza after thousands of desperate people stormed UN-operated warehouses and other aid distribution...

The bombing of the Gaza Strip is continuing.

Amid ‘unprecedented escalation’ in Gaza, UN calls for immediate humanitarian ceasefire

28 October 2023 — The United Nations on Saturday ramped up appeals for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza after another night of ground incursions and intense bombardment by Israeli forces left...

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.

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.

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.

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.

Drawing of a green and resilient city. UN-Habitat, SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

Financing a sustainable urban future for all

When planned responsibly and based on sound cost/benefit analysis, and when supported by adequate regulations, the financing and development of infrastructure can be used as an engine for the development of institutions, policies, and capacities at all levels and across all sectors of governance. Urban planning is crucial in preparing for the orderly expansion of cities, guiding investment, preparing land subdivisions, and installing skeletal infrastructure before undertaking building projects. On World Cities Day (31 October) let’s finance a sustainable future for everyone.

A man unloading food rations from a truck in Egypt. Humanitarian Aid, Palestine

Urgent access to Gaza is required

The World Food Programme has recently stockpiled 310 metric tons of food at the Gaza border, which is ready to be dispatched to the people in dire need. Despite immense challenges, WFP has been providing food and cash assistance to over 522,000 Palestinians since the beginning of the current crisis, and it continues to reach out to more people every day. Nearly one-third of the population of Palestine -1.84 million people- are food insecure. The humanitarian organization aims to provide a vital food lifeline to 805,000 people over the next 30 days in Gaza and the West Bank, subject to the conditions, bringing food, water, and other essential supplies.

A man looking at several border surveillance monitors. OHCHR, Migrants

Digital technologies at borders: a threat to people on the move

Technologies can be used for good by providing migrants with the ability to stay connected to their families and communities and to make complaints about chronic abuses. However, a new study from OHCHR reveals technologies can also harm human rights during the migration processes, with no real safeguards put in place. The report exposes multiple harms linked to the use of digital technologies in the management of borders, such as biometric recognition tools and massive interoperable databases, often linking information across government sectors and deployed in insecure ways. Emotion detection systems are also being used to justify migration decisions, leading to biased and discriminatory practices.

Fatmata Binta Jalloh training rural women and men.
FAO, Agriculture and Food, Women and Gender Equality

Sierra Leona: Fostering inclusive decision-making

Fatmata Binta Jalloh is a gender and youth expert working with Sierra Leone's Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. She helps rural women by providing them with access to technical training, inputs, and other opportunities to help them maximize their agricultural activities. Fatmata, along with Foday Kamara, the director of a local NGO that supports youth and women's empowerment, took part in a project implemented jointly by the FAO and the NGO Solidaridad. The programme aimed to equip both women and men with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the agricultural sector, while also strengthening the position of rural women and enabling them to participate in decision-making processes.

UNOPS, Economic Development

Empowering African rural women

UNOPS is increasing access to educational and training opportunities, income-generating activities, gender-sensitive health services and safe drinking water for women living in rural areas across Africa.

Humanitarian Aid, UNCTAD

Another bad year for the Palestine economy

Against a backdrop of heightened political tensions, the Palestine economy continues to operate below potential, rendering the population in dire need of humanitarian assistance, according to UNCTAD's latest report.

Women and Gender Equality, IOM

Female cross-border traders find solidarity

To mitigate the risk of gender-based violence while trading, Rwandese women have found welcome relief from the construction of a one-stop border post initiative by IOM and partners.

Climate Change, UNEP

Bracing for hurricane season

As climate change feeds increasingly frequent hurricanes in the Caribbean, UNEP has implemented a revolving loans programme. This will facilitate low-interest loans to Antigua and Barbuda residents for hurricane-proofing their homes.

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.

Gaza under attack

With bombs raining down on hospitals and United Nations shelters, the people of #Gaza have nowhere safe to go. In Gaza, 50,000 women are currently pregnant. Almost 160 women will give birth every day amid the violence. UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire. 

Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship

The Reham al-Farra Memorial Journalism Fellowship (RAF), mandated by the UN General Assembly resolution in 1980,  offered a unique opportunity for 12 young journalists from developing countries and countries with economies in transition to cover the opening of the 78th session of the UNGA. 

Deploying to the frontlines for peace

Lt. Esinam Baah takes us through her trials and triumps as a woman peacekeeper with United Nations in Lebanon. She is one of 173 women deploying to UNIFIL as part of Ghana's military contingent. 

UN Podcasts

A robotic hand and a human hand in the middle of the letters AI.

Advantages and disadvantages of AI for jobs

There is much discussion of the effects Generative AI will have on job creation and destruction, but just as important is the effect it will have on the quality of jobs – decent work – and which countries and sectors will feel the effects most. A new ILO research paper suggests that its impact on the augmentation of jobs is at least as important as the automation of tasks. However, it also implies that, without the right policies, AI could deepen existing inequalities between genders and the richest and poorest. Find out more in this episode of ILO's Future of Work Podcast.

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.

Aerial view of the impact of the floods in Libya.
Photo:UNDP/Shutterstock

A race against time to rebuild Libya after floods

Storm Daniel hit Libya on 10 September 2023, causing floods that killed over 4,300 people with twice as many still unaccounted for. Over 43,000 people have been displaced and are in urgent need of food, clean water, shelter, healthcare, and financial support. The floodwaters have also exposed landmines and unexploded ordnance, posing a threat of disease. UNDP is working with local authorities in Benghazi to accelerate the rebuilding process and offer an environmentally sustainable recovery that engages Libyans and provides livelihood opportunities.

A grief-stricken woman in the rubble from the recent earthquake in Afghanistan.
Photo:WFP/Hasib Hazinyar

Afghans face a difficult winter while rebuilding the country

After the recent earthquakes in Afghanistan, WFP has already reached nearly 34,000 survivors with emergency food assistance, which they began distributing within hours after the first quakes struck. The UN agency plans to deliver food and cash assistance to more than 100,000 people over the next three to seven months - and roll out longer-term resilience programmes to help them rebuild their livelihoods. WFP urgently needs US$18.8 million so that Afghanistan’s earthquake survivors can eat and rebuild from the country’s latest disaster, and US$400 million to help the most vulnerable survive harsh weather.

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