A group of women working at sorghum crops wait upon the arrival of a United Nations convoy near the village of Sabon Machi, Maradi region, Niger.
Natural Resources and the Environment

COP16’s last day: all eyes are on us

On the final day of COP16 in Riyadh, the UN Conference on Desertification, global leaders are finalizing the negotiations for a global resilience regime to combat the impacts of drought, which have risen 29% since 2000. The latest UN report on financing calls for $2.6 trillion by 2030 to restore over 1 billion hectares of degraded land and build resilience. With 40% of the world’s land degraded, impacting 3.2 billion people—especially women, youth, and smallholder farmers—the negotiations seek to secure commitments for proactive drought resilience amid ongoing funding shortfalls.

In Niger, as in many other parts of the Sahel, climate shocks have resulted in recurring droughts with devastating impacts on the region's already vulnerable populations.
Photo:©FAO/IFAD/WFP/Luis Tato
Women and girls, in particular, have seen rights and freedoms eroded since 2021.

Taliban’s pursuit of ‘Islamic vision’ eroding freedoms in Afghanistan: Security Council

12 December 2024 — The Taliban’s continued imposition of strict interpretations of Islamic law and Afghan culture has resulted in unprecedented restrictions on women and girls, the UN envoy for...

Children arrive with their families at a reception centre in Ar-Raqqa city, Syria.

Syria: Prioritise search for the missing, justice for victims

12 December 2024 — The international community owes it to the Syrian people “to listen, to act and to work tirelessly” so the crimes of the deposed Assad regime can never happen again, the top UN...

Across Gaza families continue to face dire conditions and are repeatedly displaced by ongoing attacks.

Middle East crisis: Live updates for 11 December as General Assembly backs UNRWA and demands immediate Gaza ceasefire

11 December 2024 — The General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted two resolutions, demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and calling on Israel to drop its ban on the UN agency for Palestine refugees, UNRWA,...

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.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Goal of the month

 

Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities

Reduce inequality within and among countries

 

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.

Photomontage of people of different ages. Human Rights, Social Development

Rights are the answer; it's up to us to act.

Human rights are fundamental to our values, encompassing the right to life, freedom, equality, health, education, work, and a sustainable environment. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a roadmap for building a peaceful world. Evidence shows that nations that protect human rights are less vulnerable to conflict and crises, while those that respect these rights are more resilient to challenges like pandemics and climate change. Embedding human rights into development reduces poverty and inequality, benefiting both communities and businesses.

Image of a girl walking down the street surrounded by bubbles. Human Rights, Children, OHCHR

Street changemakers advocating for children's rights

A typical day for Priya, 17, and Rani, 18, in Kolkata, India, begins early with the sounds of bustling streets. They clear their sleeping spots, which are protected by plastic sheets. Both girls study in Class 11 at different schools and spend their afternoons with friends, watching over their younger siblings while playing in the street. Despite the challenges faced by street-connected children, Priya and Rani attend private schools, funded by their families and a supporting NGO. They share their education with peers who lack access to schooling.  The Child in Need Institute (CINI) has empowered them to be leaders, naming them "Street Champions." They advocate for children's rights in their community and beyond.

Image of a faceless woman knitting a garment. Economic Development, FAO

The fusion of heritage and fashion as a driver of economic and social change

In Magdalena Milpas Altas, Guatemala, Marla Chanta, a 45-year-old artisan, creates opportunities for her family and community. Initially expected to focus on household duties, she embraced traditional craftsmanship, joining Wakami—a social enterprise empowering rural women through sustainable business and education. Founded by Maria Pacheco 20 years ago, Wakami helps women like Marla generate income through handcrafted goods, aiming to improve their lives and protect the environment. In 2023, the Mountain Partnership of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) partnered with Wakami connecting women artisans' cultural heritage with contemporary design. In 2024, Italian designer Vivia Ferragamo collaborated with Wakami to create a collection reflecting local traditions and culture.

SDG 12: Sustainable Consumption and Production, UNESCO

Promoting sustainable food practices

Mauro Colagreco, a Michelin-starred chef and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, launches 'Seeds for the Future' at COP16 to promote sustainable food practices and education.

Women and Gender Equality, World Bank

Why women matter in irrigation

Closing the gender gap in irrigation through policy reforms, leadership opportunities, and equal access to resources is key to improving agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Refugees, Torture and Other Cruel Treatment, UNHCR

Fighting gender violence

Aminata Soucko, a survivor of Female Genital Mutilation and abuse, founded Red Aminata to empower and support survivors.

Agriculture and Food, Economic Development, IFAD

Boosting rural incomes through marketing

With IFAD's support, rural farmers in North Africa and the Middle East are improving their marketing skills, boosting incomes, and gaining recognition for their high-quality products.

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.

Did you know?

As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone.

Watch and Listen

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

Champions of the Earth - UNEP 2024

Every year since 2005, UNEP honours individuals and organizations working on innovative and sustainable solutions to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.  

In 2024, UNEP honours six bold environmental leaders working on innovative and sustainable solutions to restore land, enhance drought resilience, and combat desertification.

Ensuring ethical AI inclusion

UNESCO explores it's policy brief on data-invisible groups, highlighting challenges in AI deployment, algorithmic bias, and the need for ethical, inclusive practices.

Bridging tradition and sustainability

Fashion for Fragile Ecosystems combines traditional craftsmanship with ethical fashion to promote cultural heritage and protect mountain environments.

UN Podcasts

Laura with a panel at a library talk

Victim of a Senseless Crime - Laura Dolci

Just days before, she recalled, “he kissed us goodbye, and I remember telling him in my joking way: ‘Be sure you come back.’”

UN official Laura Dolci was feeding her baby son when she heard the devastating news that her husband Jean-Sélim Kanaan had been killed in a suicide bomb attack on the UN Headquarters in Baghdad, Iraq. It was August 19, 2003: the darkest day in UN history, and the darkest day in her life.

Working through tremendous trauma, Laura Dolci became a fierce advocate for terrorism victims – calling for recognition and support to those affected by what she calls a senseless crime. At the United Nations, she is now a distinguished leader in international human rights. 

In this episode, Laura reflects on the meaning of the term resilience, on her late husband’s legacy, and on her hopes for their son.

“One of the first things I had to tell [my son] was, ‘Your father was killed.’ … The weight of that word in a family is big. How do you make sure that the next generation can still believe in justice, in mediation, in respect, in resolving tensions and conflicts?”

Photo: ©Laura Dolci’s personal archives

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 woman raises a raised fist and holds up a banner demanding justice at a demonstration against racism.
Photo:UN/Evan Schneider

A Blueprint for Human Rights

Few documents have had as profound and enduring an impact on global governance as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. So central to the mission of the United Nations that the declaration is sealed, alongside the UN Charter, in the cornerstone of the UN Headquarters in New York City. The declaration is not just a set of principles but a living framework that informs the UN’s work at every level, it is both a blueprint and a call to action. Its resonance extends beyond its 30 articles, shaping such landmark treaties as the Convention on the Rights of the Child and international laws that safeguard the rights of asylum seekers, refugees and the stateless.

A woman holding a child in her arms in the air.
Photo:UNFPA Egypt/Roger Anis

Ending female genital mutilation in Egypt it's everyone's business

Tradition, chastity, and marriageability are some of the reasons often cited for the prevalence of female genital mutilation among women and girls in Egypt. However, the real driving forces behind this harmful practice are gender bias, misogyny, and inequality. Meet several individuals—including grandmothers, fathers, farmers, teachers, and shopkeepers—who have recognized female genital mutilation as a form of gender-based violence and have committed to putting an end to it. Read on to discover how these people have become catalysts for change within their communities.

Main Bodies

Departments / Offices

Resources / Services

Key Documents

News and Media

Issues / Campaigns