A busy intersection in New York City with people, cars, bikes and buses travelling through it against a backdrop of shining sunlight.
Health

Road safety: lost talents

Every year, millions more road victims are added to the current toll of over 50 million killed and hundreds of millions injured since the first road death. When people are killed or severely injured in road traffic collisions, the world loses more than just individuals — it loses potential, ideas and future impact on society. They become lost talents. On World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims (16 November) we encourage all road safety stakeholders to honor those who have died on the world’s roads, advocate for better support for victims and bereaved families and promote action to save lives.

The WHO's 2018 road safety report says 1.35 million people die on roads each year. Road traffic injuries are now the leading killer of people aged 5-29.
Photo:Adobe Stock/deberarr
In Mali, solar panels are being used to provide electricity to communities for the first time.

‘When finance flows, ambition grows’: COP30’s call for action

15 November 2025 — In Belém, Brazil, as the world turns its eyes to the Amazon where COP30 has been underway for the past week, one question looms large: can climate finance move from pledge to...

Munduruku Indigenous Peoples protest at the UN Climate Conference in Belém, Brazil.

Indigenous protesters block COP30 entrance, demand action from Brazilian Government

14 November 2025 — Around 90 Indigenous people from the Munduruku Indigenous group staged a peaceful protest early Friday, blocking the main entrance to the Blue Zone – the restricted area set...

A child sits next to a stove in Tawila after his family fled El Fasher. They have faced “unimaginable horrors”, UN agencies report.

Sudan war: Aid teams plead for access to thousands trapped in El Fasher

14 November 2025 — Just how many people are still trapped in the Sudanese city of El Fasher? That’s the burning question for relatives of the many thousands of people believed to still be there,...

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

The Goals can improve life for all of us. Cleaner air. Safer cities. Equality. Better jobs. These issues matter to everyone. But progress is too slow. We have to act, urgently, to accelerate changes that add up to better lives on a healthier planet. Find new inspiring actions on the app and at un.org/actnow.

Act Now for a Peaceful World

Today, half the world is under 30, and this generation is a powerful force for peace. The UN "Hear Us. Act Now for a Peaceful World" campaign, launched on the International Day of Peace, aims to include, invest in, and partner with young people to build lasting peace. 

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 Goal 13: Climate Action

Goal of the Month

 
Climate Action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

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 rectangular, dark brown card, tilted slightly to the right, bearing the words: 'Only one planet in the known universe can support life: Earth”. Climate Change, UNDP

Climate Counts

Climate change is impacting every aspect of our lives. Yet sometimes it can feel abstract or difficult to grasp. Numbers can help make it concrete. They give us a way to see the scale of the problem, the urgency of action and the promise of solutions. Climate Counts invites people around the world to explore 30 facts about the climate crisis that explain the urgency of action and the promise of solutions, while combating disinformation. From 1 to 30, each number highlights a powerful fact paired with an eye-catching visual, drawing attention to key areas – from energy, adaptation and finance to nature, gender, health and justice.

A woman sitting on the ground in a rural landscape with dry soil in the foreground, facing away from the camera. Water, World Bank

Securing fresh water for a livable planet

As the planet weeps for its dwindling water resources, the World Bank’s Global Water Monitoring Report reveals alarming trends: we lose 324 billion cubic meters of fresh water each year, meeting the annual needs of 280 million people. Over the last two decades, fresh water reserves have dropped by 3% annually, with arid regions facing declines of up to 10%. This crisis threatens not only our ecosystems but also employment, agriculture, and energy production. As world leaders convene in Belem, Brazil, for COP30, they will have vital insights to tackle these pressing challenges and foster a sustainable future.

Two people crouching in an open field, examining a small green shrub. Natural Resources and the Environment, FAO

A forest home in Paraguay

The forest in Canindeyú, Paraguay, sustains the Avá Guaraní community, providing medicine, food, and shelter. Teodora Vera, their elected leader, promotes agroforestry and reforestation to combat deforestation and climate change, which threaten water and food security. Through the PROEZA project, co-financed by Paraguay and the Green Climate Fund, families receive financial and technical support to adopt sustainable practices. So far, nearly 1,500 households benefit, ensuring resilience and livelihoods.

A woman crossing river carrying two children.
Disaster Relief, IOM

Rebuilding hope after the floods

After devastating El Niño floods destroyed her home in Burundi, Alphonsine and thousands like her are rebuilding their lives with IOM’s support, proof that with compassion, resilience, and sustained climate action, recovery is possible.

A woman taking a picture of a trader.
Finance, IFAD

Financing the future of adaptation

By replacing outdated financing models with innovative, investment-driven approaches, adaptation finance can unlock sustainable growth, attract private capital, and deliver lasting resilience for rural communities and global economies alike.

A woman next to her flooded house
Disaster Relief, WFP

Prepared today, safe tomorrow

By using anticipatory action and trigger-based early warnings, WFP is able to deliver timely cash and food assistance to millions, reducing the impact of disasters like Cyclone Fung-wong and Hurricane Melissa before they escalate.

A young man ferrying a passenger on a bicycle taxi.
SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, UNCTAD

Trade powers the green transition

As trade in clean technologies like solar and wind surges, aligning global markets with climate goals can cut costs, expand renewable access, and accelerate the low-carbon transition worldwide.

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

General Assembly hall with the Secretary-General at the podium

The Essential UN

The United Nations is the only place on Earth where all the world's nations come together to discuss common problems and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity. Learn about the main areas of the UN’s activities; how it makes a difference to the world’s people; and how every citizen can get involved and make a contribution. 

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.

Watch and Listen

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

Hunger hotspots around the world - 5 facts

UN agencies warn that acute food insecurity is set to worsen in 16 countries and territories in the coming months, urging immediate humanitarian action in hunger hotspots. Here are five key facts.

Deep Surfaces

“Deep Surfaces” showcases how architecture bridges cultures, sustainability, and heritage at UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Communities at the heart of anticipatory action

FAO’s documentary highlights how anticipatory action engages communities to build inclusive, timely, and resilient disaster preparedness.

UN Podcasts

group of young men in a car repair shop

Talent Beyond Borders: Why businesses should hire young refugees

This episode from ILO's PROSPECTS podcast explores how the private sector can drive economic inclusion of young refugees by expanding access to decent work and protecting their rights at work. Roman Bojko, Human Rights and Social Impact Leader at Ingka Group shares more about the company’s global Skills for Employment initiative and lessons learned from integrating refugee talent across 26 countries. The conversation highlights how hiring refugees is not just the right thing to do - it’s also good for business, fostering innovation, resilience, and inclusion in the workplace.

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.

midwife trainee practicing on mannequin
Photo:© Miléquêm Diarassouba

Midwife training: Because in a real-life emergency, there is no practice run

With a global shortage of 900,000 midwives, training the next generation of these crucial health workers, to avoid preventable deaths and ensure safe births, is a priority for UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. The training school in Abidjan is one of eight schools UNFPA supports in the country. Models of pregnant women and babies are used to simulate childbirth, including emergency deliveries, in a safe, realistic and risk-free environment – because in real life, there is no test run. In Côte d’Ivoire, many women give birth without the assistance of a skilled health professional. With the support of UNFPA, the National Institute for the Training of Health Workers is working to change this, and also tackling the country’s high rates of maternal mortality and adolescent pregnancy and low contraceptive prevalence. 

woman painting clay figure
Photo:©UNOPS/Erik J Petterson

Repairing lives after disaster

From climate-fuelled disasters to destruction caused by conflict and other human-made crises, the focus of recovery is often fixed on the visible – collapsed buildings, flooded streets and shattered infrastructure. Yet, the deepest wounds are often the invisible losses – the emotional scars and the anguish of those who have been permanently displaced, carrying with them the memories of a home and a community they may never be able to return to. Decades of underground salt-mining beneath the coastal city of Maceió in Brazil led to land sinking and the flooding of entire neighbourhoods, forcing tens of thousands to abandon their homes. The tragedy unfolding in Maceió stands as the largest ongoing urban social-environmental disaster in Brazil. UNOPS is offering psychological support workshops in the Bebedouro neighbourhood – helping residents rebuild social connections and move forward together.

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