Shared Lives, Shared Future

Ibrahima
Newborn
Guinea

"I am relieved to know that Ibrahima is better protected. This simple capsule will prevent serious illnesses, such as blindness."^*

Every child deserves protection. The Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene, with UNICEF’s support, reaches Guinea’s most isolated areas. On Kassa Island, Ibrahima received vaccines, vitamin A, and birth registration, lifechanging steps that protect children’s health and rights. Thanks to UNICEF’s support, penta3 vaccination coverage rose by 34% between 2015 and 2024. Photo: UNICEF Guinea/R.Losseni

^*Quote by mother

Dawid
Student
Poland

"This package is for my aunt in Canada. I didn’t know that the international postal system is made possible by the UN."

The international postal system is coordinated by the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a UN specialized agency that sets global standards and facilitates agreements between countries, enabling the global exchange of more than 3.8 billion letters and packages every year. Photo: UN/Aleksandra Szorc

Baatyrbek
Ranger Team Leader
Kyrgyzstan

“We decided to become rangers, or we would lose everything. I don’t want to show my kids on a mobile phone that we used to have this nature, these animals. I want them to see it with their own eyes.”

The United Nations Environment Programme-led Central Asian Mammals and Climate Adaptation project helps communities adapt to climate change while protecting wildlife, such as through the creation of a 200-kilometre-wide ecological corridor connecting several Kyrgyz nature reserves. Baatyrbek and other volunteer rangers help prevent poaching and overgrazing. This is crucial for migratory animals like the argali sheep and Asiatic ibex. Photo: UNEP/Alejandro Laguna

Weiwei
Gynaecologist
China

"Thanks to the UN, Traditional Chinese Medicine protocols for gynaecology are now recognized internationally. Our treatments are no longer seen as just ancient wisdom, but as evidence-based therapies with global standards for safety and efficacy."

Together, China and the World Health Organization (WHO) are supporting the safe and effective integration of traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare. By providing a scientific and regulatory backbone that complies with global standards, therapies are moving from the realm of cultural practice into evidence-based medicine. Photo: Hua Dong

Layal
Firefighter
Lebanon

"The new equipment provided by the UN greatly improves our safety and readiness."

As part of its emergency response programmes, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) provided essential gear to the Beirut Fire Brigade, helping make their missions safer and more effective. Photo: UNDP/Rana Sweidan

Ángel
Community Leader
Colombia

"The UN has brought us together. We look forward to welcoming all signatories of the Peace Agreement as brothers and sisters."

The UN Verification Mission in Colombia (UNVMC), set up in 2016, helps local government officials like Ángel and residents work with peace signatories, formerly known as "rebels", to understand and support their reintegration into civilian life. Photo: UNVMC/Santiago Puentes Viana

Rabiah
Port Manager
Malaysia

"With the UN’s support, we implemented a solution that saves 10 million litres of fresh water every year."

Rabiah works at the Johor Port Authority, which partnered with UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) to design and implement a water-saving system. UNCTAD’s global network of certified port managers is advancing best practices, reinforcing South-South cooperation, and driving progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Photo: Mika Jouhki

Ayshe and Eleni
Friends
Cyprus

"Our island is still divided. But thanks to the UN we are at peace, can move easily, work together and make friends."

Cyprus gained independence in 1960. In 1964, amid tensions between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, the Security Council asked the Secretary-General to use his good offices by appointing a mediator to promote a settlement and established the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) to prevent fighting and maintain law and order – efforts that continue today. Although the island remains divided, Ayshe and Eleni met through UNFICYP’s Young Leaders in Action programme and have been friends ever since. Photo: Antonia Maria Nicolaides

Trevor
Pilot
Australia

"Just flew back from Hawaii. International civil aviation standards are coordinated by the UN."

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets global standards and recommended practices for aviation safety, security, efficiency, and environmental protection. It develops a uniform set of rules, coordinates international cooperation, audits Member States, and ensures safe, reliable and sustainable air transport worldwide. Photo: Chandler Grant

Zahoor
Farmer
Afghanistan

"With UN support, I transitioned from opium to cabbage farming. I received training in modern agriculture and was provided with pesticides to protect my crops."

With support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Zahoor and thousands of other Afghan farmers have transitioned from opium to legal farming, turning land into a source of hope and sustainable income. This is also helping to make the world safer from drugs. Photo: UNODC/Abel Kavanagh

China
Construction Worker
Mozambique

"Now that I’m working here, I’m able to get money to take home. And I’m thinking about building my own house."

With financing from the World Bank, the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) works with the Government of Mozambique to provide economic opportunities for internally displaced persons and host communities constructing climate-resilient infrastructure. Photo: UNOPS/Bruno Pedro

Alejandro
Aerospace Development Director
Paraguay

"Thanks to the UN, we are building bridges of cooperation that allow countries like Paraguay to harness space-based technologies for sustainable development and disaster resilience."

With its UN-SPIDER programme, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) is training countries to use the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters, granting them access to critical satellite data during emergencies. This not only strengthens disaster resilience, but also long-term planning. Photo: GEOLab - AEP/Thanya Idoyaga

Radwa
Sudanese Refugee
Chad

“I like helping people because everyone needs support. That is why I support fellow refugee women so that we can grow together, and no one is left behind. It is important to stand with our brothers and sisters, to help them heal."

Since April 2023, approximately 12 million people have been forcibly displaced inside Sudan and across borders, and 878,000 have fled to neighboring Chad alone, where the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is providing shelter, food, medical care, and education as well relocating them from unsafe border areas, among other forms of assistance. Radwa was also forced to flee the conflict in Sudan to Chad. She combined her entrepreneurial skills with cash assistance from UNHCR to start baking and selling bread from her home in Farchana refugee settlement. Photo: UNHCR/Ala Kheir

Blaz
Beekeper
Slovenia

"Beekeeping is more than honey. What truly matters is teaching future generations to protect the silent workers. By saving the bees, we safeguard our future, food, and life itself."

The United Nations promotes sustainable beekeeping by supporting regulatory frameworks, sharing best practices and raising awareness of bees’ role in food security and biodiversity. In Slovenia and worldwide, UN initiatives help strengthen policies and inspire future generations to protect these vital pollinators and their ecosystems. Photo: Jost Gantar

Eleni
Mother and Grandmother
Greece

"When World War II ended, I remember UN staff distributing clothes in my village Koukouli. Even second-hand clothes were a big deal. Greece was war-torn, and the UN’s humanitarian aid was a lifeline in my childhood."

After World War II, the UN Relief and Rehabilitation Administration planned, coordinated, administered and delivered relief, including food, clothing, shelter and medication. In Greece alone, it distributed 1.7 million tons of food, 12,500 tons of clothing, and 1,250 tons of medical supplies. Photo: Thrasyvoulos Douvlis

Justine
Financial Services Lawyer
New Zealand

"Our country code is 64. I didn't know these codes are coordinated by the UN, so each call knows where to go."

International telephone codes are coordinated by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations agency for digital technologies. From artificial intelligence and quantum technologies to satellites, submarine telecom cables and advanced broadband networks, ITU works to connect the world and beyond. Photo: UN-DGC

Mariam^*
Former Student
Occupied Palestinian Territory

"We miss the UN schools we used to go to. I want life to go back to how it was before."

Before the current conflict, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) ran schools in the Gaza Strip, educating 300,000 children like Mariam. Today, UNRWA, together with UN agencies and partners, are doing what they can to provide lifesaving assistance to people amid the devastating humanitarian crisis. Photo: UNFPA Palestine/Hosny Salah

^*Real name withheld

Maria
Citizen
Timor-Leste

"Since 1999, the UN has played a key role in guiding Timor-Leste through the restoration of our independence, helping build the foundations of peace, democracy, and stability."

For more than 25 years, the United Nations has been supporting Timor-Leste transition from a conflict-ridden past to peace. Initially deploying a peace operation in support of the restoration of independence, the UN continues to play a vital role in supporting national development and stability. Photo: Sergio Alves da Costa

Milena
Human Rights Lawyer
Switzerland

"In my work representing children, the Convention on the Rights of the Child provides essential guarantees for the protection of children’s rights, holding States responsible for their implementation within their jurisdiction."

The Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) sets out the fundamental human rights of every child, including to survival, protection, education, and participation. UNICEF, as its lead UN agency, supports countries to turn these commitments into reality, helping millions of children worldwide. Photo: UNIS Geneva/Emmanuel Hungrecker

Liudmyla
Eco-Industrial Park Manager
Ukraine

"Since 2020, we have been actively cooperating with the UN on energy-saving projects, which has helped us cut our gas and electricity use, and move towards more energy-efficient production."

Eco-industrial parks bring businesses together to improve performance and sustainability. Funded by Switzerland, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)’s Global Eco-Industrial Parks Programme helps eco-industrial parks across Ukraine with policy support, capacity building and technical assistance. Photo: UNIDO Ukraine

Volatiana
Mother
Madagascar

"Since joining this nutrition support programme, I have been using UN guidance on infant and young child feeding practices to keep my children healthy."

The World Food Programme (WFP) supports nutrition in Madagascar and globally by improving food security, dietary diversity, and healthy feeding practices. It works with vulnerable families to prevent malnutrition, enhance child health, and strengthen community resilience. Photo: WFP Madagascar

Afaf
Child Marriage Survivor
Yemen

"At age 15 I was pressured to marry, but the UN helped me get out of it."

At 15, Afaf faced an impossible choice to help her family: find work, or marry a 40-year old man. At a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)-backed 'Safe Space', she received counselling and training. The marriage was finally cancelled. Photo: UNFPA/Abdulrahman Al‑Muallimi

Luca
Student
Italy

"Walking around Palermo, I’m always amazed by the beauty of our historic sites. It’s reassuring to know the UN supports governments to keep them safe and accessible for everyone."

UNESCO helps protect cultural and natural heritage by setting global standards, supporting conservation and encouraging international cooperation. Its recognition brings attention to the historical, outstanding value of these sites, including 61 in Italy, helping ensure they are preserved, respected and accessible. Photo: Andrea Frisina

Lisa
Senior Policewoman
Democratic Republic of the Congo

"Thanks to the UN, I have considerably strengthened my expertise in forensic science. I can better collect and analyze evidence at crime scenes, while training my colleagues."

The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo supports police with technical skills and advises on crime scene management, forensic photography, ballistics, fingerprinting and investigations. Photo: MONUSCO/Kevin Jordan

Galina and family
Roma Community Members
Moldova

"I want my children to study, not struggle like me. Our community mediator helped us with everything, enrolling our children at school, getting vaccines."

In Moldova, UN Human Rights (OHCHR) is helping vulnerable Roma families exercise their rights and integrate into society through trained community mediators. School attendance and vaccination rates have risen, more pregnant women are seeing physicians, and adults are attending training, opening doors to legal employment. Photo: OHCHR/Vincent Tremeau

Sonbul
Radio Journalist
Afghanistan

"With UN support, I led artificial intelligence training sessions, empowering and inspiring young women in tech — driving real change and championing female empowerment."

Elisabeta
Student
Albania

"The UN is helping us build a society where the new generation has security and trust in the institutions, organizations and community."

John
Automibile Mechanic
Kenya

"Thanks to the UN, we were able to learn practical recycling skills that can help build a more sustainable future for Kenya."

Katy
Water Conservationist
United Kingdom

"My underwater experiences become stories inspiring children to protect our water and our future."

Ma
Student
China

"Science used to feel distant. I had little exposure to high tech before. I joined the UN’s science camp last summer, which helped me to pursue my passion."

Between 2021 and 2025, a project by UNICEF and partners encouraged young people in rural parts of central and western China to pursue their interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Photo: UNICEF/Jia Yanan

Fatima
Data Science Student
Pakistan

"As an ITU Gender Champion, I’m proud to be part of the UN’s global mission turning the dream of gender equality in tech into a lived reality, starting from Pakistan."

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) empowers women and girls with digital skills, leadership opportunities and access to innovations to create a more inclusive digital world. Initiatives such as ITU160 Gender Champions foster inclusion, drive policy change and support countries in bridging the digital gender gap. Photo: Abeer Nisar