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Human Rights, Racism and Xenophobia

Hate Speech and Artificial Intelligence

Hatred's impact has grown with new communication technologies, making it a global tool for spreading divisive ideologies. If unchecked, it undermines peace and development by fueling conflicts and human rights violations. On the International Day for Countering Hate Speech (18 June) the UN stands against hatred to defend human rights and promote the rule of law. The UN Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech highlights the vital role of partnerships involving tech companies in addressing this issue. Meanwhile, Member States have prioritized AI governance through the Global Digital Compact.

Since the spread of hateful rhetoric can be an early warning of violence – including atrocity crimes – limiting hate speech could contribute to mitigating its impact.
Photo:UNDP
The UN Human Rights Council meets in Geneva at three scheduled sessions every year.

Iran-Israel crisis: UN rights office appeals for urgent de-escalation

18 June 2025 — As the Iran-Israel crisis continued into a sixth day on Wednesday, the UN deputy human rights chief Nada Al-Nashif called for urgent talks to end the ongoing missile attacks between...

Parts of northern Syria, including Idleb (pictured) show the impact of 14 years of civil war.

‘Syria simply cannot withstand another wave of instability,’ Security Council hears

17 June 2025 — A senior UN official has warned against the impact of regional escalation on Syria as the country continues on the path to political transition following the overthrow of the Assad...

Aftermath of a strike in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. (file)

UN condemns deadly Russian strikes on Ukrainian capital as civilian toll mounts

17 June 2025 — At least 14 civilians were reportedly killed and more than 100 injured in Kyiv overnight into Tuesday, as Russian drone and missile strikes struck multiple Ukrainian cities in one...

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.

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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.

Save the date image for 2025 UN Ocean conference.

SDG Media Zone

Be part of the global conversation on ocean action and sustainable development at the UN Ocean Conference. From ocean science and biodiversity to pollution, maritime transport, and sustainable fishing, this pivotal event will spotlight the urgent solutions needed to achieve the SDGs. Don’t miss the SDG Media Zone, where global changemakers bring key issues to life through powerful interviews and thought-provoking discussions. Full programme

icon with fish swimming below waves

Goal of the month

 

Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources

Healthy oceans and seas are essential to human existence and life on Earth.

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.

An abstract, watercolor-style depiction of two people facing each other closely, with their foreheads touching. Women and Gender Equality, UNFPA

The real fertility crisis

Millions of people around the world are unable to have the number of children they want – whether they want more, fewer, or none at all. Recently, fertility declines are making headlines, with women all too often blamed for these demographic shifts. Some governments are employing drastic measures to incentivize young people to make fertility decisions in line with national targets. But the real crisis is that the most consequential reproductive decision a human being can make – when, whether and with whom to have a child – is being undermined. Together with YouGov, UNFPA conducted a survey of 14 countries to ask people whether they are having the families they desire. We found that alarmingly high proportions of adults are unable to realize their fertility intentions.

A Bolivian park ranger driving his motorboat in the Bolivian Amazonia. Natural Resources and the Environment, OHCHR

Bolivian environmentalist fights for Amazon protection amidst threats

Marcos Uzquiano Howard, a Bolivian park ranger and defender of the Amazon, has always held a deep respect for nature, learning to value biodiversity from his mother and grandmother. Despite his commitment to protecting the environment, he has faced harassment, threats, and persecution from institutional bodies like the National Service of Protected Areas (SERNAP) due to his opposition to illegal mining and deforestation. Although he won a ruling for his reinstatement, he still awaits protective measures to continue his work. In a significant development for environmental justice, Bolivia held its first public environmental hearing under the Escazú Agreement on April 23, 2025, focusing on the protection of the jaguar and environmental defenders like Uzquiano.

A person standing in shallow water, holding a long stick with seaweed attached to it. Oceans and Marine Life, FAO

The seaweed capital of Philippines

In Tawi-Tawi, Philippines, seaweed farming is a vital livelihood for many, but challenges threaten its future. Farmers like Imilita Mawaldani Hikanti have relied on cultivating agal-agal seaweeds for generations. The province, known as the “Seaweed Capital of the Philippines,” produces around 40% of of the country’s 600 000-tonne annual output of seaweed. However, volatile prices and competition have driven local prices down to PHP 25 per kilo (about USD 0.44), leading to losses for farmers. Additional issues like ice-ice disease caused by climate change exacerbate the situation. To address these challenges, FAO and local authorities have launched a project to enhance seaweed production and value chains.

farmer collecting straw
Water, IOM

The day water returned

In Al-Hajar, Yemen, a new irrigation system by IOM restored water access, reviving farming and bringing hope to a drought-stricken village after years of conflict and hardship.

illustration of boat and marine life
Oceans and Marine Life

Turning the tide

The ocean plays a vital role in climate regulation, economy, and food security. This year’s Ocean Conference is a valuable opportunity to address threats like pollution and underfunding of marine conservation.

man carrying box of food assistance
Food Aid, WFP

Understanding famine

Learn more about this rare and deadliest form of hunger, which is spreading in Sudan and threatens Gaza and elsewhere – and how WFP is fighting it.

A fish farming facility raising sea bass and sea bream.
Trade and Commerce, UNCTAD

A rising tide, but growing risks

The latest Global Trade Update from UNCTAD examines the ocean economy – a vital driver of global trade now under growing pressure from environmental and geopolitical shocks.

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.

The Next Pandemic: Are We Ready?

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed deep fissures in our global preparedness to health emergencies — from unequal access to vaccines to a lack of coordinated response. The World Health Organization (WHO) adopted a historic pandemic agreement to ensure we’re better equipped next time. In this video, we break down the WHO pandemic treaty, why it matters, and how it aims to prevent, detect, and respond to future pandemics. Discover how countries are coming together to build a safer future through international health law. Because no one is safe until everyone is safe.

Watch what happens when parents join children to play

When parents and children connect through play, it’s magical. Choose play every day because every moment matters.

Can You Trust Your Nose? | World Food Safety Day

Can your nose really tell if food is still safe to eat? In this Science and Cooking episode, we explain why relying on smell can be risky—and what you can do to stay safe.

UN Podcasts

Science in Five podcast logo

The tobacco trap – hooked by lies

The tobacco industry continues to sell death and destruction by using flavors, packaging and advertising.   Is there any “safe” product or consumption method? How does tobacco use harm your body? Join us today in conversation with Simone St. Claire on Science in 5.

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 group of people standing in a field with rows of amaranth crops.
Photo:UNDP/Miriam Arcos

Greening the Mexican desert

In the Mixteca region of Oaxaca, Mexico, communities face increasingly unreliable rains and severe droughts, worsened by climate change. The drought of 2022 was notably harsh, highlighting the need for innovative solutions to adapt to the changing climate. With support from the Global Environment Facility and UNDP, the local organization Alternativas y Participación Social developed a mobile solar-powered water pump to address water scarcity. This pump can be used across different wells to store and irrigate drought-resistant amaranth crops, a drought-tolerant grain and ‘superfood’ native to Mexico. The project produced 20 units for local cooperatives and provided training on their use and maintenance.

A person wearing a yellow safety vest and orange gloves sorting through a pile of plastic bottles and other recyclable material.
Photo:UNOPS

Beyond the bin: How communities across South Asia are redefining waste

Within South Asia’s urban sprawl, a quiet transformation is taking place. From the slums of Dhaka and the riverbanks of Lahore to the schoolyards of Kathmandu, waste workers and young changemakers are reshaping their futures – with support from the Plastic Free Rivers and Seas for South Asia (PLEASE) project. PLEASE is the region’s largest initiative to combat marine plastic pollution and promote sustainable plastic use. Financed by the World Bank and implemented by the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme, with UNOPS support, the project promotes practical solutions – public-private partnerships, innovation grants and inclusive education initiatives – to build a more circular and just economy.

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