Nelson Mandela in the UN General Assembly.
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Combatting poverty and inequality is in our hands

Nelson Mandela devoted his life to the service of humanity — as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner of conscience, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa. On 18 July every year, we invite you to mark Nelson Mandela International Day by making a difference in your communities. Everyone has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better! Mandela Day is an occasion for all to take action and inspire change. Download the app and join the ActNow x Mandela Day challenge – to limit global warming and take care of our planet.

The UN joins the Nelson Mandela Foundation in urging everyone to perform 67 minutes of public service on Nelson Mandela International Day – one minute for each year he fought for justice.
Photo:© UN Photo/P. Sudhakaran
Two women sit outside their temporary shelter in Gaza.

No end in sight to the ‘war on women’ in Gaza

18 July 2024 — Wars are never gender neutral and Gaza is further evidence of this as some one million women and girls bear “the worst brunt” of nine months of conflict, the UN Women Special...

Following Israeli evacuation orders, Gazans had to move multiple times across the enclave since October. (file)

‘Largest’ displacements so far in Gaza’s war of attrition: UN aid agencies

18 July 2024 — UN humanitarians issued a fresh alert on Thursday about having to cut rations in Gaza where fresh evacuation orders by the Israeli military have prompted “the largest displacements...

A makeshift site for internally displaced people in Léogâne, Haiti

Haiti: Displaced women face ‘unprecedented’ level of insecurity and sexual violence

17 July 2024 — Instability in Haiti is fuelling a spike in sexual violence against women and girls as armed gangs continue their assault on the population, the UN agency championing gender...

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.

We the Women

‘We the Women’ survey results

Amid a global backlash against women’s rights, women are committed to championing rights and representation. Survey results from 185 countries show that 86 per cent cite climate change, and more than 50 per cent identify conflict as primary concerns for the next decade. Mental health and family responsibilities are seen as barriers to reaching full potential. Access the full report and the We the Women campaign.

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.

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.

woman making peace dove mosaic

Goal of the month

 

Special Focus: High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

Five SDGs will be reviewed in depth: 

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.

women walking on the street Migration

Dari Dapur: Reframing narratives on migration in Malaysia

Malaysia is one of the most diverse countries on the Asian continent, a diversity that is rooted in a rich history of migration. It comprises some three million documented and two to four million undocumented migrants, as well as 188,000 refugees. Dari Dapur (or Stories from the Kitchen, in English) is the Malaysian subset of UN Human Rights’ global #StandUp4Migrants narrative change initiative. According to rigorous research commissioned by UN Human Rights, on which the Dari Dapur campaign was designed, most Malaysians see the benefits migration brings to the economy and society. However, some said they are daunted by the complexity of issues around integration and culture that it raises.

child receiving polio vaccine Health, Children, WHO, UNICEF

Global childhood immunization levels stalled

Global childhood immunization coverage stalled in 2023, leaving 2.7 million additional children un- and under-vaccinated compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to data published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF. The latest WHO and UNICEF estimates of national immunization coverage – which provide the world’s largest and most comprehensive dataset on immunization trends for vaccinations against 14 diseases – underscore the need for ongoing catch-up, recovery and system-strengthening efforts. More than half of unvaccinated children live in the 31 countries with fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings, where children are especially vulnerable to preventable diseases.

woman with corn kernels Agriculture and Food, FAO

Women master climate resilient farming

Gita Adikhari realised something significant had changed when her farm in the Jhapa District of eastern Nepal yielded nearly double the amount she would normally harvest. The bumper crop was a result of learnings from a Farmer Field School run by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with funding from the Green Climate Fund. An overarching aim of the learnings is to make farming systems more resilient to climate change. Farmer Field Schools are also about boosting the confidence of women farmers, who traditionally have not had a voice in household or community decisions. Gita feels that this has changed and now shares her opinions and gets involved in the community.

SDGs, UNCTAD

Urgent action needed for SDGs

The SDG Pulse 2024 report reveals mixed progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizing the urgent need for data-informed actions to address disparities and accelerate global development efforts.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being, UNEP

Navigating new horizons

UNEP's report "Navigating New Horizons" calls for global attention and proactive measures to address emerging challenges impacting planetary health and human wellbeing, emphasizing the need for foresight and adaptive governance.

Health, Science and Technology, ILO

SunSmart Global UV App

An updated version of the SunSmart Global UV app, helps combat UV-related health issues by providing personalized sun protection advice and UV level tracking for up to 10 locations, promoting preventive measures against excessive UV exposure.

Sports, Culture, UNESCO

Paris 2024 Olympic torch relay

The Paris 2024 Olympic Torch Relay will visit approximately 30 UNESCO World Heritage sites, concluding its journey in Paris on July 26 with an opening ceremony at a UNESCO site for the first time in Olympic history.

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.

Memory of Genocide: Story of Survival in Rwanda

Claver Irakoze, who was 11 during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, sought refuge at a school in Kabgayi, only to witness government soldiers and militias targeting people for execution. Despite enduring profound trauma, he now speaks out to keep the memory of the genocide alive, advocating for remembrance and education to prevent such atrocities in the future.

The Nelson Mandela rules: 5 facts

The Nelson Mandela Rules, overseen by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, establish essential benchmarks for humane prison management worldwide, promoting safety, security, and dignified treatment of prisoners.

Women and girls find shelter in Mali

Hundreds of women and girls fleeing conflict in the Bandiagara region of Mali have found shelter at this displacement camp in Sokoura.

UN Podcasts

marching people hold a large rainbow flag

Human rights are for all, but sexual identity can still be a death sentence

The UN Charter says that Member States must guarantee the rights of all people, regardless of history, culture or social norms. However, around the world, people continue to face discrimination, criminalization and violence purely because of their sexual orientation and identity.

Earlier this year, Secretary-General António Guterres promised that the UN “firmly stands with the LGBTIQ+ community and will continue working until human rights and dignity are a reality for all people”.

But what does that mean in practical terms, and how is the UN helping this community?

Listen to the podcast with Beatriz Barral from UN News, Michael Van Gelderen from the UN High Commission for Human Rights and Chris Mallouris from UNAIDS.

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.

children sitting on bare ground
Photo:UNDP Afghanistan

Why are flash floods so deadly in Afghanistan?

Starting in April, flash floods have wreaked havoc across Afghanistan, leaving at least 300 dead, hundreds injured, and nearly 9,000 homes destroyed. Thousands are now homeless. Roads, bridges, schools, and health facilities in Baghlan, Badakshan, Takhar, Faryab and Ghor are in ruins. But why are these sudden deluges so deadly, and what makes this disaster particularly devastating? On the surface, it might seem like a straightforward question, yet the answers unravel a complex weave of geography, climate change and socio-economic frailties, creating a polycrisis that’s hard to untangle. Here's what you need to know and how UNDP is trying to reduce its impact.

canoes in the water
Photo:© IFAD/Imani Nsamila

Tanzania’s seaweed farmers bring the ocean’s bounty to the world

As the sun rises over Pemba Island in Tanzania, Shajia and other seaweed farmers head towards the water to harvest their seaweed at low tide. When Shajia first started farming seaweed in 1995, she did it largely along the shore. In the decades since, conditions have changed. “Due to the high temperatures caused by climate change, the seaweed was not doing well on the shores,” she explains. “We were forced to go deeper into the ocean.” The IFAD-supported LDFS project is helping Shajia adapt to the new normal. As well as receiving equipment, she’s learned how to grow seaweed along ropes. This ensures a plentiful harvest that is easier to gather and is protected from the tides.

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