Human Rights

Autism and Humanity – Every Life Has Value

Since the United Nations General Assembly designated 2 April as World Autism Awareness Day in 2007, the UN has worked to advance the human rights and full inclusion of autistic people. Over the years, significant progress has been made, driven in large part by autistic advocates who have worked tirelessly to bring the lived experiences of autistic individuals to the forefront of global discussions. The 2026 observance reaffirms the dignity and equal worth of autistic people and calls for rejecting misinformation and limiting narratives to uphold their inherent rights.

Autism is a lifelong neurological condition that manifests during early childhood, irrespective of gender, race or socio-economic status.
Photo:Adobe Stock/ LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS
UN officials in Cyprus oversee the loading of emergency humanitarian supplies for Gaza.

Breaking the Gaza aid bottleneck: 106-tonne delivery arrives via new sea route

1 April 2026 — The World Health Organization (WHO) has facilitated the delivery of some 106 metric tonnes of lifesaving nutrition supplies to the Gaza Strip – the first shipment via a mechanism to...

Middle East war: Energy crunch hits vulnerable nations

1 April 2026 — The war in the Middle East and the near halt to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz has amplified the energy crunch facing developing nations in Africa and South Asia that rely heavily...

Lebanon at ‘breaking point’ as displacement soars and strikes intensify

31 March 2026 — The UN’s top humanitarian official warned the Security Council on Tuesday that Lebanon is facing one of its most dangerous moments in years, with escalating violence, mass...

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

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.

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

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.

Partnerships for the Goals

 

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development

 

More from the
United Nations

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

A large quantity of wasted food piled on a table. UNEP, Food

Seven ways to cut your food waste and support the planet

We waste over 1 billion tonnes of food each year, squandering the resources behind its production and transport. This loss equals 1.3 discarded meals for every person facing hunger, making it both a humanitarian tragedy and a climate threat, as up to 10% of global emissions come from wasted food. Addressing the problem requires action across the entire food system—from policy to agribusiness—yet individuals can also help reduce waste. Here are seven practical tips.

Two people hugging each other, with one of them blurred out. Human Rights, OHCHR

Half a century on, Paiva family calls for Justice

Half a century after armed agents stormed a Rio de Janeiro home and vanished Brazilian congressman Rubens Paiva without a trace, his daughters stepped into a Geneva hearing room carrying fifty‑five years of silence, grief and unanswered questions, transforming their family’s long‑suppressed trauma into a public appeal before the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances, echoing the campaign call to put victims first and demand urgent global action as families worldwide continue to suffer without truth, justice or accountability.

A group of children eating on the floor at a school in Bhutan. FAO, Agriculture and Food

The difference an egg a day makes

What if the key to healthier children and stronger farmers fit in the palm of your hand? Bhutan’s One‑Child, One‑Egg initiative links smallholder poultry farmers with school feeding programmes to combat malnutrition and support rural livelihoods. The pilot provides eggs to 32,000 students in 343 schools, boosting nutrition, energy and attentiveness. Farmers like Tenzin Drukpa now benefit from a reliable market that aids recovery and strengthens community wellbeing.

Economic Development, UNDP

Insuring the future

To protect low-income households, small businesses, farmers and vulnerable communities from financial risk, UNDP and partners roll out world’s largest Insurance Innovation programme.

Slavery and Human Trafficking, IOM

Healing, 17 years later

Her life today looks very different from the years abroad, a reminder of the harm trafficking causes and the strength required to rebuild. Healing begins anew with the help of IOM and partners.

Trade and Commerce, UNCTAD

Hormuz disruption beyond energy

What began as disruption in a key energy corridor is now feeding through the entire global economy, UN Trade and Development warns in its second assessment. Update follows initial assessment of March 10.

Health Interventions, UNFPA

UNFPA responding across the board

Lebanon: a month after hostilities began, newborns spend first weeks displaced and a growing health crisis unfolds, while UNFPA races against time, attacks, displacement and shortages trying to deliver emergency support.

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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

Learn more

Podium of the General Assembly Hall seen from below with the gold wall and the golden UN logo behind

On 25 November 2025, the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council initiated the process of selecting and appointing the next Secretary-General. Candidates are nominated by a Member State or a group of Member States. Learn more about the multi-step selection and appointment process of the next United Nations Secretary-General.

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

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

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.

Syria’s new chapter is beginning — but beneath the soil of war, landmines and explosive remnants still threaten every step toward recovery, reconstruction, and economic development. No More Mines. Mine action is the silent enabler that makes rebuilding possible — clearing the path for communities, development, recovery, reconstruction and a lasting peace. Invest in mine action. Invest in Syria’s future.

Will banning children from social media actually make them safer?

Are social media bans the best way to keep your child safe online? You might be thinking that, but age limits alone will not fix broken systems. Here are 3 things that need to happen to truly protect children in digital spaces.

Subscribe to UNICEF on YouTube, see all of UNICEF's latest trending videos, and visit UNICEF's website for more about its work.

What is fraud?

Organized fraud is crime at industrial scale. It operates across borders, platforms, sectors; generates mass victimization and significant illicit profits. Technology lowered the cost of deception. And this fraud fuels wider criminal activity, with proceeds reinvested into other forms of crime. While global losses are difficult to quantify, credible estimates place them at a scale comparable to the annual economic output of a major national economy. Learn more at the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime.

UN Podcasts

photo of 2 people conversing

Trade Economics and Policy Tradeoffs

In this episode of The Work We Do (Ep 3) from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), we hear an interview with guest David Laborde, Director of the Agrifood Economics and Policy Division at FAO.

David shares his journey as a trade economist and how it has shaped his approach to today's agrifood systems. Discussed are the role of trade in food security and the true cost of the food we consume. We also dive into the art of policymaking in complex systems, from balancing competing priorities to managing unintended consequences to navigate difficult tradeoffs.

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 showing her bean field in Mozambique.
Photo:FAO/María Legaristi Royo

How to farm with success in Mozambique

Central Mozambique’s 2024 El Niño‑induced drought—the worst in a century—left families like those of Linda Castigo Phei in Manica province and Evaristo Chigo in Sofala province struggling as half the crops failed and 3.5 million people faced food insecurity. With most households relying on agriculture, the drought deepened existing hardships. Linda and Evaristo recall planting without training or reliable inputs, never knowing if crops would survive. Thanks to technical support funded by the UN's Global Emergency Fund (CERF), thousands like them have begun to recover and rebuild their livelihoods.

 

A girl drawing about explosive ordnance threats in Gaza.
Photo:UNMAS

Signs of Safety – The dangers left behind by conflict, through the eyes of children

Explosive ordnance contamination remains a deadly, often hidden threat long after conflicts end, endangering lives, livelihoods and especially curious children. In the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Sudan and Syria, differing conflicts create the same indiscriminate risks. Communities —often the first to spot dangers—play a vital role in sharing warnings and promoting safe behaviour. Through Explosive Ordnance Risk Education, UNMAS supports people facing layered challenges, strengthening safety and resilience. The exhibition highlights the universal risks of explosive ordnance and showcases how children’s voices and insights help champion safer behaviours.