Welcome to the United Nations العربية 中文 English Français Русский Español Peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet About Us » Our Work » Events and News Get Involved Coronavirus (COVID-19) COMMUNICATION AND MASS MEDIA Celebrating television’s reach World Television Day celebrates the power of TV to inform the public on the issues facing humankind, to influence public opinion and to impact decision-making. Despite the competition that television faces from online platforms, TV-set ownership continues to grow. During the COVID-19 pandemic television viewership increased and took on a new significance. In low- and middle-income countries, where Internet penetration rates are typically under 50%, television even enabled remote learning for students without online access. Siblings in Kibera, Kenya follow a Social Studies lesson on the EDU TV. PHOTO:UNICEF/Otieno UN chief sees firsthand the progress and challenges five years after Colombia’s historic peace deal 23 November 2021 — In Colombia to mark the fifth anniversary of the peace accord between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC-EP, UN Secretary-General António... Yemen recovery possible if war stops now: UNDP report 23 November 2021 — War-torn Yemen is among the poorest countries in the world, but recovery is possible if the conflict ends now, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a report published on... WHO updates guidelines on COVID-related organ inflammation in children 23 November 2021 — Children who have developed organ inflammation linked to COVID-19 infection should be given steroid treatment in hospital, the World Health Organization, (WHO), said on Tuesday... 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. Uniting the World to Tackle Climate Change COP 26: UN Climate Change Summit The latest round of global climate talks take place from 31 October to 12 November 2021 in Glasgow, United Kingdom. Thousands of government delegates and people from civil society, business and the media will gather to advance climate action. ActNow Campaign The ActNow campaign aims to trigger individual action on the defining issue of our time. People around the world have joined to make a difference in all facets of their lives, from the food they eat to the clothes they wear. Decade of Action With just 10 years to go, an ambitious global effort is underway to deliver the 2030 promise—by mobilizing more governments, civil society, businesses and calling on all people to make the Global Goals their own. 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. CLIMATE, UNDP 1.5 - The biggest small number The UN Climate Conference – COP26 – has wrapped up in Glasgow, with a new agreement to limit global heating. It has been described by UN Secretary-General António Guterres as an important step, “but not enough.” “We must accelerate climate action to keep alive the goal of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees,” he said. 1.5 is the biggest small number of our lifetime. Scientific consensus says we cannot have a healthy planet with a temperature increase higher than 1.5°C. We are already at 1.2°C. CHILDREN, DISABLED PERSONS, UNICEF Children with disabilities are being left behind The number of children with disabilities globally is estimated at almost 240 million, according to UNICEF’s most comprehensive statistical analysis to date. “This new research confirms what we already knew: Children with disabilities face multiple and often compounding challenges in realizing their rights,” said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore. The report includes data from 42 countries and covers more than 60 indicators of child well-being – from nutrition and health, to access to water and sanitation, protection from violence, and education. HUMANITARIAN AID, UNFPA Yemen: The world’s largest humanitarian crisis Yemen lays tragic claim to the world’s largest humanitarian crisis and aid operation. Two-thirds of the population, or 20.7 million people, need humanitarian assistance in 2021. Multiple emergencies have pummeled the country: violent conflict, an economic blockade, currency collapse, flooding and the COVID-19 pandemic in a country where only half of health facilities are operational. One woman dies every two hours during childbirth, an almost entirely preventable tragedy. More than a million pregnant and breastfeeding women are already acutely malnourished. WOMEN AND GENDER EQUALITY 16 days of activism against gender-based violence From 25 November to 10 December, the United Nations is marks the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence under the global theme: “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!” POLLUTION AND WASTE, UN-HABITAT Myanmar waste management project Residents of the Hlaing Thar Yar township and surrounding areas hope a UN-Habitat solid waste management project will prevent deadly fires by lower methane emissions. ENERGY, IAEA What is fusion, and why is it so difficult to achieve? Ever since nuclear fusion was understood in the 1930s, scientists have been on a quest to recreate and harness it. The IAEA has been at the core of international fusion research. AGRICULTURE AND FOOD, FAO 7 ways pastoralism supports a better future By working with nature, pastoralism, the time-tested form of raising and breeding livestock, champions productivity, sustainability and animal welfare. 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: Maintain international peace and security Protect human rights Deliver humanitarian aid Promote sustainable development Uphold international law Maintain International Peace and Security 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. 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. 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. UN75 | Our Common Agenda The UN’s 75th anniversary in 2020 arrived at a time of great upheaval and peril. To secure a world where everyone can thrive in peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet we need a multilateral system that is inclusive, networked and effective. "Our Common Agenda" builds on the 12 commitments contained in the UN75 Declaration. Did you know? As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone. The advocacy of racial or religious hatred is prohibited by international law. Find out more in GLOBAL ISSUES: HUMAN RIGHTS Average sea level rise is predicted to be 24–30 cm by 2065, if it continues at current rates. Find out more in GLOBAL ISSUES: CLIMATE CHANGE France, Slovakia, and Ukraine get more than half of their electricity from nuclear power. Find out more in GLOBAL ISSUES: ATOMIC ENERGY Nearly 250 million children live in countries and areas affected by armed conflict. Find out more in GLOBAL ISSUES: CHILDREN Watch and Listen Video and audio from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes. Tea and coffee: The aroma of unity The comforting aromas of tea and coffee unite people all over the world. These beverages are more than just a brew, they embody hundreds of years of knowledge that spans across generations. Tea and coffee are linked to many potential health benefits, as mounting scientific evidence has shown. To millions of farmers in the poorest parts of the world, however, tea and coffee represent a source of income, livelihoods and a ladder out of poverty. They also contribute to transforming our agri-food systems towards sustainability and resilience. These billion-dollar industries fuel entire economies. Smallholder farmers and farming households are at the forefront of these sectors, producing 60% of the global tea supply and 80% of the coffee supply. To learn more about tea and coffee, visit: FAO Markets and Trade WORLD FOOD DAY 2021 (WFD 2021) WFD 2021 Side event: Dialogue on Tea and Coffee - A talk show-style dialogue that explores the cultural significance and economic importance of tea and coffee (watch here) UNOPS: Building a resilient future The world is changing at an unprecedented speed. Never has there been a more critical moment to come together to stand up in the face of climate change and ensure communities across the world have what they need to thrive. Learn more about how UNOPS is supporting partners' efforts to build resilience and advance climate action. Don’t give up on adults Big changes start small. The impact of COVID-19, climate change and conflict affect us all. Don't give up on adults, only together can we change the world. #WorldChildrensDay More about UNICEF's work. UN Podcasts The Lid Is On - Tears, fears and fossil fuels At times it seemed that a COP26 resolution was still hours or even days away but, on Saturday evening, a final document was finally adopted, despite the misgivings expressed by many countries at revised language regarding fossil fuels. COP26 President, Alok Sharma, seemed close to tears at one point, betraying the enormous pressure felt by so many of those closely involved with the negotiations. In the last episode of the Lid Is On from COP26, Conor Lennon and Laura Quiñones discuss the outcome of the conference, the Glasgow Climate Pact. Music: 'Within the Earth' Ketsa Audio Credit: Conor Lennon/ UN News Audio Duration: 10'54" Photo Credit: UN News/Conor Lennon Your browser does not support the audio element. 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. PHOTO:©IOM/Muse Mohammed One Year On: Operating in a World in Lockdown, Helping People in Distress Pictured are Fadmou and her child. She and her husband planned to travel from Somaliland to Yemen in hopes of reaching the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Fadmou is one of many migrants who were unaware that she was about to cross into a war zone until she was informed by IOM staff while staying at an IOM migrant response centre in Hargesia, Somaliland. Although the pandemic has led to a major decrease in the number of migrants arriving in Yemen (from over 138,000 in 2019 to just over 37,500 in 2020), the number left stranded and vulnerable to abuse has increased across the country. “The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened existing crises around the world,” says the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Director of Operations and Emergencies, Jeffrey Labovitz. In 2020, IOM reached over 37 million people in need worldwide, providing much-needed aid to migrants, internally displaced persons (IDPs), refugees, and the local communities who support them. PHOTO:©ENSURE project The call of the forest: Protecting biodiversity by promoting the sustainability and resilience of green landscapes in Mongolia The Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus), because of its constant vigilance and unique alarm call, has been termed ‘the forest police officer’ by Mongolian biologists and veterinarians. Its whirring whistle alarm call rings out through the Mongolian forest, alerting others in its herd – and its fellow forest-dwellers - to predatory threats, allowing all those within earshot to escape. But this role makes the deer especially vulnerable to predation and poaching. The deer’s black market value – its prized scent glands historically used in perfumes - in combination with widespread deforestation, desertification, and habitat destruction, has led the species to suffer a precipitous decline in the last 50 years. The Ensuring Sustainability and Resilience (ENSURE) of Green Landscapes in Mongolia project applies a multi-focal area approach by integrating biodiversity conservation and sustainable land and forest management, through the application of best practice and innovative green development approaches at the landscape scale. The project is supported by UNDP. 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