Three United Nations Peacekeepers pose for a photo at the UN Camp in Juba, South Sudan.
UN Peacekeeping

Honouring Service and Sacrifice

Since 1948, more than two million people have served as UN Peacekeepers in conflict-affected areas around the world. Today, more than 50,000 peacekeepers, including military personnel, police officers and civilian staff, serve in 11 missions and come from over 100 countries. Far from their families and often at great personal risk, they bring security, stability, and hope to war-affected communities. The UN Service and Sacrifice campaign pays tribute to their commitment to peace, and their unwavering support for communities transitioning from conflict to peace and stability.

Photo:UN Photo/Gregorio Cunha
Dr. Neema Rusibamayila Kimambo, a woman with short curly hair and glasses stands in a modern office lobby wearing a blue cardigan over a white top.

Kenya races to trace all contacts after first Ebola death, WHO official says

7 October 2026 — Kenya’s first Ebola death has triggered a race to trace everyone the victim came into contact with, as the United Nations and partners provide full support, the World Health...

A veiled female health worker in a white coat measures the arm of a thin Yemeni boy with a MUAC tape while his veiled mother holds him at a clinic in Aden.

Critical funding gap threatens health response in Yemen

7 October 2026 — The World Health Organization (WHO) warned that significantly more resources are required to scale up its response in Yemen amid escalating conflict and rising needs.

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres speaks from a podium in the United Nations General Assembly Hall during the opening of the eighty-first session, with delegates seated and his image on two screens.

Reform, or lose trust: Governments press the UN to reflect the world as it is

7 October 2026 — Can the UN still remain relevant if it still looks and acts like the organization it was when it was formed in 1945? The debate over UN reform at the General Assembly in New York...

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

ActNow Campaign

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.

Act Now for a Peaceful World

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. 

outline of a drop over a blue background

2026 UN Water Conference

Coming up in December! The 2026 UN Water Conference, co-hosted by the UAE and the Republic of Senegal, takes place 8 to 10 December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The Conference is an opportunity to strengthen investment, foster innovation, and galvanize political will to accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation.

SDG 15: Life on Land

Goal of the month

 

Goal 15: Life on Land

Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss

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.

A portrait of an unidentified teenage girl. Only a partial view of her torso and legs is visible. OHCHR, Women and Gender Equality

Protecting girls’ futures: Adolescent pregnancy is preventable

For millions of girls, pregnancy can put health, education and dreams at risk. An estimated 12.3 million girls aged 10–19 gave birth in 2025, a UN Human Rights report finds. Poverty, gender inequality, child marriage and sexual violence heighten the risks, while stigma and barriers to healthcare leave many without support. Yet adolescent pregnancy is preventable. Comprehensive sexuality education, confidential healthcare, contraception and stronger protection can help girls make informed choices. The report urges governments to turn commitments into coordinated action, with girls helping shape the decisions that affect their futures.

A crowd standing in the sun during a mass gathering. WHO, Health

Big crowds, rising heat: Planning saves lives

From sporting events to religious festivals, extreme heat can turn a day in the crowd into a health emergency. New World Health Organization (WHO) guidance shows that most heat-related illnesses at mass gatherings can be prevented or treated on site with timely planning. Well-organized medical teams can treat more than 90% of patients at venues, easing pressure on hospitals and ambulances. Safe drinking water, cooling areas, adjusted schedules and clear public information all help protect attendees, volunteers and workers. WHO urges governments and organizers to make heat safety part of every stage of event planning.

A woman sewing a fishnet. FAO

Tunisia's fishers find new safety nets

On Tunisia’s Djerba island, Fattouma Ben Chagra earns a steady income making and repairing traps for blue swimming crabs. But without a pension or insurance, she fears what will happen if the catch disappears. Tunisia has turned this invasive species into an economic opportunity, yet many fishing families remain exposed to illness, bad weather and uncertain earnings. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is helping explore ways to extend social protection to fishers and fish workers, linking sustainable fisheries with the security people need to build their futures.

A family of five standing on a pier overlooking the sea.
Refugees, Migration, IOM

Rebuilding lives

IOM support helps Ukrainian refugees in Scotland navigate complex immigration processes, secure legal status and build stable futures for their families.

An elderly woman holding a reading card
Éducation, SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities, UNESCO

Literacy transforms lives

Literacy programmes worldwide are helping refugees, disadvantaged children and marginalized communities gain skills, confidence and opportunities for brighter, more inclusive futures.

A woman walks past rows of makeshift shelters at a crowded displacement camp in a dry, sandy landscape.
Crisis and emergency response, WFP

Somalia's hunger crisis

Somalia’s hunger crisis is worsening as conflict, climate shocks and funding cuts leave millions food insecure and vulnerable children without vital nutritional support.

Aerial view of a large industrial facility beside a coastal landscape, with numerous wind turbines generating renewable energy nearby.
Economic Development, UNCTAD

Global investment shifts focus

The World Investment Forum 2026 will explore how global investment in AI, clean energy and critical minerals can support inclusive development.

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

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

Selecting the next Secretary-General

The United Nations process to appoint the next Secretary‑General continues with interactive dialogues guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity. Watch the dialogues with the candidates: Ivonne A-Baki (20 August), Michelle Bachelet Jeria (21 April), María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés (15 June), Rafael Mariano Grossi (21 April), Rebeca Grynspan Mayufis (22 April), Olara Otunnu (19 August), Carolyn Rodrigues Birkett (18 June) and Macky Sall (22 April).

 

A group of people carrying their few belongings, walking in front of buildings in ruins, at sunset.

The Spotlight series

This series shines a light on communities facing conflict, displacement, public health emergencies and other humanitarian challenges around the world. Drawing on reporting from across the UN system, it amplifies voices from countries including Haiti, Gaza, DR Congo, Yemen, Afghanistan and Myanmar, to foster understanding, encourage engagement, and help mobilize support, assistance, and protection for the most vulnerable people.

Climate Change

Climate Change is one of the defining issues of our time and we are at a pivotal moment. From shifting weather patterns that threaten food production, to rising sea levels that increase the risk of catastrophic flooding, the impacts of climate change are global in scope and unprecedented in scale. Taking decisive action today will make adapting to these impacts in the future more effective and less costly.

General Assembly hall with the Secretary-General at the podium

The Essential UN

The United Nations is the only place on Earth where all the world's nations come together to discuss common problems and find shared solutions that benefit all of humanity. Learn about the main areas of the UN’s activities; how it makes a difference to the world’s people; and how every citizen can get involved and make a contribution. 

Watch and Listen

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

Until everyone is safe – The Promise

Cate Blanchett has spent the past decade advocating for refugees as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador. She reads “The Promise,” a statement supporting refugees and their right to seek safety.

The statement calls for refugees to receive safety, inclusion, opportunities, and lasting solutions. It encourages governments, communities, businesses, and individuals to work together with compassion and solidarity.

What is deep science?

The Global Innovation Index 2026 explores how deep science transforms scientific discoveries into innovations, driving entrepreneurship, economic growth, and solutions to global challenges.

Our choices add up

Reducing food loss and waste can fight hunger and climate change by improving food security, cutting emissions, and strengthening sustainable food systems.

UN Podcasts

An astronaut taking a picture of planet Earth with a large zoom lens.

What can space teach us about the circular economy?

In a new episode of the ILO’s Future of Work podcast, Canadian astronaut David Saint-Jacques and Casper Edmonds, an ILO expert on the circular economy and the world of work, explore what living and working in space can teach us about using finite resources on Earth. They discuss the opportunities and challenges of the circular economy, the millions of people already working in it, and how the transition can create decent work for all.

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.

Three women, one of whom is wearing a UNFPA vest, are walking along a muddy road. The aftermath of flooding can be seen in the background.
Photo:© UNFPA Nepal/Nisha Bhandari

After Nepal’s floods, finding strength amid loss

In a crowded shelter in Nepal, 20-year-old Ram Maya replays her mother’s last voice message, asking if she was safe. The floods took her mother and sister-in-law; now she finds strength in cooking for displaced families and caring for children who lost their parents. Other women fled carrying babies, watched their homes vanish and faced life without clean clothes or privacy. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is providing hygiene supplies, healthcare and counselling to help survivors regain comfort and dignity. For women grieving loved ones and caring for their families, surviving the flood is only the beginning.

A seahorse swimming with a plastic spoon hanging from its tail.
Photo:Shutterstock/Jennifer Lorena Varner

Small changes, less plastic: The people rethinking tourism

For Lay, Valy and Rumluek, cutting plastic waste means protecting the places people call home and the livelihoods tourism sustains. In Cambodia, Lay replaced bottled water in his hotels with reusable glass containers. In Lao PDR, Valy helps coffee drinkers borrow and return stainless steel cups. On Thailand’s Koh Tao island, Rumluek brings businesses together to reduce waste and protect the sea that supports local jobs. Their practical solutions show how everyday choices can keep plastic out of the environment. With support from the United Nations Development Programme, local innovators are helping tourism leave a lighter footprint.

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