A view of the sun rising and the sculpture, "Good Defeats Evil", by Zurab Tsereteli, in the north garden area of UN Headquarters in New York.
Disarmament

Conference on Disarmament begins its annual session

The Conference on Disarmament (CD) is a single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community. Over the years, it has considered the issues of cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament, the prevention of nuclear war and the prevention of an arms race in outer space. The CD has 65 member States, including the nuclear weapon States and 60 other States. In addition, every year, non-member States participate, upon their request, in the CD’s work. It meets in an annual, three-part session (10, 7, and 7 weeks) starting in the penultimate week of January.

The Conference on Disarmament has negotiated major multilateral arms limitation and disarmament agreements.
Photo:UN/Manuel Elías
The first session of the UN General Assembly opened on 10 January 1946 at Central Hall in London, United Kingdom. (file)

Secretary-General on UN at 80: Humanity strongest when we stand as one

17 January 2026 — Powerful forces are lining up to undermine global cooperation, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned at a landmark event in London on Saturday to commemorate...

Deep-sea corals were among the treasures found during an expedition in the North Marianas Islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Game-changing international ocean treaty comes into force

15 January 2026 — Almost two decades in the making, an international agreement to protect and sustainably use marine life in international waters and the international seabed is due to come into...

A five-year-old girl is comforted by her mother as she waits in Zaporizhzhia to board a bus to Poland.

Ukraine: Families in ‘survival mode’ amid Russian strikes and deadly cold

16 January 2026 — Families across Ukraine are in “constant survival mode” amid ongoing waves of Russian missile and drone strikes that have left blocks without power for days at a time, while...

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. 

children holding up books

SDG Book Club

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.

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

Goal of the Month

 

Goal 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all

 

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.

Aerial view of UNDP’s Al Berka debris crushing site. UNDP

Hands that rebuild

In Gaza, Palestinians have endured two years of devastating war, leading to significant losses, including loved ones, homes, and personal belongings. They have witnessed the destruction of roads, schools, apartment buildings, and hospitals. Amid these challenges, they are working tirelessly on the frontlines of recovery. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is facilitating safer and healthier communities by clearing debris, restoring wastewater systems, wells, and providing clean water to those in need. In 2025, UNDP projects employed 2,819 local workers to support essential services across Gaza.

Three people inspecting a small electronic device that is attached to a tree trunk. UNESCO, Natural Resources and the Environment

Nepal: Safeguarding Kanchenjunga’s biodiversity through local action

The forests around Mount Kanchenjunga in Nepal boast rich biodiversity, including endangered species like the snow leopard and red panda. Indigenous communities have traditionally used their knowledge for conservation, but challenges such as climate change, poaching, and hydropower projects are threatening this balance. Local resident Purna Kumar Limbu notes that frequent explosives from these projects are driving wildlife away. In response, the UNESCO initiative, Strengthening Community Engagement for Biodiversity Conservation, launched in 2025, aims to enhance global recognition of the Kanchenjunga Conservation Area and reinforce its importance to the local community.

A woman sitting outdoors on a low stool, engaged in peeling or cutting tubers, which are scattered on the ground around them. FAO, Agriculture and Food

Dwindling abundance

In eastern Cameroon, the Baka people have traditionally relied on hunting and gathering, but recent climate shocks, economic instability, and conflicts have strained their resources. In Mayos, a village in Dimako district, many have faced food scarcity, forcing children to miss school to search for food. To address this crisis, from April 2024 to June 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), with the Cameroonian government and World Bank support, launched the Emergency Project to Combat the Food Crisis (PULCCA). This initiative provided training in modern agricultural techniques and distributed production kits, blending traditional knowledge with new practices to enhance food security for the Baka community.

Finance, Economic Development, IFAD

Rural investment drives global growth

In 2026, IFAD is strengthening rural economies by empowering youth, promoting resilience, and connecting small-scale producers to markets to drive inclusive, sustainable growth.

A portrait of young men at a local match.
Sports, IOM

Resilience rebuilds community

After returning to his devastated hometown of Sa’dah, Afif Wahesh helped revive the Youth Forum, transforming it into a vibrant, inclusive hub for sports, civic engagement, and community resilience.

SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, ILO

Clean energy growth outpaces jobs

IRENA-ILO report shows 2024 renewable capacity records, but jobs reached only 16.6 million, revealing regional imbalances, automation impacts, inclusion gaps.

A group of women with their babies huddled together.
Torture and Other Cruel Treatment, UNFPA

"It was tragic..."

Amid the brutal siege of El Fasher, displaced health workers supported by UNFPA are delivering life-saving maternal and reproductive care to women and girls in Northern State camps.

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

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

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.

Watch and Listen

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

How Australia is restoring its shellfish reefs

Australia’s Reef Builder program, led by The Nature Conservancy and the government, is restoring critically endangered shellfish reefs across southern Australia, boosting biodiversity, water quality, and fish stocks. Since 2021, the initiative has rebuilt 62 hectares of reefs, created over 425 jobs, generated AUD$14 million in annual benefits, and brought together communities, Indigenous groups, scientists, and local businesses in a collaborative conservation effort.

What does the World Trade Organization do?

Discover how the WTO manages global trade, helps countries trade better, and improves lives worldwide.

Tajikistan’s agrobiodiversity revival

Communities in Tajikistan are reviving ancestral seeds and protecting agrobiodiversity, with FAO support helping farmers and women’s groups restore traditional crops, boost livelihoods, and strengthen resilience.

UN Podcasts

Jean-Martin is in the outdoors and facing a woman who is dressed up with a straw hat

Fighting hunger in a world of plenty, Jean-Martin Bauer (AAN S12-E5)

Jean-Martin Bauer was just a teenager when a visit to his uncle’s Haitian rice farm planted the seed of his life-long passion for food security. Now Director of Food Security and Nutrition Analysis at the World Food Programme (WFP) he works to feed hungry people worldwide.

“Even now, even during these dark times … there are opportunities to sow seeds for a better future.”

The world faces a global hunger crisis, with a record 319 million people currently not getting enough to eat. The author of a recent book on hunger in the Twenty-First Century, Jean-Martin Bauer reflects in this episode on the human cost of famine in Gaza and Sudan, the impact of funding cuts on the most vulnerable, and explains why the best solutions are those closest to home.

“That island in the south of Haiti was a great message of hope for everyone in the country, because the farmers of Haiti can feed themselves. They can feed the nation if given a chance.”

Photo: © WFP/Theresa Piorr

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.

Two falconers riding horses while holding a falcon on their hands.
Photo:Unsplash/Spenser Sembrat

Falconer and farmer

In Kazakhstan, becoming a falconer demands time, dedication, and a deep understanding of birds of prey. Tleukabyl Yessembekuly, a farmer from Aksu-Ayuly and founder of the local farmers' association, learned the virtues of patience and vigilance through falconry. Faced with ecological challenges from climate change and land-use shifts, Yessembekuly proposed a project to restore natural springs and plant forage crops. His initiative received backing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme, managed by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Kazakhstan.

woman among tomato plants
Photo:WFP/Almaz Tchoroev

In rugged Kyrgyzstan, smallholder farmers turn hardship into hope

In Kyrgyzstan’s rugged Batken Province, 70-year-old farmer Urinisa Tillabaeva is proving that tough land can still grow bright futures. With a new greenhouse, drip irrigation, and hands-on training, she no longer waits out the long winter months—she harvests beyond the traditional season, boosting yields and turning tomatoes into steady income for her family. As a leader in a local women’s farming group, Urinisa Tillabaeva is helping her community trade uncertainty for resilience—growing more and wasting less. She is among 4,500 farmers participating in a new World Food Programme (WFP) project aimed at boosting incomes and diets and adapting to deepening weather extremes in one of Central Asia’s most climate-vulnerable countries. 

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