United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

The UN has 4 main purposes

• To keep peace throughout the world;
• To develop friendly relations among nations;
• To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms;
• To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals.

Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide a forum for its 193 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees.
The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable development, environment and refugees protection, disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, gender equality and the advancement of women, governance, economic and social development and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production, and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations.

Ban Ki-moon (Hangul: 반기문, Hanja: 潘基文; born 13 June 1944) is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he graduated from university, accepting his first post in New Delhi, India. In the foreign ministry he established a reputation for modesty and competence.

In 2011, Ban ran unopposed for a second term as Secretary-General. On 21 June 2011, he was unanimously re-elected by the General Assembly and therefore will continue to serve until 31 December 2016.^[5][6]

  

UN Bodies

• Security Council
  Function, structure, rules of procedures, members, documents, and Security Council Committees, including: Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC/CTED), 1540 Committee, and Sanctions Committees
.
• General Assembly First Committee (Disarmament and
  International Security)
  Function, structure, rules of procedures, members, documents, action by the General Assembly First Committee.
• General Assembly Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization)
  Function, structure, rules of procedures, members, documents, action by the General Assembly Fourth Committee.
• Peacebuilding Commission
  Function, membership, activities, documents.
• Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force
  Function, membership, activities, documents.
• Disarmament Commission
  Consensus principles, guidelines and recommendations.
• Conference on Disarmament
  Annual reports, documents, Member States, meeting records, statements.
• Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space
  Function, activities, reports and studies.

Thematic Issues

• Peacemaking and Preventive Action
  Peacemaking activities, reports, documents and other related material.
• Peacekeeping
  Peacekeeping activities, current and completed missions, maps, documents, statements, statistics.
• Peacebuilding
  Peacebuilding architecture, functions, documents, statements and other related material.
• Disarmament
  Disarmament agenda, Advisory Board, UN Institute for Disarmament Research, documents.
• Countering Terrorism
  Global strategy to counter-terrorism; implementation of strategy, UN system-wide actions and actors.
• Electoral Assistance
  Objectives, overview, activities, documents, roster of experts.
• Decolonization
  History, structure, documents on the UN role in decolonization.
  
• Children and Armed Conflict
  Mission statement, reports and statements, issues relating to child soldiers.
• Women, Peace and Security
  Gender perspective in peace and security issues, documents, statements.
• Mine Action
  Policies, advocacy, action, victim assistance, mine-risk education, documents.
• Sport for Development and Peace
  The UN System and Sport, UN Players, News and Events, Resource Centre.
• Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
  Overview, addressing it, Task Force, achievements.
• Organized Crime
  Technical Assistance, Training, Information Sharing, Assessing Trends

Other Resources

• International Day of Peace
  Commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace within and among all nations and people.
• International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers
  Paying tribute to all men and women who have served and continue to serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
• Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters
  Issues, reports, members, contact.
• United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
  Research projects, publications, small meetings and expert networks.
• University for Peace
  Education programmes, training and research for peace, including conflict-prevention, human security, human rights, environmental security and post-conflict rehabilitation.

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