people walking in dusty environment
Pollution and Waste, Climate

Reducing the impact of sand and dust storms

Sand and dust storms are an essential element of the Earth’s natural bio-chemical cycles, but are also caused in part by human-induced drivers including climate change, unsustainable land management, and water use, and in turn sand and dust storms contribute to climate change and air pollution. At least 25 per cent of global dust emissions originate from human activities. Sustainable water and land management practices can decrease the impacts of sand and dust storms. The International Day of Combating Sand and Dust Storms (12 July) brings attention to this formidable and wide-spread challenge.

Sand and dust storms mostly occur in dry and desert regions, but can be carried long distances to impact regions much further away.
Photo:UNEP/Nayim Ahmed Yussuf
UNRWA has been providing vital humanitarian assistance to civilians affected by the ongoing conflict. (file photo)

Gaza: There is no alternative to UNRWA, Guterres declares

12 July 2024 — UN Secretary-General António Guterres, standing alongside top officials in New York on Friday, underscored the essential need to bolster the UN agency assisting Palestine refugees (...

Thousands of families continue to flee their homes in Port-au-Prince due to gang-related violence.

Top aid officials call for greater solidarity and support for Haiti

12 July 2024 — Three senior humanitarians  appealed on Friday for more support for Haiti, where ongoing gang violence in the capital, Port-au-Prince, is affecting the entire population. 

...

The Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine. (file photo)

General Assembly demands immediate end to Russian aggression in Ukraine

11 July 2024 — The UN General Assembly on Thursday demanded that Russia immediately cease its aggression against Ukraine and unconditionally withdraw all military forces from Ukrainian territory...

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.

We the Women

‘We the Women’ survey results

Amid a global backlash against women’s rights, women are committed to championing rights and representation. Survey results from 185 countries show that 86 per cent cite climate change, and more than 50 per cent identify conflict as primary concerns for the next decade. Mental health and family responsibilities are seen as barriers to reaching full potential. Access the full report and the We the Women campaign.

Thomas the Tank engine

Student Resources on the SDGs

Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals! On our student resources page you will find plenty of materials for young people and adults alike. Share with your family and friends to help achieve a better world for all.

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ActNow Campaign

ActNow is the UN campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the lead up to the Summit of the Future, join the 1 Million Actions for our Common Future challenge to contribute to a more sustainable and peaceful world. Find new inspiring actions on the app and at un.org/actnow.

woman making peace dove mosaic

Goal of the month

 

Special Focus: High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development

Five SDGs will be reviewed in depth: 

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.

women making briquettes Climate, UNDP

‘Super year’ for climate action

We are at a critical juncture in the climate crisis, and 2024 is a landmark year for democracy. These two historical milestones are not just coinciding; they are intertwined and essential to the shape of our future. In what’s being called a ‘super year’ for elections, half of the world’s adult population will have the chance to go to the polls, and climate action is one of the factors which affect how people vote. With a changing political landscape, 2024 could be a turning point to stabilize the climate and secure a livable planet for today and for generations to come.

refugees wait for assistance Displaced Persons and Refugees, UNHCR

Data visualization of dangers faced by refugees

Every year, hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants risk their lives on routes that extend from the East and Horn of Africa and West Africa, towards North Africa, the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. Much attention is focused on the dangers they face attempting the perilous Mediterranean Sea crossing. But before they reach the shore, many endure extreme and repeated violence and abuse on land. A new data visualization ("Death in the Desert") draws on interviews with more than 31,000 refugees and migrants to map those routes and the most common dangers refugees and migrants face on them. 

herder using mechanical milking for camels Agriculture and Food, FAO

Quenching a thirst for camel milk

Due to the decreasing availability of pasture brought on by worsening drought in the southern Gobi region, camels are producing less milk, causing difficulties for herders who rely on this for income and nutrition. The herder communities in Mongolia, traditionally, do not feed their camels with any supplemental feed and only hand-milk their camels. But now with the knowledge and resources from An EU-funded project, implemented by FAO, camel herders have witnessed the increased production in milk from supplemental feed. Milking equipment has also increased quality in milk production. 

Sports, Women and Gender Equality, UN Women

Five things to know about women and sport

Women's sports are rapidly growing in popularity and influence, with record-breaking achievements and increasing gender parity, yet significant gaps in coverage, leadership, and pay still need to be addressed.

Humanitarian Aid, UNOPS, World Bank

Three lives, one project

Amid recent restrictions in Afghanistan, Mumtaz, Ahmad, and Zeyba's lives were upended, but a World Bank and UNOPS project offers a lifeline through community-driven employment and support initiatives.

Economic Development, UNCTAD

Strategies to mitigate digital environmental impact

UNCTAD’s Digital Economy Report 2024 advocates for a shift to a circular digital economy to mitigate the growing environmental impact of digitalization, emphasizing sustainability and inclusivity.

Climate Change, Humanitarian Aid, WFP

WFP prepared for Hurricane Beryl

World Food Programme teams in the Caribbean are assessing the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, providing crucial humanitarian aid to communities severely impacted by the storm's destructive force.

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

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.

A young girl holds a smiling infant at the Zaatari Refugee Camp

Our Common Agenda

Following up on a pledge made by UN Member States at the UN’s 75th anniversary, the report Our Common Agenda looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation. It calls for inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges.

Watch and Listen

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

A Mother of Srebrenica on the 1st Int'l Day of Reflection & Commemoration of the 1995 genocide

Kada Hotic is a Mother of Srebrenica who lost her husband, son and 50 other family members during the 1995 genocide there. Since then, she has devoted herself to building a new future for Bosnia and Herzegovina where people live in peace regardless of their ethnicity.

The International Day of Reflection and Commemoration of the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica is crucial for raising awareness and preventing future atrocities. 

Benefits of the ocean: Our silent benefactor

Esteban Gottfried Burgett, Associate Programme Officer for Ocean Literacy at UNESCO-IOC, sheds light on these lesser-known oceanic benefits and its impact in our daily lives.

A shared journey of joy and responsibility

UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador Orlando Bloom reflects on the greatest joy of his life: being a parent.

UN Podcasts

marching people hold a large rainbow flag

Human rights are for all, but sexual identity can still be a death sentence

The UN Charter says that Member States must guarantee the rights of all people, regardless of history, culture or social norms. However, around the world, people continue to face discrimination, criminalization and violence purely because of their sexual orientation and identity.

Earlier this year, Secretary-General António Guterres promised that the UN “firmly stands with the LGBTIQ+ community and will continue working until human rights and dignity are a reality for all people”.

But what does that mean in practical terms, and how is the UN helping this community?

Listen to the podcast with Beatriz Barral from UN News, Michael Van Gelderen from the UN High Commission for Human Rights and Chris Mallouris from UNAIDS.

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.

woman with newborn
Photo:© UNFPA DRC/Junior Mayindu

More than a statistic: why everyone must be counted as they are

Every member of the human family, now 8 billion strong around the globe, has the right to be counted. Yet for millions – the world’s most vulnerable among them – this right continues to go unrealized. Why? The reasons range from financial constraints to the marginalization of harder-to-reach communities. But no one is unreachable. To mark World Population Day, here are four reasons why it’s more important than ever that data-collection processes are inclusive and that people are counted – in all their diversity.

child pouring water on itself
Photo:© UNICEF Cambodia/2019/Fani Llaurado

Heat waves and how they impact children

Climate change is raising global temperatures and causing historic heat waves. More countries are facing hotter days more frequently, with more intensity and for longer periods. The heat stress caused by exposure to heat waves can negatively affect health and well-being, especially for infants and young children. As heat waves become more frequent and last longer, the need for urgent action grows stronger. Preparedness can protect vulnerable populations, especially children. UNICEF encourages governments and partners to join the Children’s Environmental Health Collaborative.

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