Our Work
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ coordinates its work with the funds, programmes, specialized agencies and other organizations of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ itself is one part of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System. Cooperation between the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and the other entities of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system is essential in order to achieve the purposes of the Organization laid out in the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Charter.
Since its Charter was written, the United Nations has been mandated to do new work which was not envisioned at the time of its creation. The Organization has set goals to build a more sustainable world, and it has agreed to collective action to slow down climate change.
As the problems facing humanity have grown, the work of the United Nations has also grown.
Explainer: What is the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ?
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ's 'work plan'
At Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Headquarters in New York, the General Assembly, , and pass resolutions, which set what could informally be called the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ's 'work plan.'
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretariat carries out this work along with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system entities.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretariat
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretariat, based in New York City, has offices in , , and .
Also part of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretariat are the , , , , and .
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ System
All of the funds, programmes, specialized agencies, and other entities of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system have their own budget, mandate, leadership, and headquarters. They have regional and local offices in all the main geographic areas of the world, as does the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ.
Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ and the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system work together in five areas that can, and often do overlap.
What We Do
The work of the United Nations covers five main areas:
Left to right: ?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Photo/Marco Dormino, ?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Photo/Mark Garten, ?OCHA/Iason Athanasiadis, ?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEP/Patrick Kihara, ?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Photo/Sylvain Liechti
As an international organization with 193 Member States, the United Nations is uniquely positioned to address and solve global issues.
Global Issues
Documents
?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵOG Library Photo
The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ has been publishing documents since its founding. Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ documents include records of meetings and resolutions that have been passed by a legislative body, such as the General Assembly, Security Council, or the Economic and Social Council, which often contain a work mandate for the United Nations. Reports of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General assess the state of the Organization and announce new work initiatives.
Official Languages
?Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Photo/Laura Jarriel
There are six official languages of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. The correct interpretation and translation of the six languages, in both spoken and written form, is very important to the work of the Organization, as this enables clear and concise communication on issues of global importance.
More on the 6 official Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ languages
Observances
The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. The Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ observes designated days, weeks, years, and decades, each with a theme, or topic.
