The United Nations Today

1 DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. The United Nations Today asdf United Nations New York, 2008. Note: Every effort is made to keep basic information current up to the date of publication, including responsible officials, contact information, treaty ratifications, etc. All other data is current as of July 2007, unless stated otherwise. Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information Printed by the Publishing Section/DGACM. United Nations Headquarters New York, NY 10017. ISBN 978-92-1-101160-9. United Nations Publication Sales No. Copyright 2008 United Nations iii Preamble to the Charter of the United Nations We the peoples of the United Nations determined to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of Nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained.

2 And to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom, and for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours, and to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples, have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims. Accordingly, our respective Governments.

3 Have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations Chapter 1: The United Nations Organization v CONTENTS. United Nations websites .. xii List of acronyms .. xiv Foreword by the Secretary-General .. xvii PART ONE. Chapter 1: The United Nations Organization .. 1. United Nations Charter .. 3. Purposes and principles .. 5. Membership .. 5. Official languages .. 5. Structure of the Organization .. 6. General Assembly .. 6. Security Council .. 8. Economic and Social Council .. 10. Trusteeship Council.

4 12. International Court of Justice .. 12. Secretariat .. 13. Secretary-General .. 14. Budget of the United Nations .. 18. The United Nations family of organizations .. 22. United Nations Secretariat .. 22. Regional commissions .. 35. International tribunals .. 37. United Nations programmes and other bodies .. 38. Specialized agencies and other organizations .. 52. PART TWO. Chapter 2: International Peace and Security .. 69. The Security Council .. 73. The General Assembly .. 74. Conflict prevention .. 75. Peacemaking .. 75. Peacekeeping .. 77. Enforcement .. 82. Sanctions.

5 82. Authorizing military action .. 83. Peacebuilding .. 84. vi The UN Today Electoral assistance .. 84. Building peace through development .. 86. United Nations action for peace .. 86-131. Africa .. 86. Southern Africa .. 86. Great Lakes region of Africa .. 89. West Africa .. 94. East Africa .. 100. The Americas .. 106. Asia and the Pacific .. 109. The Middle East .. 109. Afghanistan .. 114. Iraq .. 117. India-Pakistan .. 121. Tajikistan .. 122. Cambodia .. 123. Myanmar .. 123. Nepal .. 124. Bougainville / Papua New Guinea .. 126. Timor-Leste .. 126. Europe .. 127. Cyprus.

6 127. Georgia .. 128. The Balkans .. 129. Disarmament .. 131. Disarmament machinery .. 134. Weapons of mass destruction .. 134. Conventional weapons, confidence-building and transparency .. 138. Peaceful uses of outer space .. 142. Latest developments .. 146. Chapter 3: Economic and Social Development .. 147. Coordinating development activities .. 151. Economic development .. 152. Official development assistance .. 152. Promoting development worldwide .. 154. Lending for development .. 156. Lending for stability .. 159. Investment and development .. 160. Trade and development.

7 161. vii Agricultural development .. 164. Industrial development .. 166. Labour .. 167. International aviation .. 169. International shipping .. 170. Telecommunications .. 171. International postal service .. 172. Intellectual property .. 173. Global statistics .. 175. Public administration .. 175. Science and technology for development .. 176. Social development .. 176. Progress in attaining the Millennium Development Goals .. 178. Reducing poverty .. 181. Fighting hunger .. 181. Health .. 185. Human settlements .. 189. Education .. 191. Research and training .. 193. Population and development.

8 195. Gender equality and empowerment of women .. 197. Promoting the rights of the child .. 198. Social integration .. 201. Families .. 202. Youth .. 202. Older persons .. 203. Indigenous issues .. 204. Persons with disabilities .. 205. Uncivil society: crime, illicit drugs and terrorism .. 206. Science, culture and communication .. 210. Sustainable development .. 214. Agenda 21 .. 215. World Summit on Sustainable Development .. 216. Financing sustainable development .. 217. Action for the environment .. 218. Climate change and global warming .. 220. Small islands .. 224. Sustainable forest management.

9 225. Desertification .. 226. Biodiversity, pollution and overfishing .. 227. Protecting the marine environment .. 228. Weather, climate and water .. 229. Natural resources and energy .. 231. Nuclear safety .. 234. viii . viii The UN Today Chapter 4: Human Rights .. 237. Human rights instruments .. 239. International Bill of Human Rights .. 240. Economic, social and cultural rights .. 240. Civil and political rights .. 242. Other conventions .. 242. Other standards .. 245. Human rights machinery .. 246. Human Rights Council .. 246. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights .. 248.

10 Promoting and protecting human rights .. 250. The right to development .. 251. The right to food .. 252. The rights of labour .. 253. The struggle against discrimination .. 254. Apartheid .. 254. Racism .. 255. The rights of women .. 256. The rights of children .. 257. The rights of minorities .. 258. Indigenous peoples .. 258. Persons with disabilities .. 260. Migrant workers .. 261. Administration of justice .. 261. Future priorities .. 262. Chapter 5: Humanitarian Action .. 263. Coordinating humanitarian action .. 266. Providing assistance and protection .. 269. International protection and assistance to refugees.