UN Achievements

Most people know that United Nations agencies have contributed to the eradication of smallpox, immunized 80% of the world's children against deadly diseases, provided food aid, coordinated emergency relief in the face of disasters. natural and otherwise, and helped to avert or end wars and maintain international peace and stability. But few are aware that the United Nations:

. aided the process of democratization and ensured fair elections, providing electoral assistance and advice to countries undergoing a transition to democracy, such as Albania, Cambodia, El Salvador, Mozambique, Namibia to name just a few

. promoted decolonization, self-determination and independence in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean and the Pacific

. enabled participation in the global economy by working in more than 170 countries and territories to develop their infrastructures, strengthen their institutions, enable effective economic planning and train human resources

. assisted in the restructuring of economies and societies and in promoting international economic stability with the help of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

. encouraged international trade relations and the reduction of trade barriers through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)

. facilitated global communication, ensuring that mail and broadcast signals travel as intended, assigning geostationary satellite positions and allocating the radio-frequency spectrum

. led the international environmental effort to preserve and protect global resources for future generations

. protected more than 30 million refugees fleeing war, famine or persecution, and assisted in their resettlement and, where possible repatriation

. strengthened and expanded the body of international law, with over 300 international treaties ranging from standard-setting human rights conventions to agreements governing the use of oceans and outer space

. established standards for patenting and coordinated international protection of intellectual property - inventions, trademarks, industrial designs, and literary and artistic works covered by copyright

. highlighted issues previously thought to concern only a limited part of society - from the environment to women to indigenous peoples; UN Conferences and International Years have placed these concerns squarely on the global agenda

AND . . .

Click Here for "60 ways the United Nations makes a difference!"

The UN Millennium Development Goals