06:00, 24 October 2024
Words by Cheyanne Bryan, Editorial and Campaign Marketing Executive, London
United Nations Day is an important day to commemorate the founding of the United Nations (UN) in 1945. To mark the occasion, we have collated 5 examples of the organisation's mission to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations.
With its significant history of peacekeeping and maintaining security in conflict zones, the UN launched special missions in areas of conflict or post-conflict recovery. An example of one of these missions is the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) since 1964, to help stabilise situations and foster dialogue. Similarly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) since 1999, the focus has been on protecting civilians and supporting government stabilisation efforts. Overall, these missions promote sustainable peace and development through collaboration with local communities.
For many, the UN is known as the beacon of human rights. Campaigning for advanced global human rights notably through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which outlines fundamental rights applicable to all nations. This is not the extent of their human rights work as they have also developed treaties like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, adopted to protect various rights and create a standard that each nation should hold itself to.
Establishing the World Health Organization (WHO), a UN agency, in 1948. This agency has played a pivotal role in global health by spearheading initiatives to eradicate diseases like smallpox, polio, Ebola and COVID-19. WHO has implemented vaccination campaigns, promoting public health education, and fostering international collaboration. These initiatives not only improve individual health outcomes but also support worldwide stability and economic growth, highlighting the critical role of global cooperation in tackling public health issues.
If you are familiar with our content, then you will be familiar with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Built on decades of work and established more recently than some of the UN’s other agendas, these 17 interconnected goals provide a framework for countries to address global challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change by 2030.
With the climate emergency at the forefront of many legislation, the UN has always headed the global conversation. With COP29 (The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference) around the corner one of its many achievements is hosting conferences like this and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), which focuses on coordinating environmental activities and assisting countries in implementing sustainable practices. Additionally, the Paris Agreement, adopted in 2015, represents a landmark commitment by nations to combat climate change by limiting global warming and enhancing resilience to its impacts, fostering international cooperation for a sustainable future.
At Smiley Movement, we like to elevate the work of charities across the world. Here are three charities whose causes align with the themes in this article.
Save The Children UK. Save the Children is a UK charity for children that works in over 100 countries to make sure children are fed, learning and treated fairly. Find out more.
Refugee Action. This charity helps refugees build safe, hopeful and productive new lives in the UK. Learn more here.
Amnesty International. This is a global NGO that is focused on human rights. They aim to promote peace and safety across the world. Support them here.
