UN Bodies and Agencies
The United Nations Home Page at http://www.un.org
The United Nations is central to global efforts to solve problems which challenge
humanity. Cooperating in this effort are more than 30 affiliated organizations known
together as the UN system. They work to promote respect for human rights, protect the
environment, fight disease, promote development and reduce poverty. Today, nearly every
nation in the world belongs to the UN–185 countries in all. Throughout the world, the
UN and its agencies assist refugees and set up programmes to clear landmines, help improve
the quality of drinking water and expand food production, make loans to developing
countries and help stabilize financial markets.
UN Wire, the daily news summary covering the UN, global
affairs and key international issues is now available FREE from the United Nations
Foundation's homepage at http://www.unfoundation.org
provides a concise daily summary of key stories from around the world; features direct
links to full-text, audio, video and additional sources of information on the Internet;
covers a wide range of issues, including UN Affairs, Women, Children and
Population, Health, Environment and Sustainable Development, Education, Science &
Culture, Economics, Trade and Development, Humanitarian Aid and Food Security, Human
Rights, Justice and Democracy, Peacekeeping and Security. For more information, contact:
UN Wire, United Nations Foundation, 1301 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC
20036, Email: unwire@unfoundation.org Send
press releases & other news information to Email: unwire-submit@unfoundation.org Fax: (703)
519-6377
United Nations - Economic and Social Development Web Site
United Nations - Economic and Social
Development Index
United Nations Publications at http://www.un.org/Pubs/sales.htm
UN Gateway to Social Policy and Development at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements - Habitat at http://www.unhabitat.org/
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements and The Together Foundation at http://www.bestpractices.org/cgi-bin/bp98.cgi?cmd=sponsors#unchs
UN High Commission for Human Rights: This website contains the most
comprehensive collection of translations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948.
Over 250 different language versions are available in HTML, PDF and graphical forms.
UN Population Division / Department of Economic and Social Affairs at http://www.undp.org/popin/popin.htm was
founded by resolution of the United Nations Economic and Social Council to identify,
establish, strengthen and coordinate population information activities at international,
regional and national levels; to facilitate and enhance the availability of population
information in collaboration with the regional commissions, the specialized agencies and
the NGO population community; and to provide a forum for the exchange of experiences among
developed and developing countries on population information issues. The website provides
an electronic library, a multilingual dictionary, a worldwide directory of population
institutions, world population trends and more.
UNCTAD, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development at http://www.unctad.org/ is a permanent intergovernmental
body and the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly in the field of trade
and development. It tries to maximize the trade, investment and development opportunities
of developing countries, and to help them face challenges arising from globalization and
integrate into the world economy, on an equitable basis through research and policy
analysis, intergovernmental deliberations, technical cooperation, and interaction with
civil society and the business sector. The website provides information on events and
meetings, press and references, technical cooperation, a guide to publications and related
www sites.
The United Nations System at http://www.unsystem.org/
The Sustainable Cities Programme (SCP), a joint Programme of the UN
Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat ) at http://www.unchs.org/unon/unchs/scp/home.htm
SCP works towards the development of a sustainable urban environment, building capacities
in urban environmental planning and management, and promoting a broad-based participatory
process. At the global level the programme facilitates exchange of experience and
know-how, captures lessons of experience in environment planning and management tools, and
disseminates information through publications, websites and newsletters.
The Urban Environment Forum, a joint initiative of the UN Environment
Programme (UNEP) and the UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat ) at http://www.unep.org/unon/unchs/uef/home.htm
United Nations International Computing Center at http://www.unicc.org/
was established in Geneva in 1971 as a co-operative set up, providing a wide range of
Computing and Communication Services, on a cost recovery basis, to its users world-wide.
UN Web-Site Locator
United Nations Publications at http://www.un.org/Pubs/sales.htm
United Nations Centre for Human Settlements and The Together Foundation at
http://www.bestpractices.org/cgi-bin/bp98.cgi?cmd=sponsors#unchs
UNEP, the United Nations Environment Programme, at http://www.unep.org
UNDP, the United Nations Development Programme, at http://www.undp.org
UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Science and Culture
Organisation, at http://www.unesco.org
ILO, the International Labour Organisation at http://www.essential.org/orgs/ilo/
WHO, the World Health Organisation, at http://www.who.ch
and http://www.who.dk
FAO, the Food Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, at
http://www.fao.org
UNRISD, United Nations Research Institute for Social Development,
autonomous agency engaging in multi-disciplinary research on the social dimensions of
contemporary problems affecting development; attempts to provide governments, development
agencies, grassroots organizations and scholars with a better understanding of how
development policies and processes of economic, social and environmental change affect
different social groups; working through an extensive network of national research
centres; aims to promote original research and strengthen research capacity in developing
countries.
The Earth Summit, Rio de Janiero, 1992 - the documents,
at gopher://gopher.un.org/00/conf/unced
also: United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)
Collection at http://www.ciesin.org/datasets/unced/unced.html
- a set of documents produced by UNCED, also known as the Earth Summit, and various
preparatory activities that led to the conference.
Agenda 21, outcome of the Earth Summit, at www.uned-uk.org/toolkits/women/un-doku/un-conf/earth
ag21.htm
Agenda 21, Chapter 24: Women, at http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/agenda21chapter24.htm
or on this site at www.uned-uk.org/toolkits/women/un-doku/un-conf/ag21chap24.htm
Earth Summit II, also known as UNGASS (United Nations
General Assembly 19th Special Session) or Rio+5, 1997, at gopher://gopher.un.org/00/ga/recs/spec/res-s19.2
The World Conference on Human Rights, Vienna, 1993, http://www.unchr.ch/html/menu5/d/vienna.htm
The World Conference on Human Rights 5 Year Review, 1998,
http://www.unchr.ch/html/vdparev.htm
The International Conference on Population and Development,
ICPD, Cairo, 1994, at http://www.undp.org/popin/icpd2.htm.
The site provides documentation about the conference, follow-ups, newsletters, programme
for action in different languages, press releases and more.
The International Conference on Population and Development 5 year
Review, also known as ICPD +5, 1999, http://www.undp.org/popin/icpd5.htm. The
site provides official documentation, statements of Governments and NGOs as well as
background documentation on the Conference in 1994.
Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing, 1995, at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/
The Fourth World Conference on Women 5 year Review, also
known as Beijing +5, 2000, at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/news/review.htm
The World Summit for Social Development (WSSD),
Copenhagen, 1995, at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/wssd.htm
At the conclusion of the World Summit for Social Development - held 6-12 March 1995 in
Copenhagen, Denmark - Governments adopted a Declaration and Programme of Action which
represent a new consensus on the need to put people at the centre of development. The
largest gathering yet of world leaders ll7 heads of State or Government - pledged to
make the conquest of poverty, the goal of full employment and the fostering of stable,
safe and just societies their overriding objectives. The website provides an overview of
the summit, the declaration, the programme of action, a follow-up, the 2000 Summit Review
and a calendar.
The World Summit for Social Development 5 year Review,
also known as WSSD+5 or Copenhagen+5, 2000, at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev.
All the new developments and information about the United Nations General Assembly Special
Session to follow-up the 1995 Social Summit, which will be held in Geneva, Switzerland,
from 26-30 June, 20000, are available. A site for news and information concerning the
special session, from the impact of the World Trade Organization to the social crisis in
Central Asia, the new Web site provides delegates, non-governmental organizations, media,
and the public with up-to-date coverage of the events leading up to the Geneva meeting.
The site also contains the latest official documentation for the session, as well as the
latest negotiated texts.
The World Conference on Human Settlements, Habitat II,
Istanbul, 1996, at http://www.unhabitat.org/habitat2/index.html.
On this website one can find an introduction to the conference, the Habitat Agenda,
Conference documents, newsletters, topic related webpages and more.
The World Conference on Human Settlements / Habitat II 5 year
Review, also known as Habitat II+5 or Istanbul+5, 2001, at
CSD, United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development at http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd.htm
The Commission ensures the high visibility of sustainable development issues within the UN
system and helps to improve the UN's coordination of environment and development
activities. The CSD also encourages governments and international organizations to host
workshops and conferences on different environmental and cross-sectoral issues. The
results of these expert-level meetings enhance the work of CSD and help the Commission to
work better with national governments and various non-governmental partners in promoting
sustainable development worldwide. More information on the UN CSD Homepage, at http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/csd.htm
Multi-Stakeholder Dialogues, at http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/msdialog.htm
CSD / Issues Page at http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/issueslist.htm
CSW, the UN Commission on the Status of Women, at http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/csw
CSocD, the UN Commission on Social Development, at http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/social.htm
CHS, the UN Commission Human Settlements, at http://www.unhabitat.org/
CPD, the UN Commission on Population and Development, at http://www.undp.org/popin/unpopcom.htm
CHR, Commission on Human Rights, at
United Nations
Regional Commissions
UN ECE, the United Nations Economic Commission for
Europe, at http://www.unece.org
UN ESCAP, the United Nations Economic & Social
Commission for Asia and the Pacific, at http://www.unescap.org
UN ECA, the United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa, , at http://www.un.org/debts/eca
UN ECLAC, the United Nations Economic Commission for
Latin America & the Caribbean, at http://www.eclac.cl
UN ESCWA, the United Nations Economic & Social
Commission for Western Asia, at http://www.escwa.org.lb
UN Conventions
CBD, Convention on Biodiversity at http://www.biodiv.org
Serving the Convention: German
Clearing-House Mechanism
UNFCCC, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, at http://www.unfccc.de/index.html
CCD, Convention to Combat Desertification and Mitigate the Effects of
Droughts in Countries Experiencing Serious Conditions, particularly in Africa, at http://www.unccd.ch.
Information on the status and ratification of the Convention at http://www.unccd.ch/ratifications.htm
