Programmes and Funds United Nations

International Trade Centre (ITC) As the development partner for small business export success, ITC’s goal is to help developing and transition countries achieve sustainable human development through exports. http://www.intracen.org/

Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) The agency is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people. http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) The United Nations Children's Fund was created by the UN General Assembly on December 11, 1946, to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries that had been devastated by World War II. In 1953, UNICEF became a permanent part of the UN System and its name was shortened from the original United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund but it has continued to be known by the popular acronym based on this old name. UNICEF provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries. http://www.unicef.org/

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Established in 1964, UNCTAD promotes the development-friendly integration of developing countries into the world economy. UNCTAD has progressively evolved into an authoritative knowledge-based institution whose work aims to help shape current policy debates and thinking on development, with a particular focus on ensuring that domestic policies and international action are mutually supportive in bringing about sustainable development. http://www.unctad.org/Templates/StartPage.asp?intItemID=2068

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) UNDP is the UN's global development network, an organization advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 166 countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners. http://www.undp.org/

United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. Established in 1997 through a merger between the United Nations Drug Control Programme and the Centre for International Crime Prevention, UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices. http://www.unodc.org/

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Mission: To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. http://www.unep.org/

United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) UN-HABITAT is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. http://www.unhabitat.org/

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) UNFPA is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect. http://www.unfpa.org/public/

UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) UNRWA is a relief and human development agency, providing education, health care, social services and emergency aid to over four hundred thousand Palestine refugees living in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, as well as in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. It is the only agency dedicated to helping refugees from a specific region or conflict. It is separate from UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, which is the only other UN agency aiding refugees, dedicated to aiding all refugees in the world. http://www.un.org/unrwa/

UN World Food Programme (WFP) The World Food Programme is the world's largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide. Born in 1962, WFP pursues a vision of the world in which every man, woman and child has access at all times to the food needed for an active and healthy life. http://www.wfp.org/

Specialized Agencies United Nations

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) FAO leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information. We help developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices and ensure good nutrition for all. Its Latin motto, fiat panis, translates into English as "let there be bread". http://www.fao.org/

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ICAO codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. http://www.icao.int/

International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries. IFAD's goal is to empower poor rural women and men in developing countries to achieve higher incomes and improved food security. http://www.ifad.org/

International Labour Organization (ILO) ILO is devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues. http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm

International Maritime Organization The IMO's primary purpose is to develop and maintain a comprehensive regulatory framework for shipping and its remit today includes safety, environmental concerns, legal matters, technical co-operation, maritime security and the efficiency of shipping. http://www.imo.org/

International Monetary Fund (IMF) IMF is an organization of 186 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world. http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ITU is the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technology issues, and the global focal point for governments and the private sector in developing networks and services. http://www.itu.int/en/Pages/default.aspx

UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) UNESCO is a specialized agency of the UN established on 16 November 1945. Its stated purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting international collaboration through education, science, and culture in order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and the human rights and fundamental freedoms proclaimed in the UN Charter. http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=29008&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html

UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) UNIDO is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. Its mandate is to promote and accelerate sustainable industrial development in developing countries and economies in transition, and work towards improving living conditions in the world's poorest countries by drawing on its combined global resources and expertise. http://www.unido.org/

Universal Postal Union (UPU) UPU is an international organization that coordinates postal policies among member nations, and hence the worldwide postal system. Each member country agrees to the same set of terms for conducting international postal duties. http://www.upu.int/

World Bank Group / The World Bank The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. Its mission is to fight poverty with passion and professionalism for lasting results and to help people help themselves and their environment by providing resources, sharing knowledge, building capacity and forging partnerships in the public and private sectors. http://www.worldbank.org/

World Bank Group / The World Bank We are not a bank in the common sense; we are made up of two unique development institutions owned by 186 member countries: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). The IBRD aims to reduce poverty in middle-income and creditworthy poorer countries, while IDA focuses on the world's poorest countries. Their work is complemented by that of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID).

World Health Organization (WHO) WHO is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the UN system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends. http://www.who.int/en/

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) WIPO is a specialized agency of the UN. It is dedicated to developing a balanced and accessible international intellectual property (IP) system, which rewards creativity, stimulates innovation and contributes to economic development while safeguarding the public interest. http://www.wipo.int/portal/index.html.en

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) WMO is a specialized agency of the UN. It is the UN system's authoritative voice on the state and behaviour of the Earth's atmosphere, its interaction with the oceans, the climate it produces and the resulting distribution of water resources. http://www.wmo.int/pages/index_en.html

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) UNWTO/OMT is a specialized agency of the UN and the leading international organization in the field of tourism. It serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how. UNWTO plays a central and decisive role in promoting the development of responsible, ‎sustainable and universally accessible tourism, paying particular attention to the interests of developing countries. http://www.unwto.org/index.php

Related Organizations United Nations

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) The IAEA is the world´s center of cooperation in the nuclear field. It was set up as the world´s "Atoms for Peace" organization in 1957 within the United Nations family. The Agency works with its Member States and multiple partners worldwide to promote safe, secure and peaceful nuclear technologies. http://www.iaea.org/

Preparatory Commission for the Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) The Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) was set up in 1996 with its headquarters in Vienna, Austria. It is an interim organization tasked with building up the verification regime of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) in preparation for the Treaty's entry into force as well as promoting the Treaty's universality. http://www.ctbto.org/

Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) The OPCW is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC or Convention). The OPCW is given the mandate to achieve the object and purpose of the Convention, to ensure the implementation of its provisions, including those for international verification of compliance with it, and to provide a forum for consultation and cooperation among States Parties. http://www.opcw.org/

World Trade Organization (WTO) The WTO deals with the rules of trade between nations at a global or near-global level. But there is more to it than that. It’s an organization for liberalizing trade. It’s a forum for governments to negotiate trade agreements. It’s a place for them to settle trade disputes. It operates a system of trade rules. http://www.wto.org/index.htm

Secretariats of Conventions United Nations

Secretariat for the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its Optional Protocol are serviced by a joint Secretariat, consisting of staff of both the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), based in New York, and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva. http://www.un.org/disabilities/index.asp

United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa is a Convention to combat desertification and mitigate the effects of drought through national action programs that incorporate long-term strategies supported by international cooperation and partnership arrangements. http://www.unccd.int/main.php

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) UNFCCC is committed to: Making a contribution to sustainable development through support for action to mitigate and to adapt to climate change at the global, regional and national level. Providing high-quality support to the intergovernmental process in the context of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol.  Creating and maintaining necessary conditions for an early, effective and efficient implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. Providing and disseminating high-quality, understandable and reliable information and data on climate change and on efforts to address it.  Promoting and enhancing the active engagement of NGO's, business and industry, the scientific community and other relevant stakeholders in our work and processes, including through effective communication.  Creating and maintaining a caring working environment that is conducive to self-actualization of staff, information sharing and teamwork and allows the delivery of the highest quality products. http://unfccc.int/secretariat/items/1629.php

UN Trust Funds United Nations

United nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) Its primary purpose is to support democratization throughout the world. UNDEF finances projects that build and strengthen democratic institutions, promote human rights, and ensure the participation of all groups in democratic processes. The Fund provides assistance to governmental, non-governmental, national, regional, and international organizations, including relevant United Nations departments, offices, funds, programmes and agencies. The Fund complements current UN efforts to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide. http://www.un.org/democracyfund/index.htm

United Nations Fund for International Partnership (UNFIP) The United Nations Office for Partnerships serves as a gateway for collaboration between the private sector, foundations, and the United Nations family. It promotes new partnerships and alliances in furtherance of the Millennium Development Goals and provides support to new initiatives of the Secretary-General. http://www.un.org/partnerships/