Our Work
The United Nations coordinates its work with the funds, programmes, specialized agencies and other organizations of the UN System
The United Nations itself is one part of the UN System. Cooperation between the UN and the other entities of the UN system is essential in order to achieve the purposes of the Organization laid out in the UN Charter.
Since its Charter was written, the United Nations has been mandated to do new work which was not envisioned at the time of its creation. The Organization has set goals to build a more sustainable world, and it has agreed to collective action to slow down climate change.
As the problems facing humanity have grown, the work of the United Nations has also grown.
Explainer: What is the UN?
At UN Headquarters in New York, the General Assembly, Security Council, and Economic and Social Council pass resolutions, which set what could informally be called the UN's 'work plan.'
The UN Secretariat carries out this work along with UN system entities.
The UN Secretariat, based in New York City, has offices in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.
Also part of the UN Secretariat are the Regional Economic Commissions in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut, Geneva, and Santiago.
All of the funds, programmes, specialized agencies, and other entities of the UN system have their own budget, mandate, leadership, and headquarters. They have regional and local offices in all the main geographic areas of the world, as does the UN.
What We Do
The work of the United Nations covers five main areas:
Documents
Official Languages
Observances
The existence of international days predates the establishment of the United Nations, but the UN has embraced them as a powerful advocacy tool. The UN observes designated days, weeks, years, and decades, each with a theme, or topic.
