The United Nations
Making A Difference
C a l e n d a r
Did you know … ■■
In September 2013, the General Assembly of the United Nations will hold a highlevel meeting in New York on disability and development, in support of the aims of the 2006 Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the Millennium Development Goals and other internationally agreed development goals for persons with disabilities.
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The United Nations General Assembly declared 2013 the International Year of Water Cooperation—highlighting new potentials and challenges in water management due to increased demand for water access, allocation and services—and the International Year of Quinoa—focusing attention on the biodiversity and nutritional value of this important traditional Andean food resource. ■■
International Mother Language Day, 21 February, promotes linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism, including the preservation of endangered languages. About 7,000 languages are spoken in the world today.
The International Day of Peace, 21 September, is marked at UN Headquarters with a ceremony at the Peace Bell. The metal in the Bell was obtained from coins collected by children. The Bell was presented to the United Nations in 1954 by the United Nations Association of Japan.
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Annual UN peacekeeping costs amount to $7.8 billion, which is less than 0.5 per cent of total world military expenditure, estimated at $1.74 trillion in 2011—a figure itself dwarfed by the actual costs of wars and armed conflicts. By sending 66 peacekeeping and observer missions to the world’s trouble spots over the past 64 years, the United Nations has helped restore calm, allowing many countries to recover from the ravages of conflict.
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The United Nations, its specialized agencies and staff have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ten times.
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A 13-year effort by the United Nations resulted in the eradication of smallpox by 1980. A 16-year campaign by the United Nations resulted in the global eradication of rinderpest (‘cattle plague’, associated with famine in Africa and elsewhere) in 2011.
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Virtually all UN humanitarian relief is funded by voluntary contributions. In 2011, the United Nations coordinated humanitarian programming valued at $9.4 billion, managed consolidated appeals benefitting 61 million people and provided services in 47 countries.
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UN environmental treaties have helped cut down marine pollution worldwide; restricted the use of hazardous pesticides and chemicals; and helped phase out production of substances destroying the Earth’s ozone layer, as well as accord protection to many endangered species of animals and plants.
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Do you want to help out? The United Nations Volunteers programme mobilizes more than 7,700 UN Volunteers every year, and also features online opportunities. UN Volunteers assist in organizing and running elections, support humanitarian projects, and comprise one third of all international civilians working in UN peacekeeping operations.
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
The UN Charter entered into force in 1945 on 24 October, now celebrated as United Nations Day. That year the UN had 51 members; today 193 countries are members of the Organization. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted on 10 December 1948. Commemorating this historic occasion, Human Rights Day was the first international day approved by the General Assembly (1950). For the most up-to-date listing of United Nations Observances, please visit www.un.org/observances.
For more information on the UN and its family of organizations, please visit www.un.org and www.unsystem.org.
The United Nations System Programmes and Funds
UN Principal Organs General Assembly
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
Subsidiary Bodies Main and other sessional committees
Security Council
Economic and Social Council
Secretariat
more than simply SecretaryGeneral of the United
our children, our succeeding generations, can prosper and
Trusteeship Council 5
Disarmament Commission Human Rights Council
• UNV United Nations Volunteers
International Law Commission
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
everyone can live, confident in tomorrow. That is the future I want—that is the future you want, and we want.” —B an Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, 20 June 2012
Counter-terrorism committees International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
Peacekeeping operations and political missions
UN Peacebuilding Commission
Sanctions committees (ad hoc) Standing committees and ad hoc bodies
Other Bodies
Regional Commissions
Functional Commissions
ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Social Development Statistics Status of Women Sustainable Development United Nations Forum on Forests
4 Specialized agencies are autono-
This is not an official document of the United Nations, nor is it intended to be all-inclusive.
Specialized Agencies4
IMF International Monetary Fund
ILO International Labour Organization
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Science and Technology for Development
tion on 1 November 1994 with the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations Trust Territory, on 1 October 1994.
WTO3 World Trade Organization
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
1 UNRWA and UNIDIR report only to
5 The Trusteeship Council suspended opera-
IAEA2 International Atomic Energy Agency
Advisory Subsidiary Body
Military Staff Committee
ECE Economic Commission for Europe
mous organizations working with the UN and each other through the coordinating machinery of ECOSOC at the intergovernmental level, and through the Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB) at the inter-secretariat level. This section is listed in order of establishment of these organizations as specialized agencies of the United Nations.
Related Organizations CTBTO PrepCom Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
OPCW Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
Population and Development
to the General Assembly (GA) but contributes on an ad-hoc basis to GA and ECOSOC work inter alia on finance and developmental issues.
UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services
UNIDIR1 United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
UNFPA United Nations Population Fund
NOTES:
and the General Assembly.
UNISDR United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
UNICRI United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
Committee of Experts on Public Administration
the General Assembly.
Other Entities UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
Research and Training Institutes
Narcotic Drugs
people can have a decent job
have enough to eat. Where
WFP World Food Programme
Committee for Development Policy
3 WTO has no reporting obligation
clean air, drink safe water and
UNU United Nations University
ECA Economic Commission for Africa
2 IAEA reports to the Security Council
where everyone can breathe
UNSSC United Nations System Staff College
UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
International Court of Justice
be happy. A world where all and live with dignity. A world
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UN-Women United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
and a grandfather. And like you, I want a world where
UNRISD United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
Departments and Offices EOSG Executive Office of the Secretary-General
World Bank Group • IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
ITU International Telecommunication Union UPU Universal Postal Union WMO World Meteorological Organization WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization
Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations
• IDA International Development Association
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
• IFC International Finance Corporation
United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development
• MIGA Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization
• ICSID International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
UNWTO World Tourism Organization
Other sessional and standing committees and expert, ad hoc and related bodies
ESCWA Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
WHO World Health Organization
IMO International Maritime Organization
DM Department of Management DPA Department of Political Affairs DPI Department of Public Information
DESA Department of Economic and Social Affairs
DPKO Department of Peacekeeping Operations
DFS Department of Field Support
DSS Department of Safety and Security
DGACM Department for General Assembly and Conference Management
OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
OHCHR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights OIOS Office of Internal Oversight Services OLA Office of Legal Affairs OSAA Office of the Special Adviser on Africa OSRSG/CAAC Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
UNODA Office for Disarmament Affairs UNOG United Nations Office at Geneva UN-OHRLLS Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States UNON United Nations Office at Nairobi UNOV United Nations Office at Vienna
Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information DPI/2470 rev.2—11-36429—October 2011
Nations. I am also a father
UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
• ITC International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO)
Subsidiary Bodies
“I am more than my title,
UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research
UNRWA1 United Nations Relief and Works Agency
• UNCDF United Nations Capital Development Fund
Standing committees and ad hoc bodies
UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme
2013 Calendar
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Peacekeepers with the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire bringing supplies to Ivorians (2011)
Aiding reconstruction The United Nations helps countries rebuild after conflict. UN peacebuilding and political offices assist in reconstruction and reconciliation in countries such as Afghanistan, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Iraq and Sierra Leone. By bringing together Governments, donors and financial institutions, the UN Peacebuilding Commission helps other countries such as the Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia and Sierra Leone in recovery and development. The UN Peacebuilding Fund supports 193 projects in 22 countries by delivering fast, flexible and relevant funding.
Supporting disarmament The United Nations has been instrumental in bringing about treaties against weapons of mass destruction and other deadly devices. The Chemical Weapons Convention has led to the destruction of more than 70 per cent of declared stockpiles, while the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons and its Protocols restrict the use of landmines, booby traps, incendiary weapons and laser weapons. The United Nations supports the Biological Weapons Convention and the Anti-personnel Landmine Convention. It also works to curb the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons—the weapons of choice of insurgents, gang members, drug lords, pirates and terrorists. It promotes transparency in military expenditures and monitors arms transfers.
UN Photo/Basile Zoma
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27 January International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
January 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
A woman in her Gaza workshop microfinanced through the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (2011)
Promoting decent work
UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan
The International Labour Organization promotes decent work for all, social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights. The ILO
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brings together workers, employers and Governments, giving representatives of all three areas an equal voice in jointly
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shaping labour standards and policies. Its 189 Conventions have established standards and fundamental principles and rights for work, including freedom of association, the right to collective bargaining and the abolition of forced
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labour, child labour and workplace discrimination.
Serving industry The United Nations Industrial Development Organization works to improve living standards and promote development through industry. UNIDO provides policy advice to encourage entrepreneurship and development of small and medium enterprises; supports sustainable production; and promotes the provision of rural energy. It generates and disseminates industry-related knowledge; promotes the integration of developing countries in global trade through trade capacity-building; fosters environmental sustainability in industry; and helps improve access to energy. Its technical support to industry-related projects and programmes around the world is valued at some $772Â million.
First week of February World Interfaith Harmony Week
13 February World Radio Day
4 February World Cancer Day
20 February World Day of Social Justice
6 February International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
21 February International Mother Language Day
February 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Alleviating rural poverty
Villagers in Sainyabuli, Laos, bundling rice harvested in an IFAD country programme (2011)
The International Fund for Agricultural
UN Photo/IFAD/Harald Franzen
Development provides low-interest loans and grants to very poor rural people. Its country-specific solutions involve increasing access to financial
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services, markets, technology, land and natural resources, as well as training in agricultural practices and technologies. Since 1978, IFAD has invested some $13 billion in helping over 400 million women and men increase their incomes
21–27 March Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination 8 March International Women’s Day 20 March International Day of Happiness
21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
International Day of Nowruz World Poetry Day World Down Syndrome Day 22 March World Water Day
23 March World Meteorological Day 24 March International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims
25 March International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
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International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members
World Tuberculosis Day
and provide for their families, while Governments and other local sources in recipient countries have contributed
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$11.7 billion, and international donors another $9.3 billion in co-financing. Today IFAD supports some 240 programmes and projects in 94 countries.
Fighting hunger The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations leads global efforts to defeat hunger, which affects some 925 million people around the world. FAO delivers practical assistance in fighting hunger, whether in meeting an immediate need—such as restarting food production after a disaster—or in taking long-term action, such as helping prevent soil erosion. It supports countries in mobilizing resources for their food and agriculture priorities or putting into action national strategies for food security. FAO manages over 2,000 field projects and programmes worth close to $900 million—
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more than 95 per cent of which are funded by voluntary contributions.
March 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
A mother and daughter visiting a UNICEF and NGO nutrition centre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (2011)
Promoting reproductive and maternal health By promoting the right of individuals to make their own decisions on the number and spacing of their children through voluntary family planning, the United Nations Population Fund helps give families—and especially women—greater control over their lives. As a result, women in developing countries are having fewer children—from six in the 1960s to three today—slowing world population growth. When UNFPA started work in 1969, under 20 per cent of couples practiced family planning; the number now stands at 63 per cent. Fewer unintended pregnancies means fewer maternal deaths and fewer abortions. UNFPA and its partners also work to provide skilled assistance during childbirth and access to emergency obstetrical care in 91 countries.
Protecting consumers’ health Foodborne diseases and threats to food safety constitute a growing public health problem. To ensure the safety of food sold in the marketplace, FAO and the World Health Organization, working with Member States, have established standards for some 300 food commodities, safety limits for more than 3,000 food contaminants, and regulations on food processing, transport and storage. With more food than ever before travelling the globe, harmonized international standards, guidelines and codes of practice protect the health of consumers and ensure the safety, quality and fairness of the international food trade.
UN Photo/Logan Abassi
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2 April World Autism Awareness Day 4 April International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action 7 April World Health Day
Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Rwanda Genocide
12 April International Day of Human Space Flight 22 April
International Mother Earth Day 23 April World Book and Copyright Day 25 April World Malaria Day
26 April World Intellectual Property Day 28 April World Day for Safety and Health at Work 29 April Day of Remembrance for all Victims of Chemical Warfare 30 April International Jazz Day
April 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Shipbuilding and ship repair yards in Busan, Republic of Korea (2011)
Supporting civil aviation
UN Photo/Kibae Parka
The International Civil Aviation Organization serves as the forum for cooperation in all fields of civil aviation among its 191 member States. It sets standards and regulations for the safety,
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air travel, as well as for environmental
25–31 May Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
8–9 May Time of Remembrance and Recon ciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
protection. International aviation—now
3 May World Press Freedom Day
12–13 May World Migratory Bird Day
with 2.7 billion airline passengers
5 May Day of Vesak
15 May International Day of Families
security, efficiency and regularity of
annually—is the first industry sector
17 May World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
with global goals of stabilizing carbon emissions at 2020 levels and achieving a 2 per cent annual increase in fuel
Tuesday 21 May World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development 22 May International Day for Biological Diversity
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29 May International Day of UN Peacekeepers 31 May World No-Tobacco Day
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efficiency.
Improving shipping The International Maritime Organization works to make shipping—which serves more than 90 per cent of global trade— safer and more secure, and the seas cleaner. With the help of IMO, ship losses have fallen and fatalities decreased; pollution incidents—including total oil pollution—are down; and air pollution and pollution from sewage are now being addressed. All these improvements are taking place even as the amount of cargo carried by sea continues to increase: the total of goods loaded reached 8.4 billion tons in 2010.
May 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
A girl and her grandfather receiving World Food Programme aid in Benghazi, Libya (2011)
Saving lives
UN Photo/WFP/Abeer Etefa
After natural disasters and during conflicts, the United Nations assists people who need life-saving help. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
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4 June International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
12 June World Day Against Child Labour
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deploys rapid response coordination teams and works with partners to assess needs, mobilize funds, advocate for protection and access, and provide decision makers with
5 June World Environment Day
vital data and information. In 2012, OCHA
8 June World Oceans Day
14 June World Blood Donor Day 15 June World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
came to the aid of 54 million people in
17 June World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 20 June World Refugee Day 23 June International Widows’ Day United Nations Public Service Day
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25 June Day of the Seafarer 26 June International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
19 countries. Funds managed by OCHA help provide food, water and shelter following a natural disaster; life-saving nutrition and
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medical care for babies born in refugee camps; and basic life necessities for those struggling to survive.
Mitigating disasters The World Meteorological Organization works to spare millions of people from the calamitous effects of natural and man-made disasters. Early warning systems composed of national meteorological and hydrological services—including thousands of surface monitors, sea buoys and satellites— improve the prediction and management of weather, climate and water-related hazards such as tropical cyclones, floods and droughts. They also provide information about the dispersal of volcanic ash and nuclear and chemical accidents.
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June 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Improving literacy and education The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization supports literacy programmes around the world, including the Literacy Initiative for Empowerment carried out in more than 40 countries. Today, 83.7 per cent of adults can read and write and 90 per cent of children attend primary school. The goal is to ensure that, by 2015, all children complete a full course of primary school, and acquire knowledge and skills at a high level of proficiency. While programmes promoting education and advancement for women have been instrumental in raising the female literacy rate in developing countries from 36 per cent in 1970 to 79.2 per cent in 2009, the goal is to ensure that, by 2015, all girls complete primary and secondary school.
Girl and boy scouts in El Fasher, Sudan participating in the African Union– United Nations Mission in Darfur project “Eyes of Darfur” (2011) UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran
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First Saturday of July International Day of Cooperatives
28 July World Hepatitis Day
11 July World Population Day
30 July International Day of Friendship
Preserving heritage UNESCO has helped 137 countries protect historic, cultural and natural sites for all humanity. It has negotiated international conventions to preserve cultural property, cultural diversity and outstanding cultural and natural sites. Inscribed in its World Heritage List are 962 sites in 157 countries designated as having exceptional universal value. The List of World Heritage in Danger draws attention to 38 such sites, and seeks to prompt action in order to save them. UNESCO campaigns have contributed to restoring world treasures such as the Old City of Dubrovnik in Croatia, the Temple of Borobudur in Indonesia and Angkor in Cambodia.
18 July Nelson Mandela International Day
July 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Mangrove shoots planted by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others on Tarawa, Kiribati (2011)
Coping with climate change The Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change provides a clear scientific view on the current state of knowledge in climate change and its potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts. A partnership of 38 UN bodies assists Governments in measures such as investment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, initiatives to increase energy efficiency, and action to adapt to climate change. The Global Environment Facility allocates some $260 million per year in projects on energy efficiency, renewable energy and sustainable transportation, supplemented by an additional $1,585 million in co-financing from GEF partners.
Protecting the ozone layer The United Nations Environment Programme and the World Meteorological Organization have been instrumental in highlighting the damage caused to Earth’s ozone layer—the atmospheric shield that filters out dangerous levels of the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Two treaties known as the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol, ratified by over 190 countries, have enabled reductions of over 97 per cent of all global consumption of ozone-depleting substances and their replacement through safer alternatives. This has spared millions of people from contracting skin cancer and eye cataracts because of exposure to increased ultraviolet radiation.
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
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1–7 August World Breastfeeding Week
19 August World Humanitarian Day
9 August International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
12 August International Youth Day
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29 August International Day against Nuclear Tests 30 August International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
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August 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Farmers using tube wells installed with the support of the UN Development Programme in Hafizabad, Pakistan (2011)
Providing safe drinking water The second International Water Decade (2005–2015) aims to reduce by half the number of people—currently some 780 million—without a source of clean drinking water. Since 1990, with the help of the United Nations, more than 2 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water sources such as piped supplies and protected wells. While current trends suggest that more than 90 per cent of the global population will use improved drinking water sources by 2015, over 2.4 billion people will still lack improved sanitation. Investment in safe drinking water and sanitation, however, contributes to economic growth. For each $1 invested, the World Health Organization estimates returns of between $3 and $34, depending on the region and technology.
UN Photo/UNDP Pakistan/Satomi Kato
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8 September International Literacy Day
16 September International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
Last Saturday in September World Heart Day
Advocating for indigenous peoples Indigenous peoples enrich our cultural diversity, speaking more than two thirds of our languages and contributing an extraordinary amount of traditional knowledge. The United Nations advocates for the 370 million indigenous people living in some 90 countries who number among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable groups in the world. The 16-member Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues works to improve the situation of indigenous peoples with regard to development, culture, human rights, the environment, education and health. The Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and a United Nations independent expert promote indigenous rights and monitor their application.
10 September World Suicide Prevention Day
21 September International Day of Peace
12 September United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
Last week of September World Maritime Day
27 September World Tourism Day
15 September International Day of Democracy
28 September World Rabies Day
September 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Fishermen bringing in the daily catch in south-eastern Viet Nam (2010)
Countering fish stock depletion According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, about 30 per cent of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion, while 50 per cent are fully exploited. FAO monitors global fisheries production and the status of wild fish stocks, and works with countries to improve the management of fisheries, stamp out illegal fishing, promote responsible international fish trade and protect fragile species. According to FAO and World Bank estimates, the world economy could gain up to $50 billion annually by restoring fish stocks and reducing fishing capacity to an optimal level.
Banning toxic chemicals The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants seeks to rid the world of some of the most dangerous chemicals ever created. Ratified by 176 countries, the Convention and its amendments protect human health and the environment by targeting 22 hazardous pesticides and industrial chemicals such as PCBs and DDT that can cause cancer and birth defects, damage the nervous and immune systems, and interfere with child development. Other United Nations conventions and action plans help preserve biodiversity, protect endangered species, combat desertification, clean up seas and curb cross-border movements of hazardous wastes.
UN Photo/UNDP/Tran Vinh Nghia
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4–10 October World Space Week
5 October World Teachers’ Day
24–30 October Disarmament Week
First Monday in October World Habitat Day
1 October International Day of Older Persons
9 October World Post Day
2 October International Day of Non-Violence
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10 October World Mental Health Day
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United Nations Day
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Second Thursday in October World Sight Day
16 October World Food Day
11 October International Day of the Girl Child
17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
13 October International Day for Disaster Reduction
24 October United Nations Day World Development Information Day
15 October International Day of Rural Women
27 October World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
October 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Containers at the port of Balboa, Panama, being inspected in a joint UNODC/World Customs Organization project (2011)
Tackling the world drug problem The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime helps countries reduce the supply of and demand for illicit drugs under the three main United Nations conventions on drug control. It advocates measures to reduce vulnerability, treat drug dependence and prevent the spread of infections associated with drug use, such as HIV. The Office works with rural communities to provide farmers with legal livelihoods and wean them away from illicit crop cultivation. Because several countries and regions remain vulnerable to the instability caused by drug crop cultivation and trafficking, UNODC is particularly engaged in Afghanistan, the Andean countries, Central Asia, South-East Asia and West Africa. The Office supports joint law enforcement initiatives, security sector reforms and disrupting the links between drug trafficking and other forms of organized crime.
UN Photo/UNODC/Joey Loreto
Sunday The week of 11 November International Week of Science and Peace 6 November International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict 10 November World Science Day for Peace and Development
Monday 12 November World Pneumonia Day 14 November World Diabetes Day 16 November International Day for Tolerance World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day
Tuesday Third Sunday in November World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims 20 November Africa Industrialization Day Universal Children’s Day Third Thursday in November World Philosophy Day
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21 November World Television Day 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
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29 November International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
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Combating international crime UNODC provides legal and technical assistance to counter transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and terrorism; accurate and reliable research to inform policies and operational decisions; and support for law enforcement. It helps build fair and effective criminal justice systems by assisting States in reforming their criminal justice systems, with particular emphasis on vulnerable groups such as women and children. The Office has developed projects in the areas of juvenile justice, penal reform and victim support. It is a leader in the global fight against trafficking in persons and the smuggling of migrants.
November 2013
The United Nations
Making A Difference
A UN online volunteer from Mexico, who helped design FAO agricultural manuals, visiting the Wall for Peace in Paris (2012)
Mobilizing volunteers Volunteerism is a powerful means for tackling global challenges. The United Nations Volunteers programme contributes to peace and development by mobilizing more than 7,700 volunteers every year nationally and internationally. Of these, 80 per cent come from developing countries, and more than 30 per cent volunteer within their own countries. Volunteers help organize and run local and national elections and support humanitarian projects; they also compose one third of all international civilians working in United Nations peacekeeping operations. In addition, UNV connects development organizations and volunteers worldwide by coordinating online volunteering opportunities.
Transforming slums In many cities in developing countries, slum dwellers number more than 50 per cent of the population, and have little or no access to shelter, water and sanitation. With over 150 programmes and projects in some 70 countries, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme seeks innovative solutions enabling towns and cities to meet such challenges. UN-Habitat projects that aim to provide secure tenure for the urban poor involve local financing which, in turn, stimulates investment in housing and basic services. One of these—a participatory slum upgrading programme for improving living conditions—benefits 63 cities in 38 countries through pilot projects, policy development, good governance and management, and other support.
UN Photo/UNV/Laura Ganem
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1 December World AIDS Day
5 December International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
2 December International Day for the Abolition of Slavery 3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities
7 December International Civil Aviation Day 9 December International Anti-Corruption Day
10 December Human Rights Day 11 December International Mountain Day 18 December International Migrants Day 20 December International Human Solidarity Day
December 2013
2013 Calendar January
■ Aiding reconstruction
Children in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, taking part in a UNICEF mine awareness programme (2011)
Cover image:
UN Photo/Bikem Ekberzade
February
■ Promoting decent work
■ Supporting disarmament
■ Supporting civil aviation ■ Improving shipping
September
■ Providing safe drinking water
■ Alleviating rural poverty
■ Serving industry
May
■ Advocating for indigenous peoples
March
■ Promoting reproductive and
■ Fighting hunger
maternal health
■ Protecting consumers’ health
June
■ Saving lives
July
■ Improving literacy and education
■ Mitigating disasters
■ Preserving heritage
October
■ Countering fish stock depletion ■ Banning toxic chemicals
Every day the United Nations works to tackle global challenges.
April
November
■ Tackling the world drug problem ■ Combating international crime
August
■ Coping with climate change ■ Protecting the ozone layer
December
■ Mobilizing volunteers ■ Transforming slums
All data are the latest available and are current as of July 2012. Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information New York, New York 10017, United States of America Designed by the Graphic Design Unit, DPI 12-42821—August 2012—3,100—DPI/2581