March 4 (Reuters) – The nearly eight-year-old U.S. deployment to Syria to combat Islamic State is still worth the risk, the top U.S. military officer said on Saturday, after a rare, unannounced visit to a dusty base in the country’s northeast to meet U.S. troops.
Army General Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, flew to Syria to assess efforts to prevent a resurgence of the militant group and review safeguards for American forces against attacks, including from drones flown by Iran-backed militia.
A soldier from Yemen (far right) and another from Greece (third from left) train alongside U.S. nfantry officer students on a dismounted patrol on Oct. 3, 2012, at Fort Eustis, Virginia. (Photo by Patrick A. Albright/U.S. Army)
Funding cuts are putting lives at risk as the country faces a worsening nutrition and hunger crisis, leaving millions of people, especially children and pregnant women, vulnerable to malnutrition and death.
States and private companies have obligations and responsibilities under international law and standards to prevent, address and mitigate the negative impact on human rights caused by arms transfers.
3 April 2025 — The UN chief on Thursday called for immediate and unrestricted humanitarian access to Myanmar, where last week’s devastating earthquakes claimed over 3,000 lives and left millions…
3 April 2025 — The fight for Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, likely involved widespread summary executions of civilians following its recent recapture by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), UN human…
2 April 2025 — UN Secretary-General António Guterres expressed grave concern on Wednesday over the human toll resulting from the intensified hostilities in Gaza.
Featured stories from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.
States and private companies have obligations and responsibilities under international law and standards to prevent, address and mitigate the negative impact on human rights caused by arms transfers. However, there are several gaps between what States and the private sector should do and what they do in practice, with devastating consequences on civilians, rights activists say. As the world faces the highest number of conflicts since World War Il, an increasing number of human rights advocates, lawyers and non-governmental organizations are turning to courts to compel States to prevent arms supplies that fuel human rights violations, and hold States and companies accountable.
As the sun rises over the Maidimu internally displaced persons site, women and girls gather in a safe space shelter created for them. Among them is Tsige Mebrthatom, a mother of six who has faced immense hardship but finds strength in these weekly gatherings. Tsige fled her home in Kefta Humera after losing her husband during the conflict in Northern Ethiopia, traveling on foot for five days to reach the Endabaguna camp. Once a thriving merchant in Addis Ababa, her hopes for a fresh start were shattered by the outbreak of conflict in Tigray. Now living in Maidimu, Tsige is one of over 5,000 displaced individuals. Learning traditional crafts has helped Tsige reclaim her identity and serve as a source of strength and inspiration for her children.
At 5,100 meters above sea level, Bolivia’s Huayna Potosí glacier faces thinning and retreating at an annual rate of about 24 meters. The landscape, once filled with thick blue ice, now reveals bare rock and a newly formed meltwater lake. A team of scientists ascends the glacier to install equipment that measures water accumulation in the form of snow, vital for the glacier’s survival. Their work provides crucial data on the impacts of ice loss on ecosystems and communities relying on glacier water. This research aids in raising awareness among decision-makers and establishing an international monitoring network to understand how climate change affects the cryosphere. As glaciers retreat faster than expected, efforts in Bolivia focus on conserving remaining water by creating reservoirs and developing collaborative water usage arrangements to prevent future conflicts.
United Nations Refugee Agency swiftly provides lifesaving aid to displaced people worldwide, mobilizing staff and supplies for 1 million individuals within 72 hours. Please donate today to help us reach the most vulnerable.
Despite ongoing humanitarian challenges, World Food Programme is swiftly mobilizing emergency food aid and logistical support to assist earthquake-affected communities in Myanmar.
Reports of sexual violence as a weapon of terror in Sudan are rising alarmingly, with over 12 million women, girls, and increasingly men and boys at risk—an 80% surge from last year.
Conflict is driving a growing mental health crisis for women, yet access to care remains scarce despite soaring needs and alarming statistics.
The Sustainable Development Goals are a call for action by all countries — poor, rich and middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet.
ActNow is the UN campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In the lead-up to the Summit of the Future, join the 1 Million Actions for our Common Future challenge to contribute to a more sustainable and peaceful world.
Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals! On our student resources page you will find plenty of materials for young people and adults alike. Share with your family and friends to help achieve a better world for all.
Reading and learning are essential to children’s growth and development; stories can fuel their imagination and raise awareness of new possibilities. The SDG Book Club aims to encourage them to learn about the Goals in a fun, engaging way, empowering them to make a difference.
Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
The main parts of the UN structure are the General Assembly, the
Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established in 1945 when the UN was founded.
The General Assembly is the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN. All 193 Member States of the UN are represented in the General Assembly, making it the only UN body with universal representation.
The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members). Each Member has one vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions.
The Economic and Social Council is the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals.
The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN Charter, under Chapter XIII, to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed under the administration of seven Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence.
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands). It is the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York (United States of America).
The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly and the Organization’s other principal organs.
Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now is the defining moment to do something about it. There is still time to tackle climate change, but it will require an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society.
Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and, therefore, also half of its potential. Gender equality, besides being a fundamental human right, is essential to achieve peaceful societies, with full human potential and sustainable development.
While global poverty rates have been cut by more than half since 2000, one in ten people in developing regions still lives on less than US$1.90 a day — the internationally agreed poverty line, and millions of others live on slightly more than this daily amount.
Following up on a pledge made by UN Member States at the UN’s 75th anniversary, the report Our Common Agenda looks ahead to the next 25 years and represents the Secretary-General’s vision on the future of global cooperation. It calls for inclusive, networked, and effective multilateralism to better respond to humanity’s most pressing challenges.
As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone.
Global Issues: Peace and Security
Global Issues: Youth
Global Issues Health
Global Issues: Human Rights
Images from across the United Nations and our world-wide family of agencies, funds, and programmes.
Tantine Moba’s once vibrant eyes now stare vacantly as her husband stirs a small pot over a modest fire outside their hut. The family’s meal consists of a simple stew made from cassava leaves and a sliver of salted fish. Their children sit on the ground, learning alongside other displaced kids, soon to clamor for their share of the meal. At 38, Tantine, a mother of seven, laments, “This stew has neither salt nor oil. We are living a difficult life; we have nothing.” Since being forced to flee their village in August 2022 after a brutal attack, her life has been marked by hardship. Despite recovering from abdominal surgery, she endured a long and painful journey that worsened her infection, leaving her wound still open and her psychological scars deeply present after two years.
Tsendsuren Byambaa, born in Mongolia’s Khovd Province in 1970, is a herder and mother of six. She moves her family’s camps seasonally, residing in winter on the slopes of Mt Khairkhan. In 2009, she joined the Snow Leopard Enterprises (SLE) program, which supports rural herders with income opportunities while promoting conservation. Trained in wool processing and handicrafts, she is now collaborating with the Snow Leopard Conservation Foundation to develop a local cheese production industry in her province and six surrounding communities.
The lack of available funds and deep uncertainty over the level of donor contributions this year has forced the UN Refugee agency (UNHCR) to suspend all medical treatment for refugees in Egypt except emergency life- saving procedures. The suspensions include cancer surgery, chemotherapy, heart surgery and medication for chronic diseases. Among the worst affected will be the over 1.5 million Sudanese in Egypt, escaping what is now the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. At present, UNHCR is prioritizing critical life-saving activities and helping the most vulnerable groups, including unaccofnpaņied children and survivors of sexual violence and torture. Yet without an urgent increase in funding, even these
programmes are under threat.
