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International Governmental Organizations

United Nations System

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Noteworthy UN Site

The UN Millennium Development Goals

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions. They have galvanized unprecedented efforts to meet the needs of the world’s poorest.

System Overview

The main United Nations Organization Web site is divided into the following main sections, reflecting the organization's foremost areas of activity and engagement:

Additional entry points are provided by the Web sites at the UN Offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi. Alphabetic and thematic indexes of web sites of the United Nations System of Organizations are provided at the Official Web Site Locator for the UN System of Organizations.

Principal Organs

General Assembly (GA)

The GA is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations composed of representatives of all member states, each of which has one vote. The GA has six main committees:

Various other GA commissions, committees, or subsidiary bodies are treaty based, some established by GA resolutions.

More information on subsidiary organs can be found at the UN Web site.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

ECOSOC is the principal United Nations body dealing with economic, social, cultural and health issues, as well as human rights and fundamental rights and freedoms. Similar tasks fall to the Regional Economic Commissions.

International Court of Justice (ICJ).: As the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, the ICJ djudicates legal disputes submitted to it by States and provides opinions on legal questions referred to it by international agencies.

Secretariat. The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the organization, providing services to other principal organs of the UN and administering their programs. It is headed by the Secretary-General.

Security Council. The Security Council is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. The Council has 15 members-- five permanent and 10 elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.

Trusteeship Council.: The Trusteeship Council was the organ of the UN responsible for the administration of territories under the UN Trusteeship system. It ceased operation in 1994, with the independence of Palau, the last remaining UN trust territory.

Specialized Agencies

United Nations Specialized Agencies are autonomous organizations joined to the United Nations via special agreements with the Economic and Social Council. There are currently fifteen specialized agencies of the United Nations.

Programs & Funds

Under the supervision of the General Assembly and/or the Economic and Social Council, UN Programmes and Funds are international development organizations active in avariety of fields. See also: UN In Brief.

Research Institutes & Other Bodies

United Nations Research & Training Institutes are international bodies engaged in public policy research, capacity building, training, and technical assistance.

Regional Economic Commissions

The UN Regional Economic Commissions are responsible for coordinating economic and social activities in their respective regions. They report to the Economic & Social Council but operate with a great deal of autonomy.