The United Nations system presents its Member Nations with an opportunity to negotiate differences and, in doing so, avoid escalation of international crises, unrest, and armed conflicts. However, the mission of the United Nations goes far beyond using diplomacy to prevent conflicts and spans across eight key spheres:
To name just a few accomplishments, the UN has provided:
- Food to 100 million people in 73 countries
- Vaccines to 58% of the world’s children, saving 2.5 million lives year
- Assistance to over 34 million refugees and people fleeing war, famine or persecution
- The beginning of cooperation between member nations to address climate change, starting with cooperation between 140 nations to prevent harmful mercury emissions
- 100,000 peacekeepers on 4 continents
- In the UN’s fight against poverty, a better life for 370 million rural poor in the last 30 years
- Protection of human rights on site and through some 80 treaties/declarations
- The equivalent of US $12.5 billion in humanitarian aid to help people affected by emergencies
- Assistance to some 50 countries a year with elections
- Help with maternal health, which has saved the lives of 30 million women a year
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The UN’s Member Nations have adopted a set of negotiated Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), or Global Goals, to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for every human being. After over 7 million people with diverse background around the world gave input (70,000 from the U.S.), a set of 17 inspiring goals were selected to inform the UN’s 2016 Sustainable Development Agenda. Each individual goal is intertwined with multiple other goals, all with specific targets to be achieved over the next 15 years.
Realizing these goals is not the sole responsibility of member governments, nor are they aimed at only developing countries like the former Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The SDGs apply to every country in the world and require the involvement of governments, nonprofits, corporations, communities, and each of us individually to make these essential goals a reality.
Our Pasadena Chapter will provide opportunities for you to learn more about how you can help. Every one of our events will build into one or multiple SDGs. We seek your membership and support as we work to further the achievement of the Global Goals in our locals communities, spreading outward.