FAO is a United Nations Organization. OK, but what is the United Nations?

The United Nations is an organization whose members are the world’s nations. It unites nations. United Nations, get it?

Governments of the world created the UN in 1945 and established its headquarters in New York. The UN’s mission is:

• to keep peace throughout the world;
• to develop friendly relations between nations.
• to work together to help people live better lives, to eliminate poverty, disease and illiteracy in the world, to stop environmental destruction and to encourage respect for people’s rights and freedoms.

That’s kind of a big job, isn’t it?

In 2000, all the countries of the United Nations agreed on a set of goals for the global community. These are known as the Millennium Development Goals.

But the UN isn’t just a big intergovernmental organization in New York. It’s a system of agencies and organizations that work in countries all over the world. Each has a specific area of expertise and together they are working to help their member countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals. FAO is one of these organizations.

Here’s a list of some of the UN organizations that FAO works with on a regular basis.

The World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development

Like FAO, these two UN organizations have their headquarters in Rome. They are both dedicated to fighting hunger and promoting sustainable agriculture: To find out more about them, click here.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

http://www.undp.org/
Headquarters: New York, USA

The UNDP works to help countries find solutions to a range of challenges. It concentrates on:

• promoting democracy,
• reducing poverty,
• crisis prevention and recovery,
• energy and environment and
• HIV/AIDS.

It also funds many of FAO’s field projects.

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

http://www.unep.org/default.asp
Headquarters: Nairobi, Kenya

UNEP’s mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnerships in caring for our environment.

International Labour Organization (ILO)

http://www.ilo.org/
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

The ILO works for the cause of social justice by promoting labour rights, such as freedom of association, the right to organize, collective bargaining, the abolition of forced labour and equal opportunity and treatment for men and women.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

http://www.unesco.org/
Headquarters: Paris, France

UNESCO is committed to building world peace by promoting international cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture. UNESCO and FAO are cooperating on the Education for Rural People initiative.

United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

http://www.unhcr.ch/
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

UNCHR’s primary purpose is to protect the rights and well-being of refugees.

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

http://www.unfpa.org/index.htm
Headquarters: New York, USA

UNFPA helps countries use population data to establish policies and programmes to reduce poverty. Its goal is to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl or woman is treated with dignity and respect.

World Health Organization (WHO)

http://www.who.int/about/en/
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

The World Health Organization works to make sure that people of all nations attain the highest possible levels of health and well-being.

FAO and WHO do important work together on food safety.

United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM)

http://www.unifem.org/
Headquarters: New York, USA

UNIFEM works to foster women's empowerment and gender equality throughout the world. FAO works with UNIFEM on a variety of projects. Find out about how FAO’s is helping to promote equal rights for women and men.

Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)

http://www.unaids.org/
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

UNAIDS works to prevent HIV transmission, provide care and support to those already living with HIV and AIDS.

FAO and UNAIDS are working together to fight HIV and AIDS in farming communities.

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

http://ochaonline.un.org/
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland and New York, USA

OCHA mobilizes and coordinates humanitarian relief efforts in partnership with national and international organizations. FAO is a partner in many post-emergency situations around the world. Find out more about FAO’s role in emergencies.

World Trade Organization (WTO)

http://www.wto.org/
Headquarters: Geneva, switzerland

The WTO is the only worldwide organization dealing with the rules of trade among nations. The goal is to help producers of goods and services, exporters, and importers conduct their business. WTO agriculture negotiations could have a profound impact on rural economics in developing countries, and FAO helps Member Countries prepare for negotiations.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

http://www.iaea.org/
Headquarters: Vienna, Austria

The IAEA works to ensure the safe, secure and peaceful use of nuclear technologies. The Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture helps countries put nuclear techniques and related biotechnologies in the effort to build a world without hunger.

The World Bank

http://www.worldbank.org/
Headquarters: Washington D.C, USA

The World Bank provides loans and grants as well as policy advice and technical assistance to developing countries to reduce poverty and improve living standards.

United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

http://www.unicef.org/
Headquarters: New York, USA

UNICEF advocates for the protection of children and children’s rights.