united nations making a difference 2013 calendar
DESCRIPTION
This 2013 educational wall calendar illustrates the ways the United Nations works to solve global challenges in peace and security, economic development, social development, human rights, the environment, international law, humanitarian affairs and health. It highlights 24 areas of UN activity, features the new UN system chart, and lists UN observances throughout the year. -- An iPhone app: The United Nations Calendar of Observances, is also available on the App Store with more information and multimedia resources is also available through https://unp.un.org/calendar//) or the App Store.TRANSCRIPT
C a l e n d a r
The United Nations
Making A Difference
■■ In September 2013, the General Assembly of the United Nations will hold a high-level 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.
■■ 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.
■■ 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. Com-memorating this historic occasion, Human Rights Day was the first international day approved by the General Assembly (1950).
■■ 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.
■■ The United Nations, its specialized agencies and staff have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize ten times.
■■ 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.
■■ 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.
■■ 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.
■■ 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.
Did you know …
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
Making A Difference
2013 Calendar
“I am more than my title,
more than simply Secretary-
General of the United
Nations. I am also a father
and a grandfather. And like
you, I want a world where
our children, our succeeding
generations, can prosper and
be happy. A world where all
people can have a decent job
and live with dignity. A world
where everyone can breathe
clean air, drink safe water and
have enough to eat. Where
everyone can live, confident
in tomorrow. That is the future
I want—that is the future you
want, and we want.”
— Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, 20 June 2012
Published by the United N
ations Departm
ent of Public Information D
PI/2470 rev.2—11-36429—
October 2011
The United Nations System
UN Principal Organs
Subsidiary Bodies
Main and other sessional committees
Disarmament Commission
Human Rights Council
International Law Commission
Standing committees and ad hoc bodies
Subsidiary Bodies
Counter-terrorism committees
International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Military Staff Committee
Peacekeeping operations and political missions
Sanctions committees (ad hoc)
Standing committees and ad hoc bodies
Specialized Agencies 4
ILO International Labour Organization
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
WHO World Health Organization
World Bank Group
• IBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• IDA International Development Association
• IFC International Finance Corporation
• MIGA Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
• ICSID International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
Departments and Offices
EOSG Executive Office of the Secretary-General
DESA Department of Economic and Social Affairs
DFS Department of Field Support
DGACM Department for General Assembly and Conference Management
DM Department of Management
DPA Department of Political Affairs
DPI Department of Public Information
DPKO Department of Peacekeeping Operations
DSS Department of Safety and Security
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
IMF International Monetary Fund
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
IMO International Maritime Organization
ITU International Telecommunication Union
UPU Universal Postal Union
WMO World Meteorological Organization
WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization
UNWTO World Tourism Organization
Regional Commissions
ECA Economic Commission for Africa
ECE Economic Commission for Europe
ECLAC Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
ESCWA Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
Other Bodies
Committee for Development PolicyCommittee of Experts on Public
AdministrationCommittee on Non-Governmental
OrganizationsPermanent Forum on Indigenous IssuesUnited Nations Group of Experts
on Geographical NamesOther sessional and standing
committees and expert, ad hoc and related bodies
NOTES: 1 UNRWA and UNIDIR report only to
the General Assembly.
2 IAEA reports to the Security Coun cil and the General Assembly.
3 WTO has no reporting obligation to the General Assembly (GA) but contributes on an ad-hoc basis to GA and ECOSOC work inter alia on finance and developmental issues.
4 Specialized agencies are autono-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 estab-lishment of these organizations as specialized agencies of the United Nations.
5 The Trusteeship Council suspended opera-tion on 1 November 1994 with the inde-pendence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations Trust Territory, on 1 October 1994.
This is not an official document of the United Nations, nor is it intended to be all-inclusive.
Advisory Subsidiary Body
UN Peacebuilding Commission
Programmes and Funds
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
• ITC International Trade Centre (UNCTAD/WTO)
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
• UNCDF United Nations Capital Development Fund
• UNV United Nations Volunteers
UNEP United Nations Environment Programme
UNFPA United Nations Population Fund
UN-HABITAT United Nations Human Settlements Programme
UNHCR Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
UNRWA1 United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East
UN-Women United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women
WFP World Food Programme
Research and Training Institutes
UNICRI United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute
UNIDIR1 United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research
UNITAR United Nations Institute for Training and Research
UNRISD United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
UNSSC United Nations System Staff College
UNU United Nations University
Other Entities
UNAIDS Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS
UNISDR United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction
UNOPS United Nations Office for Project Services
Functional Commissions
Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Narcotic Drugs
Population and Development
Science and Technology for Development
Social Development
Statistics
Status of Women
Sustainable Development
United Nations Forum on Forests
Related Organizations
CTBTO PrepCom Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization
IAEA2 International Atomic Energy Agency
OPCW Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
WTO3 World Trade Organization
Security Council
Economic and Social Council
Trusteeship Council 5
International Court of Justice
Secretariat
General Assembly
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
27 January International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust
Aiding reconstructionThe United Nations helps countries rebuild after conflict. UN peacebuilding and political offices assist in reconstruc-tion 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 develop-ment. The UN Peacebuilding Fund supports 193 projects in 22 countries by delivering fast, flexible and relevant funding.
Supporting disarmamentThe United Nations has been instrumen-tal 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 stock-piles, 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 weap-ons of choice of insurgents, gang mem-bers, drug lords, pirates and terrorists. It promotes transparency in military expen-ditures and monitors arms transfers.
Peacekeepers with the UN Operation in Côte d’Ivoire bringing supplies to Ivorians (2011)
UN Photo/Basile Zoma
January 2013
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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)
UN Photo/Shareef Sarhan
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Promoting decent workThe International Labour Organization
promotes decent work for all, social
justice and internationally recognized
human and labour rights. The ILO
brings together workers, employers and
Governments, giving representatives of
all three areas an equal voice in jointly
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
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 $772 million.
First week of February World Interfaith Harmony Week
4 February World Cancer Day
6 February International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
13 February World Radio Day
20 February World Day of Social Justice
21 February International Mother Language Day
February 2013
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
March 2013
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Villagers in Sainyabuli, Laos, bundling rice harvested in an IFAD country programme (2011)
UN Photo/IFAD/Harald Franzen
Alleviating rural povertyThe International Fund for Agricultural
Development provides low-interest
loans and grants to very poor rural
people. Its country-specific solutions
involve increasing access to financial
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
and provide for their families, while
Governments and other local sources
in recipient countries have contributed
$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 hungerThe 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—
more than 95 per cent of which are funded
by voluntary contributions.
21–27 March Week of Solidarity with the Peoples Struggling against Racism and Racial Discrimination
8 March International Women’s Day
20 MarchInternational Day of Happiness
21 March International Day for the Elimination of Racial DiscriminationInternational Day of NowruzWorld Poetry DayWorld Down Syndrome Day22 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
World Tuberculosis Day
25 March International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
A mother and daughter visiting a UNICEF and NGO nutrition centre in Port-au-Prince, Haiti (2011)
UN Photo/Logan Abassi
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Promoting reproductive and maternal healthBy 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’ healthFoodborne 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.
April 2013
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
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
Supporting civil aviationThe 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,
security, efficiency and regularity of
air travel, as well as for environmental
protection. International aviation—now
with 2.7 billion airline passengers
annually—is the first industry sector
with global goals of stabilizing carbon
emissions at 2020 levels and achieving
a 2 per cent annual increase in fuel
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.
Shipbuilding and ship repair yards in Busan, Republic of Korea (2011)
UN Photo/Kibae Parka
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
May 2013
25–31 May Week of Solidarity with the Peoples of Non-Self-Governing Territories
3 May World Press Freedom Day
5 May Day of Vesak
8–9 May Time of Remembrance and Recon-ciliation for Those Who Lost Their Lives during the Second World War
12–13 May World Migratory Bird Day
15 May International Day of Families
17 May World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
21 May World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
22 May International Day for Biological Diversity
29 May International Day of UN Peacekeepers
31 May World No-Tobacco Day
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
June 2013
A girl and her grandfather receiving World Food Programme aid in Benghazi, Libya (2011)
UN Photo/WFP/Abeer Etefa
Saving livesAfter natural disasters and during conflicts,
the United Nations assists people who
need life-saving help. The Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
deploys rapid response coordination teams
and works with partners to assess needs,
mobilize funds, advocate for protection and
access, and provide decision makers with
vital data and information. In 2012, OCHA
came to the aid of 54 million people in
19 countries. Funds managed by OCHA help
provide food, water and shelter following
a natural disaster; life-saving nutrition and
medical care for babies born in refugee
camps; and basic life necessities for those
struggling to survive.
Mitigating disastersThe 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.
4 June International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5 June World Environment Day
8 June World Oceans Day
12 June World Day Against Child Labour
14 June World Blood Donor Day
15 June World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
17 June World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
20 June World Refugee Day
23 June International Widows’ DayUnited Nations Public Service Day
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
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
First Saturday of July International Day of Cooperatives
11 July World Population Day
18 July Nelson Mandela International Day
28 July World Hepatitis Day
30 July International Day of Friendship
July 2013
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
Improving literacy and educationThe 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.
Preserving heritageUNESCO 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.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
1–7 August World Breastfeeding Week
9 August International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
12 August International Youth Day
19 August World Humanitarian Day
23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
29 August International Day against Nuclear Tests
30 August International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
August 2013
Mangrove shoots planted by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and others on Tarawa, Kiribati (2011)
UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe
Coping with climate changeThe 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 socio-economic 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 layerThe 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.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
September 2013
Farmers using tube wells installed with the support of the UN Development Programme in Hafizabad, Pakistan (2011)
UN Photo/UNDP Pakistan/Satomi Kato
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
8 September International Literacy Day
10 September World Suicide Prevention Day
12 September United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation
15 September International Day of Democracy
16 September International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer
21 September International Day of Peace
27 September World Tourism Day
28 September World Rabies Day
Last Saturday in September World Heart Day
Last week of September World Maritime Day
Providing safe drinking waterThe 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.
Advocating for indigenous peoplesIndigenous 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.
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
October 2013
Fishermen bringing in the daily catch in south-eastern Viet Nam (2010)UN Photo/UNDP/Tran Vinh Nghia
Countering fish stock depletionAccording 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 chemicalsThe 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.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
Second Thursday in October World Sight Day
11 October International Day of the Girl Child
13 October International Day for Disaster Reduction
15 October International Day of Rural Women
16 October World Food Day
17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24 October United Nations DayWorld Development Information Day
27 October World Day for Audiovisual Heritage
4–10 October World Space Week
24–30 October Disarmament Week
1 October International Day of Older Persons
2 October International Day of Non-Violence
5 October World Teachers’ Day
First Monday in October World Habitat Day
9 October World Post Day
10 October World Mental Health Day
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United Nations Day
The United Nations
Making A Difference
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
The week of 11 November International Week of Science and Peace
6 November International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environ-ment in War and Armed Conflict
10 November World Science Day for Peace and Development
12 November World Pneumonia Day
14 November World Diabetes Day
16 November International Day for ToleranceWorld Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Day
Third Sunday in November World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims
20 November Africa Industrialization DayUniversal Children’s Day
Third Thursday in November World Philosophy Day
21 November World Television Day
25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
29 November International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People
November 2013
Containers at the port of Balboa, Panama, being inspected in a joint UNODC/World Customs Organization project (2011)
UN Photo/UNODC/Joey Loreto
Tackling the world drug problemThe 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.
Combating international crimeUNODC 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.
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The United Nations
Making A Difference
December 2013
A UN online volunteer from Mexico, who helped design FAO agricultural manuals, visiting the Wall for Peace in Paris (2012)
UN Photo/UNV/Laura GanemMobilizing volunteersVolunteerism 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 coun-tries through pilot projects, policy develop-ment, good governance and management, and other support.
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1 December World AIDS Day
2 December International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities
5 December International Volunteer Day for Economic and Social Development
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
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
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
■ Aiding reconstruction
■ Supporting disarmament
■ Supporting civil aviation
■ Improving shipping
■ Providing safe drinking water
■ Advocating for indigenous peoples
■ Promoting decent work
■ Serving industry
■ Saving lives
■ Mitigating disasters
■ Countering fish stock depletion
■ Banning toxic chemicals
■ Alleviating rural poverty
■ Fighting hunger
■ Improving literacy and education
■ Preserving heritage
■ Tackling the world drug problem
■ Combating international crime
■ Promoting reproductive and maternal health
■ Protecting consumers’ health
■ Coping with climate change
■ Protecting the ozone layer
■ Mobilizing volunteers
■ Transforming slums
Cover image: Children in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, taking part in a UNICEF mine awareness programme (2011)
UN Photo/Bikem Ekberzade
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