International Organisations Lecture 7 – UN Institutions – UPSC Exam

Table of Contents

UNAIDS

Since the first cases of HIV were reported more than 35 years ago, 78 million people have become infected with HIV and 35 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses.
UNAIDS is an important body under the United Nations system that works in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention and control.
UNAIDS is leading the global effort to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals.

UNAIDS

UNAIDS stands for the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS.
- Its chief mandate is to end the prevalence of AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) in the world by 2030.
- UNAIDS was founded in 1994 with headquarters at Geneva, Switzerland.
- UNAIDS was established by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is headed by an Executive Director.

UNAIDS

Work of UNAIDS
- UNAIDS is a problem-solver. It led and inspired global, regional, national and local leadership, innovation and partnership to ultimately consign HIV to history.
- UNAIDS places people living with HIV and people affected by the virus at the decision-making table and at the centre of designing, delivering and monitoring the AIDS response.
- UNAIDS provides the strategic direction, advocacy, coordination and technical support needed to catalyse and connect leadership from governments, the private sector and communities to deliver life-saving HIV services.

UNAIDS

UNAIDS Facts:
- UNAIDS is not an NGO, it is a UN programme which collaborates with many NGOs for fight against AIDS.
- UN AIDS is funded through voluntary contributions from governments, philanthropic individuals and organisations from all over the world.
- UNAIDS has assisted India with AIDS control. National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) is nodal agency which liaises with UNAIDS.
- UNAIDS follows 90-90-90 strategy.
  - 90% of all people living with HIV will know their status, 90% of all people diagnosed will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 90% of all people receiving ART will have viral suppression.
- UNAIDS works closely with PEPFAR and the Global Fund

UNHCR

UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), the UN Refugee Agency, is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people.
UNHCR is headed by the High Commissioner for Refugees appointed by UNGA. UNGA is considered as parent body of UNHCR.
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

UNHCR

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) was created in 1950, during the aftermath of the Second World War, to help millions of Europeans who had fled or lost their homes.
Initially, UNHCR had three years to complete their work and then disband. In 1954, UNHCR won the Nobel Peace Prize for its groundbreaking work in Europe.

UNHCR

The 1951 Refugee Convention and its 1967 Protocol are the key legal documents that form the basis of UNHCR work.
With 149 State parties to either or both, they define the term ‘refugee’ and outlines the rights of refugees, as well as the legal obligations of States to protect them.
UNHCR serves as the ‘guardian’ of the 1951 Convention and its 1967 Protocol. According to the legislation, States are expected to cooperate with us in ensuring that the rights of refugees are respected and protected.

UNHCR

What is Non-Refoulement?
- The core principle of 1951 refugee convention is non-refoulement, which asserts that a refugee should not be returned to a country where they face serious threats to their life or freedom.
- Non-refoulement is now considered a rule of customary international law.

UNHCR

Did UNHCR disband after European rehabilitation?
- .!!
- After WWII, it was not long before world faced multiple refugee issues. During the 1960s, the decolonization of Africa produced numerous refugee crises.
- In 1981, UNHCR again received a second Nobel Peace Prize for their work.
- Every year, UNHCR releases – UNHCR Global Trends report.

UNHCR

India is not party to the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol and does not have a national refugee protection framework.
However, India continues to grant asylum to a large number of refugees from neighbouring States and respects UNHCR’s mandate for other nationals, mainly from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar.

UN WOMEN

UN Women is the global champion for gender equality, working to develop and uphold standards and create an environment in which every woman and girl can exercise her human rights and live up to her full potential. We are trusted partners for advocates and decision-makers from all walks of life, and a leader in the effort to achieve gender equality.
Former President of Chile Michelle Bachelet was the inaugural executive director.
Headquarters : New York, USA

UN WOMEN

United Nations General Assembly created UN Women in 2010 by merging four parts of the UN system connected to women
- United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) – 1976
- Division for the Advancement of Women (DAW)
- International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women (INSTRAW)
- Office of the Special Adviser on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women (OSAGI)

UN WOMEN

UN Women Governance:
- UN Women is led by an Executive Board which consists of forty-one members, elected by UN ECOSOC for a term of three years. Seats are distributed region wise:
  - 10 from the Group of African States
  - 10 from the Group of Asian States
  - 4 from the Group of Eastern European States
  - 6 from the Group of Latin American and Caribbean States
  - 5 from the Group of Western European and Other States
  - 6 from top contributing countries

UN WOMEN

UN Women Role:
- UN Women’s main areas of work include:
  - Women Leadership and political participation
  - Economic empowerment
  - Ending violence against women
  - Humanitarian action
  - Peace and security
  - Governance and national planning
  - Implementation of SDGs
  - Promoting right of rights of LGBTIQ people

UN WOMEN

Agreements guiding the work of UN Women:
- UN Women’s strategic plan, 2022–2025
- Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
- Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (PFA) 1995
- UN Security Council resolution 1325 on women, peace and security (2000)
- Sustainable Development Goals

UNIDIR

UNIDIR (UN Institute of disarmament research) is a voluntarily funded, autonomous institute within the United Nations.
One of the few policy institutes worldwide focusing on disarmament, UNIDIR generates knowledge and promotes dialogue and action on disarmament and security.
UNDIR is based in Geneva, Switzerland.
It assists the international community to develop the practical, innovative ideas needed to find solutions to critical security problems and facilitate dialogue that can advance multilateral arms control and disarmament.

UNIDIR

UNITAR

United Nations Institute for Training and Research(UNITAR) is a dedicated training arm of the United Nations system.
UNITAR was founded in 1963. Its headquarters is in Geneva.
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) provides innovative learning solutions to individuals, organizations and institutions to enhance global decision-making and support country-level action for shaping a better future.

UNITAR

UNITAR is operated as an autonomous body within the United Nations system.
UNITAR is headed by an Executive Director and governed by a Board of Trustees. They are appointed by the UNGA.
UNITAR does not receive any funds from the United Nations budget. It is financed entirely from voluntary contributions from member States, other UN agencies, Intergovernmental organization, NGOs and the private sector.

UNITAR

In 2020, UNITAR delivered close to 900 learning and related activities, including training, learning and knowledge sharing events, benefiting more than 300,000 participants – about 79% of whom were from developing countries including Least Developed Countries (LDCs) , Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and other groups .
Fifty-nine per cent of the Institute’s activities are delivered face-to-face, whilst thirty-eight per cent are delivered via UNITAR’s e-Learning platform.

UNITAR

Programmes of United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
- UNOSAT – UNITAR Operational Satellite Applications Programme
- Multilateral Diplomacy Programme
- Peacemaking and Conflict Prevention Programme
- Public Finance and Trade Programme
- Chemicals and Waste Management Programme
- Decentralized Cooperation Programme
- Green Development and Climate Change Programme
- Knowledge Systems Innovation

UNU

United Nations University(UNU) is the academic and research arm of the United Nation. United Nations University (UNU) is a global think tank and postgraduate teaching organization.
UNU was established in 1972 and its Headquartered at Tokyo, Japan
The mission of the UN University is to contribute, through collaborative research and education, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems of human survival, development and welfare that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member States.

UNU

Three thematic clusters that UNU pursues:
- Peace and Governance
- Global Development and Inclusion
- Environment, Climate and Energy
Since 2010, UNU has been authorized by the UNGA to grant degrees, offering several masters and doctoral programs. University graduated its first master’s degree students in July 2012.

UNSSC

United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) is a UN organization that serves the personnel of the United Nations and its affiliates via interagency learning and training.
The mandate of the UNSSC is “to serve as a system-wide knowledge management and learning institution, with a view to fostering a cohesive management culture across the UN system.”
Since its inception in 2002, the UN System Staff College has continuously adapted to respond to the learning, training and knowledge management needs of UN staff and relevant partners.
It is headquartered at Turin , Italy.

UNOPS

United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a United Nations agency dedicated to implementing infrastructure and procurement projects for the United Nations System. UNOPS was created to unify standards on UN projects and contracts.
United Nations Office for Project Services(UNOPS) was established in 1973 as part of the UNDP. However, in 1995, it became an independent, self-financing organization.
UNOPS is headquartered at Copenhagen, Denmark.

UNOPS

UNOPS is a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group. It works closely with UNDP and the World Bank.
UNOPS is a self-financing organization. It covers direct and indirect costs by charging a fee on each project supported.
UNOPS is in charge of disbursing more than $3 billion worth of development projects and contracts for its partners every year.

UNOPS

UNOPS offers implementation, advisory and transactional services in its five core areas of expertise:
- Infrastructure
- Procurement
- Project Management
- Financial Management
- Human Resources

UNRWA

United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a UN agency that supports the relief and human development of Palestinian refugees.
UNRWA was established in 1949 by the UN General Assembly (UNGA). UNRWA’s mandate encompasses Palestinians displaced by the 1948 Palestine War and subsequent conflicts, as well as their descendants.
It is headquartered at Amman, Jordan
UNRWA is the only UN agency dedicated to helping refugees from a specific region or conflict. It is distinct from the UNHCR, established in 1950 as the main agency to aid all other refugees worldwide.