The United Nations

1
The United Nations

• and its contributions to economic and social
  development
• Gabriele Köhler
• UN Day
• Riga, 24 October 2002

2
Scope of the presentation

• The changing face of the UNfour phases
• The UN in Latvia some highlights

3
What is the United Nations?

• The UN was established in 1945
• United Nations united against fascism
• We the peoples representing 51 countries
• Timing was significant
• Experience of the Great Depression of the 1930s
• Trauma of World War II
• History and geopolitics shaped the early UN and
  its work.

4
PREAMBLE

• WE THE PEOPLES OF THEUNITED NATIONS DETERMINED
• to save succeeding generations from the scourge
  of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought
  untold sorrow to mankind, and
• to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in
  the dignity and worth of the human person, in the
  equal rights of men and women and of nations
  large and small, and
• to establish conditions under which justice and
  respect for the obligations arising from treaties
  and other sources of international law can be
  maintained, and
• to promote social progress and better standards
  of life in larger freedom,

5
Aims and Purposes of the UN
Economicand socialdevelopment
Peacekeeping
Human rights
Internationallaw
Humanitarianaid
6
The post-war era of UN activity

• Focus on politics peace, disarmament,
  international law and refugees
• Some economic development activity

IN THE FIRST PHASE THE UN ASAN
INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANISATION
7
A second phase from the 1960s

• Economic recovery of Europe and Japan
• End of colonialism in many developing countries
• Creation of the G-77
• Bilateral aid agencies in Europe, the US, Japan
• Declaration of the 1st Development Decade

A SHIFT TO THE SOUTH AND TO ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
8
A third phase from 1989/90

• End of the cold war
• Re-emergence of Central and Eastern Europe and
  the issue of transition economies
• New openness in intra-UN debates
• Examples
• UNICEFs critique of adjustment policies
• UNDP Human Development Reports
• Increasing role of non-governmental
  organizations
• the UN and partnerships with civil society and
  business

A SHIFT TO THE EAST AND HUMAN RIGHTS AND
DEMOCRACY WORK
9
A fourth phase from 2000

• Globalization straining economies and societies
• A recognition that all societies
• Face similar problems such as income inequality,
  social marginalization, terrorism
• Their problems are interconnected
• Milestone the UN Millennium Development Goals
• Political cohesion among countries and among UN
  agencies

A SHIFT TO THE WHOLE WORLD
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THE 8 UN MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

• Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality
• Improve maternal health
• Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development

11
Some examples of UN work in Latvia

• Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
• alleviation of poverty and hunger through
  agricultural development, improved nutrition,
  sustainable development, land reform and
  cooperatives
• projects to help farmers for example improving
  bee-keeping, sheep farms etc.

12
Examples of UN work in Latvia

• World Bank
• Structural Adjustment Loans
• Wefare reform project
• Education improvement project
• Health reform project
• Rural development project
• Waste management projects

13
Examples of UN work in Latvia

• World Health Organization (WHO)
• Formulation of public health policy health for
  all and primary and preventive health care as
  goals
• Monitoring of communicable diseases
• Malaria, TB and Aids as especially pressing
• UNAIDS since 1999
• Global fund on combating TB and Aids
• Specificly In Latvia
• Health-friendly school projects
• Breast feeding initiatives
• Work on youth friendly health services
• HIV / AIDS

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Examples of UN work in Latvia

• UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural
  Organization (UNESCO)
• Goal education for all throughout life
• The sciences in service of development
• Culture heritage and creativity
• Communication and Information Society for All
• Creating a Youth School teaching young people
  about globalization topics technology,
  environment, multiculturalism etc.

15
Examples of UN work in Latvia

• Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
• limit the spread of HIV/AIDS
• decrease HIV risk factors
• provide care and support to HIV-infected people
• decrease the social and economic impact of the
  pandemic on society
• decrease stigmatization and discrimination of
  HIV-infected persons

16
Examples of UN work in Latvia

• UN Drug Control Programme (UNDCP)
• Monitors and analyses the drug issue
• Builds partnerships to address drug issues
• Strengthens international action against drug
  production, trafficking and drug-related crime
• Promotes efforts to reduce drug abuse,
  particularly among the young and vulnerable
• Drug Abuse Prevention Course is now included in
  school curricula and in teachers training
  college curriculum

17
Examples of UN work in Latvia

• UN Population Fund (UNFPA)
• tackle population development problems by
  focusing on the improvement of peoples
  reproductive health
• public awareness raising in order to improve the
  quality of reproductive health care

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Examples of UN work in Latvia

• UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF)
• provides basic principles of the Convention on
  the Rights of the Child
• provides information on violations of the rights
  of the child
• prepares special reports on the situation of
  children in Latvia
• assists in including childrens concerns in
  government activities

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Examples of UN work in Latvia

• United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• Integration of society through language training
• Support to judicial system reform, including
  issues on juvenile justice
• Capacity building of government and municipality
  administrations
• Protection of biodiversity
• Poverty reduction research and field activities
• Latvia Human Development Reports

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Latvia. Human Development Report
1995
1999
1996
1997
1998
2000/ 2001
21
Latvia and the UN

• Latvia joined the UN in 1991
• UN Office operates in Latvia since 1993
• 6 UN agencies represented and active in Latvia
• The UN House in Latvia was opened in 1999

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UN in Latvia

• UN House, Pils iela 21Riga LV-1167
• 750 3600 (phone.)
• 750 3601 (fax)
• info_at_undp.riga.lv
• www.un.lv