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Global Issues Overview

As the world’s only truly universal global organization, the United Nations has become the foremost
forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one
country acting alone.

To its initial goals of safeguarding peace, protecting human rights, establishing the framework for international justice
and promoting economic and social progress, in the seven decades since its creation the United Nations has added on
new challenges, such as climate change, refugees and AIDS.

While con
ict resolution and peacekeeping continue to be among its most visible efforts, the UN, along with its
specialized agencies, is also engaged in a wide array of activities to improve people’s lives around the world – from
disaster relief, through education and advancement of women, to peaceful uses of atomic energy.

This website offers an overview of some of these issues in depth, and links to other resources where you can get
additional information.

GLOBAL ISSUES

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Africa (../africa/index.html)
The UN system plays a crucial role in coordinating assistance of all kinds — to help Africa help itself.  From promoting
the development of democratic institutions, to the establishment of peace between warring nations, the UN is present
on the ground supporting economic and social development and the promotion and protection of human rights.

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Ageing (../ageing/index.html)
The world’s population is ageing: virtually every country in the world is experiencing growth in the number and
proportion of older persons in their population. The number of older persons, those aged 60 years or over, has
increased substantially in recent years in most countries and regions, and that growth is projected to accelerate in the
coming decades. 

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AIDS (//wss1.un.org:8082/node/986385/)
New HIV infections have fallen by 35% since 2000 (by 58% among children) and AIDS-related deaths have fallen by 42%
since the peak in 2004. The global response to HIV has averted 30 million new HIV infections and nearly 8 million  AIDS-
related deaths since 2000.  The UN family has been in the vanguard of this progress.

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Atomic Energy (../atomic-energy/index.html)

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Atomic Energy (../atomic-energy/index.html)
More than 30 countries worldwide are operating 442 nuclear reactors for electricity generation and 66 new nuclear
plants are under construction. In 2014, 13 countries relied on nuclear energy to supply at least one-quarter of their total
electricity.

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Children (../children/index.html)
Every child has the right to health, education and protection, and every society has a stake in expanding children’s
opportunities in life. Yet, around the world, millions of children are denied a fair chance for no reason other than the
country, gender or circumstances into which they are born.

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