AGENCIES OF UNITED NATIONS | UNITED NATIONS SUBSIDIARIES
What are Agencies of United Nations? Working in partnership with the United Nations various economic, social, scientific and technical fields is a ground of inter-governmental organizations related to the United Nation by special agreements. Among these Agencies of United Nations are discussed below:
AGENCIES OF UNITED NATIONS
The Agencies of United Nations are;
International Labour Organization (ILO): Established in 1919 as an autonomous part of the League of Nations, the ILO is an inter-Governmental agency with the tripartite structure, in which representatives of governments, employees and workers participate. It aims to promote social justice, improve conditions and living standard and promote economic stability (Headquarters: Geneva).
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): The Agency, which functions under the UN, came into force on July 29, 1957. It aims to promote the peaceful uses of atomic energy and to ensure that assistance provided by it or at its request or under its supervision or control is not used in such an as to further any military purposes. (Headquarters: Vienna).
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Established on October 16, 1945, it aims to raise nutrition levels and living standards; secure improvements in production and distribution of food and agricultural products; to improve the living conditions of the rural population, and to eliminate hunger. (Headquarters: Rome).
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): Established on November 4. 1946, the purpose of UNESCO is to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science and culture in order to further justice, rule Of law, and human rights and freedoms without distinction of race, sex, language or religion. During 1980's, there was a mounting criticism of UNESCO's politicized approach to cultural and Other issues and expansion in its budgets, The U.S.A. withdrew from the UNESCO on December 31, 1984, and the U.K. did it exactly one year after. (Headquarters: Paris).
World Health Organization: Established on April 7, 1948, it aims to aid the attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health. (Headquarters: Geneva).
International Bank for Reconstruction nod Development (IBRD) (World Bank): Conceived at the Breton Woods Conference in July 1944 the bank came into force on December 27, 1945. However, its operating began on June 25, 1946. Bank aims to help in the investment of capital; promote foreign investment and supplement private investment reconstruction and development of economics of members by facilitating it once its other resources; and to promote the growth of international trade by providing loans for productive purposes out of its capital, funds raised by equilibrium in the balance of payments. (Headquarters: Washington, D.C.)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO): Established on March 23, 1950, succeeding the International Meteorological Organisation, a non-government. Organization founded in 1978, it aims to promote international exchange of weather reports and maximum standardization of observations; to help developing countries establish weather services for their own economic needs; to fill gaps in observation stations; to promote meteorological investigations affecting jet aircraft, satellites, energy resources, etc. (Headquarters: Geneva)
International Maritime Organisation (IMO): Established on March 17, 1958, it aims to promote cooperation in technical problems of international shipping and to encourage the removal of discriminatory action by governments and restrictive practices by shippers. (Headquarters: London)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): Established in 1946, it is the only distinctive intergovernmental organization concerned with children's welfare. Supported entirely by voluntary contributions for governments and individuals, UNICEF helps children all over the world. It is governed by a 30-nation executive board designated by the Economic and Social Council (Headquarters: New York)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): It helps developing countries increase the wealth-producing capabilities of their natural and human resources by providing experts or training of the local people. (Headquarters: New York)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP): Established in 1972. It provides machinery for international cooperation in matters relating to the human environment. (Headquarters: Nairobi)
United Nations Fund for Population Activities(UNFPA): It was set up in 1967. It aims at promoting population programmes and in extending systematic and sustained population assistance to developing countries and helps them in dealing with their population problems. (Headquarters: New York)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): Established in 1950, the office of High Commissioner for Refugees aims at providing international protection for refugees and seeks a permanent solution to their problems through voluntary repatriation, migration to other countries o: local integration, besides undertaking special humanitarian tasks. The office of the UNHCR was the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for 1981. It was the second time the Geneva-based UN agency won the coveted Peace Prize. It was awarded the 1954 prize for resettling European refugees after World War Il. (Headquarters: Geneva)
UnitedNations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO): It aims at encouraging and extending assistance to developing countries for development, expansion and modernization of industry. Its other functions are to achieve full utilization of locally available natural and human resources, to provide a forum for consultation and negotiations among developing and industrialized countries. (Headquarters: Vienna)
International Development Association (IDA): Established on September 24, 1960. IDA is an affiliate of the World Bank and has the same officers and staff at the Bank. It concentrates assistance on those countries with annual per capita gross national product of less than S 520 ( 1975 rate). Its main object is to help the underdeveloped countries in the task of raising their living standards. (Headquarters: Washington D.C.)
International Finance Corporation (IFC): An affiliate of the World Bank, IFC came into on 20 1956. 'It aims at further economic development by encouraging productive private enterprise in its member countries, particularly in the less developed areas. It is empowered to invest in private enterprises in association with private investors, and without a government guarantee of repayment in cases where sufficient private capital is not available on reasonable terms, and to bring together private capital and experienced management. (Headquarters: Washington. D.C.)
International Monetary Fund (IMF): It was established on December 27, 1945, but the fund began operations on March 1, 1947. Its aims at promoting international monetary cooperation and expansion of international trade: promoting exchange stability and avoiding competitive exchange depreciation assisting in the establishment of a multilateral system of payment in respect of currency transactions between members and in the elimination of foreign restrictions. (Headquarters: Washington. W.C.)
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO): It was established on April 4, 19'17. after as a provisional organization since June 1945. Its purpose is to study problems of international civil aviation and establish international standards and regulations. It promotes the safety of international civil aviation. provides statistical and economic in fornication for governments and airlines, to reduce the red tape of customs formalities, and helps developing countries benefit lion) air transport. (Headquarters; Montreal)
Universal Postal Union (UPU): Established on October 9. 1874. it became a specialized agencies of United Nations in 1947, UPU ail)1S to perfect various postal services and promote the development of international collaboration. To this end, the member countries are united in a single postal territory for a reciprocal exchange of mail. (Headquarters: Bern)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU): Established in .1965, it became a specialized agency of UN in 1947, ITU sets up international regulations radio, telegraph, telephone and space radio communications. It allocates radio frequencies and studies means to' lower cost on international services. (Headquarters: Geneva)
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP): Earlier known as Economic Commission Or Asia and the Far East (ECAFE), the ESCAP is a regional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council. The Commission seeks to pron10te economic development of Asia and Far East countries by promoting better social. economic education and health conditions of the countries in this region. (Headquarters: Bangkok)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): Established in 1970, it became a specialized agency of the UN in December 1 974. The WIPO is designed to promote worldwide protection on copyright materials in inventions. Trademarks, designs, literary works, music, photographic and other artistic works. (Headquarters; Geneva)
International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD): Established in December 1977, the IFAD is a $ one billion fund which is raising food production in developing countries employing poor and landless partners, and reducing malnutrition in the Third World countries. The fund is a major joint Project of the industrialized countries, the petroleum exporting developing countries and the recipient developing countries. The industrialized nations have made a contribution $ 600 million and the OPEC nations $ 400 million to this fund. (Headquarters: Rome)