The effects of the World War II saw not only the need for an organization to establish permanent world peace but also the formation of certain agencies that would help in the rebuilding of the damaged social and economic structure of nations the world over. The Special Agencies of the U.N.O work together in economic, social, cultural, scientific spheres to ensure substantial development in developed and especially developing countries.
- United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Most of the work of the United Nations, in terms of finance and
personnel, is devoted to programs aimed at achieving economic
and social development in the developing countries. The U.N.O.
extends aid for national development plans in an attempt to ensure
balanced economic and social growth of the world economy. It aims
at making the best use of available financial, physical and human
resources.
Its programs are related to various development activities in
almost every economic and social sector, including farming, fishing,
forestry, mining, manufacturing, health and environmental sanitation.
It carries out surveys to economic worth of a nation’s natural
resources, improving eduation systems and upgrading the economic
and social structure in order to accommodate sophisticated technology.
It is funded by the governments of the member nations.
- United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
This was established in 1946. Its headquarters are at New York.
It attempts to arrest the spread of diseases among children. It
organizes nutritious food for the benefit of undernourished children
in the poor countries. It takes steps to spread information of
how to prevent serious diseases. This agency is again financed
by the governments of the member nations as well as certain private
agencies.
Exhibit 18.6
The UNICEF logo
- World Health Organization (WHO)
It was founded in April 1948 with its headquarters at Geneva.
There is an Executive Board that implements its programs. Its
primary concern is to improve the health of all the peoples of
the world. "Health for all by the 2000" is the main
aim of this agency. The WHO provides medical aid. It arranges
for medicines to prevent various diseases. It takes measures to
check the spread of infectious diseases. This agency also sends
specialists to various nations to provide advice for the promotion
of human health. It encourages research related to all aspects
of health including nutrition, maternity and child care, environmental
safety, mental health, control of specific diseases, etc.
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)
This agency was founded in 1946 with its headquarters at Paris.
Its main purpose is to promote peace and security through education,
science and culture and communication. Its helps in the spread
of knowledge, culture, and international understanding among the
member nations. It makes arrangements to expand and direct education
in different countries to eliminate illiteracy. It starts schools
and trains teachers, planners and administrators. It fosters social
sciences as instruments for the realization of human rights, justice
and peace. It promotes national and cultural values and encourages
the study and development of cultures.
- International Labor Organization(ILO)
It was founded in 1919 and was also an organ of the League of
Nations. It began operating as a special agency of the U.N.O in
1945 and its headquarters at Geneva. This agency aims at improving
the working conditions of the laborers all over the world, for
the purpose of raising their standard of living, improving their
economic and social condition and providing a more just environment
for working people. It checks unemployment among the labor, determines
their wage hours and conditions of work and organizes social insurance,
paid vacations, industrial safety, education of their children
and labor inspection.
It will be observed that U.N.O.’s role towards maintaining world
peace in order to make human life safe and worthwhile can never
be overemphasized.
