18/09 • THE UN

Born out of the devastation of World War II, the UN was created to promote peace, uphold human rights, and foster international cooperation.
 
Eight decades on, the UN remains central to humanitarian action, but it faces major challenges. Conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, and Myanmar continue to devastate communities, with more than 123.2 million people displaced worldwide.

UN agencies like UNHCR, UNICEF, and the World Food Programme provide vital aid, yet funding is stretched thin. IN 2023, the UN was  forced to target fewer people and raise less funds, after it received just over one-third of the $57 billion it sought that year. 2024's appeal was cut to $46 billion.

This flow on effect of funding shortfalls is forcing agencies to cut food rations and delay shelter programmes. Climate change adds further strain, driving floods, droughts, and rising seas, while geopolitical divisions in the Security Council often paralyse urgent action.
 
The UN is trying to adapt. On underfunding, it is seeking new financing models, calling on emerging economies to share responsibility, and encouraging partnerships with civil society and faith-based organisations.

This is also exemplified in the wider reshaping of the UN through “UN 2.0,” a push to become more data-driven, innovative, and responsive to future risks such as pandemics and climate shocks.
 
For the church and other humanitarian organisations, the UN provides a critical framework. It sets the global rules on refugees, human rights, and climate action, and coordinates the humanitarian appeals that NGOs and faith-based groups participate in.

In conflict zones and disasters, churches often work alongside UN agencies to deliver food, water, shelter, and psychosocial support.

Though it's not perfect, the UN creates spaces where global cooperation can happen, which is something no single nation or organisation can achieve alone.