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The United Nations was established to foster global peace, prosperity and justice. It has succeeded in its fundamental mission of preventing a third world war and improving global quality of life. But over the last 60 years, the UN’s mission and membership have been broadened dramatically. Below are the UN agencies we work with to support programs for adolescent girls as part of the UN Adolescent Girls Task Force.

See how your donations are helping the girls through the UN!

The International Labor Organization (ILO) is devoted to advancing opportunities for women, girls and men to obtain decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity, security and human dignity. Its main aims are to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue in handling work-related issues in order to give all working people and business people a stake in lasting peace, prosperity and progress.

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is the driving force that helps build a world where the rights of every child are realized. The organization promotes girls’ education because it benefits all children, both girls and boys, and because girls who are educated grow up to become better thinkers, better citizens, and better parents. It also works to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among young people and acts to ensure that all children are immunized, well nourished, and protected against violence, abuse and exploitation.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity. UNFPA supports countries in using population data for policies and programs to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is dedicated to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information.  It focuses on gender equality as a global priority, with goals including quality education and addressing emerging cultural and ethical challenges, among others.

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is dedicated to advancing women’s rights and achieving gender equality. It provides financial and technical assistance to innovative programs and strategies that foster women's empowerment around the world. It works on the premise that it is the fundamental right of every woman to live a life free from discrimination and violence, and that gender equality is essential to achieving development and to building just societies.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries, and monitoring and assessing health trends. Among its dedicated issues is the health and development of adolescents, especially girls.

UNHCR strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country.  

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Inés Alberdi, Executive Director of UNIFEM, describes the UN's special task force dedicated to protecting the human rights of adolescent girls.

María José Alcalá, Senior Advisor at UNIFEM, talks about why it is essential to invest in the safety and protection of adolescent girls.

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