United Nations

Address: 760 United Nations Plaza, Manhattan, New York City, New York (10017-6818), United States

Website: https://www.un.org/en/

The United Nations (UN) is an international intergovernmental organization founded in 1945. Its aims include maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation to solve economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian issues, and promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide. The UN currently has 193 member states.

Since the 2003-2005 phases of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), the UN has increasingly engaged in Internet governance discussions. The Tunis Agenda for the Information Society established the global Internet Governance Forum (IGF), which holds annual meetings convened by the UN Secretary-General. Specific UN entities, such as the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and UNESCO, oversee the implementation of WSIS action lines. Additionally, the Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CSTD) monitors enhanced cooperation processes.

Various entities in the UN system (organs, programmes, funds, specialised agencies and regional commissions) are active in specific areas of Internet governance:

CSTD | ECA | ECLACECOSOC | ESCAP | ESCWA | FAO | UN General Assembly | ILO | IMF | ITU | ITC | OHCHR | CCPJI | GGE | UNICEF | UNCITRAL | UNCTAD | UN DESA | UNDP | UNECE | UNESCO | UN Women | UNEP | UNGISUN Global Pulse | UNHRC | UNIDO | UNIDIR | UNICRI | UNODA | UNODC | UPU | World Bank | WHO | WIPO | WMO