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“In the end, it comes down to values. We want the world our children inherit to be defined by the values enshrined in the UN Charter: peace, justice, respect, human rights, tolerance and solidarity.”
– António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
The Philippines is among the original charter members, in fact one of the first Southeast Asian countries that created the United Nations in 1945. The United Nations Country Team (UNCT) in the Philippines consists of eleven specialized agencies, six project offices, and three secretariat offices.
The Preamble of the United Nations states that:
“We the Peoples of the United Nations determined (1) to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and (2) to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and (3) to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and (4) to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom;
and for these ends, (1) to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbors, and (2) to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and (3) to ensure, by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and (4) to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples, have resolved to combine our efforts to accomplish these aims.
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an international organization to be known as the United Nations.” (Preamble, United Nations Charter)
The UN has been a partner of the Philippine government for over seven decades, supporting state institutions to respect, uphold and implement the international treaty obligations and agreed development goals that the Philippines has voluntarily adhered to over the years. It has brought normative policy support, technical assistance and advocacy, but most importantly, its ability to convene, coordinate and mobilize stakeholders from across the political spectrum in support of the country’s development agenda. In the Philippines, the quality of its technical assistance and its effectivity and neutrality as convener and coordinator has earned the UN the trust of claim holders and duty-bearers, both government and non-government, national and international. (Accessed at https://philippines.un.org/en/about/about-the-un)
Towards this end, the United Nations, through its Country Team (UNCT) in the Philippines, have created and recognized the following entities as a means for the United Nations to help promote its goals of development of humanitarian and peace-building priorities.
United Nations Specialized Agencies
The specialized agencies of the UNCT in the Philippines are the following:
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
The FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Its ultimate goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. (Accessed at https://www.fao.org/about/en/)
- International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
The IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.
- International Labor Organization (ILO)
The ILO is devoted to promoting social justice and internationally recognized human and labor rights, pursuing its founding mission that social justice is essential to universal and lasting peace. (Accessed at: https://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/lang–en/index.htm)
- International Organization for Migration (IOM)
The IOM provides a comprehensive response to the humanitarian needs of migrants, internally displaced persons, returnees and host communities through humanitarian direct assistance, recreational activities, and a variety of other efforts. (Accessed at: https://philippines.iom.int/who-we-are)
- United Nations (UNDP)
The UNDP works in 170 countries and territories to eradicate poverty while protecting the planet. It helps countries develop strong policies, skills, partnerships and institutions so they can sustain their progress. (Accessed at: https://www.undp.org/philippines/about-us-0)
- United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)
UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. Its mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. (Accessed at: https://philippines.unfpa.org/en/unfpa-philippines)
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
The UNHCR is a global organization dedicated to saving lives, protecting rights and building a better future for refugees, forcibly displaced communities and stateless people. (Accessed at: https://www.unhcr.org/ph/who-we-are)
- United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
The UNICEF works to promote and protect the rights of every Filipino child, with a particular focus on those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged. It works with the Philippine government to improve national policies, programs and services for children and adolescents. (Accessed at:
https://www.unicef.org/philippines/what-we-do)
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
UNIDO is the specialized agency of the United Nations with a unique mandate to promote and accelerate sustainable industrial and economic development. UNIDO supports countries to industrialize in ways that foster digital and green transitions and accelerate progress with the Sustainable Development Goals. (Accessed at: https://www.unido.org/who-we-are/unido-brief)
- World Food Programme (WFP)
The WFP is world’s largest humanitarian organization. Through food, it aims to save lives and build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people affected by conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change. (Accessed at: https://www.wfp.org/who-we-are)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
WHO leads the global efforts in public health to coordinate the world’s response to health emergencies, provide technical support to expand universal health coverage, serve the vulnerable so everyone everywhere can attain the equal chance to live a healthy life. (Accessed at: https://www.who.int/philippines)
United Nations Project Agencies
The project agencies of the UNCT in the Philippines consist of:
- Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
UNAIDS is an innovative partnership that leads and inspires the world in achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. It places people living with HIV and people affected by the virus at the decision-making table and at the center of designing, delivering and monitoring the AIDS response. It charts paths for countries and communities to get on the Fast-Track to ending AIDS and is a bold advocate for addressing the legal and policy barriers to the AIDS response. (Accessed at: https://www.unaids.org/en/whoweare/about)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
UNESCO seeks to build peace through international cooperation in education, sciences and culture. UNESCO’s programmes contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. (Accessed at: https://www.unesco.org/en/brief)
- UN HABITAT
UN-Habitat is the United Nations programme working towards a better urban future. Its mission is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all. (Accessed at: https://unhabitat.org.ph/un-habitat-in-the-philippines/)
- United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
UNODC is a global leader in the fight against illicit drugs and international crime. UNODC operates in all regions of the world through an extensive network of field offices. (Accessed at https://www.unodc.org/)
- United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)
UNOPS supports the government and other partners in sustainable procurement, infrastructure, governance, grant management and logistical support services. Our work emphasizes building national capacity, strengthening community resilience and supporting efforts towards the Sustainable Development Goals. (Accessed at: https://www.unops.org/Philippines)
- UN WOMEN
UN Women is the global champion for gender equality, working to develop and uphold standards and create an environment in which every woman and girl can exercise her human rights and live up to her full potential. We are trusted partners for advocates and decision-makers from all walks of life, and a leader in the effort to achieve gender equality. (Accessed at: https://www.unwomen.org/en/about-us)
Secretariat Offices
The secretariat offices are comprised of:
- United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
OCHA contributes to principled and effective humanitarian response through coordination, advocacy, policy, information management and humanitarian financing tools and services. It coordinates humanitarian response to expand the reach of humanitarian action, improve prioritization and reduce duplication, ensuring that assistance and protection reach the people who need it most. (Accessed at: https://www.unocha.org/about-ocha/our-work)
- United Nations Information Centers (UNIC)
UNICs are the principal sources of information about the United Nations system in the countries where they are located. UNICs are responsible for promoting greater public understanding of and support for the aims and activities of the United Nations by disseminating information on the work of the Organization to people everywhere, especially in developing countries. (Accessed at: https://unic.un.org/aroundworld/unics/en/whoWeAre/index.asp)
- United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS)
UNDSS provides security expertise to all United Nations Security Management System entities, to enable the planning and safe conduct of mandates, missions, activities and programmes of the United Nations system, while ensuring the safety and security of personnel and the security of United Nations premises and assets. (Accessed at: https://www.un.org/en/safety-and-security)
Among the invitees of the Philippines are the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the World Bank (WB).
The United Nations has been assisting and supporting the Philippines in its development, especially in the aspect championing humanitarian priorities and peace-building efforts.
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