Other than the one at U.N. headquarters in New York City, Independence has the only monument in the world dedicated to the United Nations. Here are a few reasons, not in any order of priority, why the U.N. is so very important.
1. It has employed more than 35 peacekeeping missions. At the present time it has 115,000 troops deployed. More than 3,000 U.N. peacekeepers have lost their lives in service.
2. It has negotiated 172 peaceful settlements.
3. It has enabled people in more than 45 countries to participate in free and fair elections.
4. It distributes more than $10 billion annually in development loans and grants.
5. UNICEF spends more than $800 million annually, primarily on immunization, health care, nutrition and basic education in 138 countries.
6. The U.N. Human Rights Commission has focused attention on cases of torture, disappearance and arbitrary detention.
7. U.N. Conferences on Environment and Development have resulted in many treaties on biodiversity and climate change.
8. The U.N. has helped minimize the threat of a nuclear war by inspecting nuclear reactors in over 90 countries.
9. It has created more than 300 international treaties on topics as varied as human rights to the use of outer space.
10. The International Court of Justice has helped settle international disputes involving territorial issues, diplomatic relations, hostage-taking and economic rights.
11. The U.N. was a major factor in bringing about the downfall of the apartheid system.
12. More than 30 million refugees fleeing war, famine or persecution have received aid from the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
13. In helping alleviate chronic hunger and rural poverty the U.N. has benefited over 230 million people in nearly 100 developing countries.
14. It has aided Palestinian refugees with free schooling, essential health care, relief assistance and key social services virtually without interruption since 1948.
15. The U.N. Africa Development Facility has completed 130 projects in 25 countries with investments of $233 million creating 13,000 new jobs and saving some $131 million annually in foreign exchange.
16. The U.N. has promoted women’s rights in over 100 countries, including credit and training, marketing opportunities, etc.
17. The U.N. has made safe drinking water available to 1.3 billion people in rural areas during the past decade.
18. The U.N. has eradicated smallpox through immunization and monitoring.
And the list goes on and on and on!
