📌 Introduction
World organizations play a vital role in maintaining peace, public health, global trade, and cooperation. For GK and competitive exams, knowledge of the United Nations (UN), World Health Organization (WHO), and World Trade Organization (WTO) is essential.
This article covers the history, headquarters, objectives, and key facts about these three major world organizations.
🇺🇳 United Nations (UN)
- Founded: 24 October 1945 (celebrated as UN Day)
- Headquarters: New York, USA
- Motto: “Peace, Dignity and Equality on a healthy planet.”
- Members: 193 countries
- Main Organs:
- General Assembly
- Security Council
- International Court of Justice (ICJ) – The Hague, Netherlands
- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- Trusteeship Council (inactive)
- Secretariat
- Official Languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish
- Specialized Agencies:
- UNESCO – Paris, France
- UNICEF – New York, USA
- UNDP – New York, USA
- FAO – Rome, Italy
- ILO – Geneva, Switzerland
👉 India is a founding member of the UN and a major contributor to peacekeeping forces.
🩺 World Health Organization (WHO)
- Founded: 7 April 1948 (celebrated as World Health Day)
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Members: 194 countries
- Objective: International cooperation for public health and disease prevention
- Current Director-General: Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
- Functions:
- Sets global health standards
- Coordinates responses to pandemics and outbreaks
- Provides vaccines, medicines, and healthcare support
- Conducts research on diseases like Malaria, TB, HIV, and COVID-19
💱 World Trade Organization (WTO)
- Founded: 1 January 1995 (replaced GATT)
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Members: 164 countries
- Objective: Promote free, fair, and smooth international trade
- Current Director-General: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
- Functions:
- Administers global trade agreements
- Settles disputes between nations
- Provides negotiation platforms
- Monitors trade policies
📊 Key GK Facts
- Largest International Organization: United Nations
- WHO Foundation Day: 7 April (World Health Day)
- WTO replaced GATT in 1995
- Permanent Members of UN Security Council: USA, UK, Russia, China, France
- ICJ Headquarters: The Hague, Netherlands
❓ FAQs
Q1. When was the UN founded?
👉 24 October 1945
Q2. Where is WHO headquartered?
👉 Geneva, Switzerland
Q3. Which organization replaced GATT in 1995?
👉 World Trade Organization (WTO)
Q4. How many official languages does the UN have?
👉 Six (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish)
Q5. Who is the current Director-General of WHO?
👉 Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
📌 Conclusion
The UN, WHO, and WTO are pillars of international governance. While the UN ensures peace and cooperation, the WHO protects health, and the WTO manages world trade.
For exams, always focus on:
- Founding year, headquarters, and membership
- Current leaders
- Objectives and key functions
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