The UN at 80: What Has It Achieved? United Nations

As the UN marks its 80th anniversary, this explainer reflects on how the organization has shaped international peace, security, development, and human rights - and what it means for the future.

From its founding in 1945 to today, the United Nations has been at the heart of global cooperation. In this video, UN expert Natalie Samarasinghe takes us through the UN’s biggest achievements over eight decades - from peacekeeping to eradicating smallpox, advancing women’s rights, shaping the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
🎥 Highlights include:
• 1945: Signing of the UN Charter in San Francisco
• Creation of UN peacekeeping operations
• Adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Eradication of smallpox through global vaccination campaigns
• Progress on women’s rights and gender equality
• The Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals

00:00 UN Founded – 1945
01:07 Universal Declaration of Human Rights – 1948
01:43 UN peacekeeping created – 1948
02:41 Eradication of smallpox – 1967 – 1980
03:09 World Conference on Women – 1975
03:38 Beijing conference – 1995
04:24 A Forum for mediation – 1945 – 1991
05:10 The Millennium Development Goals – 2000
06:08 The Paris Agreement on Climate Change – 2015
06:18 The Sustainable Development Goals – 2015
06:54 The COVID19 Pandemic – 2020
08:05 Shared humanity and hope for the future