The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that was outlined in a constitution signed November 16, 1945. It promotes international collaboration in education, science, and culture to promote peace.
Headquarters: Paris, France
Member Countries: It has 195 member countries, and it pursues its objectives through five major programs: education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, and communication and information.
Reports Published:
- Global Education Monitoring Report
- Gender Parity Index
Functions:
- It seeks to build peace through international cooperation in Education, the Sciences and Culture.
- UNESCO’s programs contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals defined in Agenda 2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
- It aimed at assisting, supporting, and complementing the national efforts of member states to eliminate illiteracy and to extend free education.
- UNESCO also seeks to encourage the free exchange of ideas and knowledge by organizing conferences and providing clearinghouse and exchange services.
- Besides its support of educational and science programs, UNESCO is also involved in efforts to protect the natural environment and humanity’s common cultural heritage.
- UNESCO is known for its World Heritage Mission which encourages world countries to protect Natural and Cultural Heritage sites.
- UNESCO also leads the Man and Biosphere Programme for protecting Biosphere reserves across the world. 12 of the eighteen India’s biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list. Recently Panna Biosphere Reserve(PBR) became the 12th site in India.
UNESCO achievements
