United Nations

Founded in 1945, the United Nations promotes international peace and security through its work in peacekeeping and conflict prevention, humanitarian and development assistance, democracy and human rights, and other international issues. The Security Council and General Assembly are the UN's primary decision-making bodies; the International Court of Justice adjudicates disputes in international law, while the Economic and Social Council oversees research and analysis. The United Nations system includes an extensive set of specialized agencies tasked with spearheading international cooperation in areas like labor and employment, relief and development, agriculture, health, the environment, children and refugees, nuclear issues, and economic and monetary policy. Headquartered in New York, the UN has 192 member states. It engages religion and religious actors in multiple, diverse areas; for instance, Article 18 of the UN's 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights set an international precedent naming religious freedom as a universal human right.