Many UN organizations and agencies exist to work on particular issues. Some of the most well-known agencies are the International Atomic Energy Agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization, UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), the World Bank and the World Health Organization.
It is through these agencies that the UN performs most of its humanitarian work. Examples include mass vaccination programmes (through the WHO), the avoidance of famine and malnutrition (through the work of the WFP) and the protection of vulnerable and displaced people (for example, by the UNHCR).
The United Nations Charter stipulates that each primary organ of the UN can establish various specialized agencies to fulfill its duties.
| Acronyms | Agency | Headquarters | Established |
|---|---|---|---|
| FAO | Food and Agriculture Organization | Rome, Italy | 1945 |
| IAEA | International Atomic Energy Agency | Vienna, Austria | 1957 |
| ICAO | International Civil Aviation Organization | Montreal, Canada | 1947 |
| IFAD | International Fund for Agricultural Development | Rome, Italy | 1977 |
| ILO | International Labour Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | 1946 (1919) |
| IMO | International Maritime Organization | London, United Kingdom | 1948 |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund | Washington, D.C., USA | 1945 (1944) |
| ITU | International Telecommunication Union | Geneva, Switzerland | 1947 (1865) |
| UNESCO | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | Paris, France | 1946 |
| UNIDO | United Nations Industrial Development Organization | Vienna, Austria | 1967 |
| UPU | Universal Postal Union | Bern, Switzerland | 1947 (1874) |
| WB | World Bank | Washington, D.C., USA | 1945 (1944) |
| WFP | World Food Programme | Rome, Italy | 1963 |
| WHO | World Health Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | 1948 |
| WIPO | World Intellectual Property Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | 1974 |
| WMO | World Meteorological Organization | Geneva, Switzerland | 1950 (1873) |
| UNWTO | World Tourism Organization | Madrid, Spain | 1974 |
Last updated on: 21/10/2019
