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United Nations Conference on International Organization
The first meeting of what would become the United Nations is held in San Francisco. This conference establishes the architecture and scope of the emerging organization. Link text -
The Food Agriculture Organization
The United Nations Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) was founded on 16 October 1945. 42 countries assembled in Quebec, Canada, to create the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Their goal was to free humanity from hunger and malnutrition, and to effectively manage the global food system. more info -
First International Health Conference
A meeting of the Economic and Social Council of the U.N. conducts preparatory discussions on the creation of a international health organization in Paris. A larger meeting conducted in New York City later approves the constitution of the World Health Organization. Link text -
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Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The UN drafted and adopted a declaration of human rights which was to be a common standard for all people in all nations. For the first time, it outlined fundamental human rights to be universally protected. more info -
The UNRWA
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees is formed.
It provides facilities in 59 recognized refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, and in other areas where large numbers of registered Palestine refugees live outside of recognized camps. more info -
World Health Day
Established by mandate during the inauguration of the World Health Organization in 1948. It was designed to be an annual event to bring awareness to world health issues. It took effect two years later, in 1950, and has been held on the 7th of April every year since. Link text -
The UNHCR
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
is a global organization founded in 1950. The primary concentration is on support of refugees all over the globe. Current work examples include helping refugees in Mosul reintegrate and stabilize after fleeing their homes. more info -
Malaria Eradication Program
The World Health Organization establishes the Malaria Eradication Program. The program was successful in the United States and Europe, but only marginally effective in Asia, and largely unsuccessful in Africa. Subsequent restructuring caused the program to operate on a country by country basis. Link text -
UN special fund
The UN special fund was setup to help and support developement projects around the world. An example of this is the use of funds to survey land and water sources. more info -
Codex Alimentarius Commission
The CAC was formed to develop food standards, guidelines and texts such as codes of practice under the Joint FAO/ WHO Food Standards Programme. It set standards for Food labelling, nutrition labelling, labelling claims, Food additives, Contaminants in foods,
Pesticide and veterinary chemical residues in foods, safety of foods derived from biotechnology, Food hygiene, Methods of analysis and sampling. more info -
International Agency for Research on Cancer
The International Agency for Research on Cancer is established. It has a mandate to coordinate and conduct both epidemiological and laboratory research into the causes of human cancers. Link text -
The UNDP
The United Nations Development Program is a global development network. It focuses on poverty reduction, HIV/AIDS, democratic governance, energy and environment, social development, and crisis prevention and recovery. UNDP also encourages the protection of human rights and the empowerment of women in all of its programs. more info -
UNDP partners with Singapore
Establishes the global center for public service excellence. offering funding and technical expertise in such areas as education, industrialization, job creation, and urban planning. The support was critical for a city-state with one of the highest rates of population growth in the world. more info -
FAO creation of Locus Watch
The FAO implemented a network to watch for and mitigate the formation locus swarms which cause extreme damage and crop loss. more info -
Onchocerciasis Control Program
The Onchocerciasis Control Program is launched. A collaboration between the World Bank, the United Nations Development Program and the Food and Agriculture Organization, it was established to fight Onchocerciasis, a parasitic worm which causes blindness in their hosts. Link text -
Expanded Program on Immunization
The expanded program on immunization is launched. The program has historically dealt with various immunization programs overseen by the World Health Organization, often in conjunction with other U.N. bodies. It originally oversaw programs against whooping cough and tuberculosis, among other diseases. It has since expanded. Link text -
Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases
"TDR [French acronym] uses the tools of scientific investigation to understand why good drugs, good diagnostic tests, and good preventive strategies fail to reach people in need. In other words, to find the barriers to access, including costs, in impoverished settings and break them down.”
~Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General, the World Health Organization Link text -
Adoption of the Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition
The document outlines specific means for the international community as a whole to tackle and eradicate the world food problem. [more info](Adoption of the Universal Declaration on the Eradication of Hunger and Malnutrition)
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Essential Medicines List
During the World Health Assembly of 1975, the World Health Organization was tasked with creating a list of medicines deemed "of utmost importance, basic, indispensable, and necessary for the healthcare needs of the population." Link text -
International Conference on Primary Health Care
The International Conference on Primary Health Care in Alma-Ata declared that health care is a human right. The conference called upon attendees to develop, institute and maintain primary health care for all peoples. Link text -
Worldwide Eradication of Smallpox
"Smallpox is an acute contagious disease caused by the variola virus, a member of the orthopoxvirus family. It was one of the world's most devastating diseases known to humanity. The last known natural case was in Somalia in 1977. It was declared eradicated in 1980 following a global immunization campaign led by the World Health Organization." Link text -
Drought in Mozambique
A severe drought was suffered in Mozambique that caused many to solely depend on relief food. Negative effects were compounded by rebel attacks. The UN mobilized 340 million to help those suffering and help establish a network of food distribution using fishermen and sailors. more info -
Global Program on AIDS
The Global Program on AIDS was developed to fight the newly emergent Pandemic of HIV/AIDS infection which developed in the 1980's. Link text -
EMPRETEC
Created a training program for entrepreneurs from around the world. An example of success from the program is Viet Trang Handicraft that is worth 100 million employing 250 local women. more info -
GEF
The United Nations created the Global Environmental Fund. it is a 2 billion dollar fund that helps to support nations with projects such as biodiversity, land degradation, sustainable forest management and protecting the ozone layer. -
Rwanda Genocide
The dominate Hutu led government systematically murdered tutsi minorities. The UNDP helped establish refugee camps, train new teachers, economic and social planning. Helped to draft new constitution and hold local and national elections. more info -
UNAIDS
Originally created by a mandate of the United National Social and Economic Council issued in 1994; UNAIDS was created with six founding partner agencies, including the WHO and UNICEF. UNAIDS was established to gather support for the HIV/AIDS epidemic from all facets of civilized society. Link text -
Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication
Dracunculiasis is a parasitic worm which can live for a year in human beings. It is a water born contaminate which can cause pain and burning in those effected. The Commission created criteria for the certification of countries as "free" of the parasite. Since then over 185 countries have been declared free. Link text -
Stop TB Partnership
The World Health Organization establishes the Stop TB Partnership through the World Health Assembly. This followed the Ministerial Conference on Tuberculosis and Sustainable Development's "Amsterdam Declaration to Stop TB", a declaration by over 20 developed nations calling for an end to Tuberculosis. Link text -
Millennium Declaration
Following a three day summit meeting of world leader, the United Nations releases its Millennium Declaration. This declaration establishes basic human rights and other conditions necessary for peaceful international relations in the 21st century, among them: freedom, equality, solidarity, tolerance, respect for nature, and shared responsibility. Link text -
Measles and Rubella Initiative
The Measles and Rubella Initiative is a partnership between the American Red Cross, UNICEF, the United Nations Foundation and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tasked with the eradication of Measles and Rubella. Although its initial mandate was to reduce death rates by 90% by 2010, the organization is still active globally. Link text -
Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is created to dramatically increase resources to fight three of the world's most devastating diseases. -
World Report on Violence and Health
"The World report on violence and health is the first comprehensive review of the problem of violence on a global scale" Three years in the making, the report analyzes the causes, effects and means to effect violence in the modern world. Since its publication many countries have adopted policies, or supported political action, advocated in the document. Link text -
Convention on Tobacco Control
The World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is the first treaty to be adopted under article 19 of the WHO constitution. The framework seeks to protect future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco. Link text -
2004 Locus Swarm Emergency
A large period of heavy rain had caused the formation of one of the biggest locus swarms in fifteen years. The FAO in fighting the swarm with insecticide and spraying had costed roughly 400 million dollars. more info -
International Health Regulations
The World Health Assembly revised and adopted the International Health Regulations. A legal framework adopted by all 193 member states, the WHO regulations help to contain the threats from diseases that may rapidly spread from one country to another. Link text -
Affordable Seeds for Haiti
The FAO created a US$10.2 million, €7.5 billion scheme to distribute and multiply quality seeds in Haiti. This greatly increased food production and as a consequence, provided cheaper food and boosted farmers' incomes. more info -
Climate Change and Health
During a speech at a high level event, Dr. Margret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organization, calls on negotiators to come to agreement on the issue of climate change. Citing a connection between the two, The World Health Organization adopts policies which seek to address the effects of climate change on public health. Link text -
