The call “to practice tolerance” was written into the identity of the United Nations 70 years ago.  Today, in a world buffeted by turbulence and change, the Charter’s summons remains a vital touchstone for our work.

People are more connected–- but this does not mean there is more understanding.

The World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is a time to reflect on the needless tragedies that occur each day on the world’s roads.

Despite improvements in road safety, we still face some shocking injury and fatality figures.

Road traffic accidents kill an estimated 1.25 million people each year -- 90 per cent of them in middle- and low-income countries.

Such accidents are the leading cause of death among young people aged between 15 and 29. Almost half of all road traffic deaths are among pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

Close to 350 million people in the world have diabetes, and the prevalence is rising rapidly, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. There is much all of us can do to minimize our risk of getting the disease and, even if we do get it, to live long and healthy lives with it.

National flags are a mark of pride and patriotism in every country around the world.  But there is only one flag that belongs to all of us.

That blue flag of the United Nations was a banner of hope for me growing up in wartime Korea.  

Seven decades after its founding, the United Nations remains a beacon for all humanity.

Every day, the United Nations feeds the hungry and shelters those driven from their homes.

Good data and statistics are indispensable for informed decision-making by all actors in society.  This was explicitly acknowledged in 2014, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics to promote citizen’s entitlement to public information.

This year’s observance of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty falls as the world embarks on a bold new path towards a future of dignity for all guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This year’s theme -- “Building a sustainable future: Coming together to end poverty and discrimination” -- highlights the need to focus greater attention on the excluded and marginalized members of the human family.

This year’s observance of World Food Day follows the landmark adoption by world leaders of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including a set of 17 goals to guide our work towards a future of dignity and prosperity for all on a healthy planet.  

By Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN Women Executive Director, Op-Ed from UN Women for the anniversary of Resolution 1325