ABSTRACT
The United Nations is one of the world’s most recognizable brands. Yet, basic questions about what the world organization is and does can be surprisingly difficult to answer. While its founding document implies a single entity, the UN is more accurately described as a “system.” It encompasses over 50 entities spread across the world that address nearly every aspect of human endeavour and planetary resources — and engage almost every imaginable actor, from the governments that make up its membership to grassroots groups and tech companies. It is regarded as a universal and thus legitimate platform for countries to debate and decide on collective action, a provider of global goods and services, and as the world’s moral barometer. This chapter seeks to illuminate the UN’s entities, roles, and functions, by charting their evolution, discussing their achievements and challenges, and exploring prospects for the future
