International organisations in Geneva

A number of international organisations are based in Geneva. We have listed them below and we present their aims and fondation (non exhaustive list). Some of these organisations can be visited. For more information, read the rest of the article ...

The UN, the United Nations and the Palais des Nations

Its emblem : to maintain peace and security in the world.

The United Nations was created in 1945 after the Second World War. Its main goals are the maintenance of peace and security in the world, the establishment of friendly relations between the countries, international cooperation programs, respect of the human rights. Almost all states are part of the UN.

The world headquarters of the United Nations is in New York. Its European headquarters as well as the headquarters of several United Nations agencies, such as WHO , WTO, WMO , ILO , ITU, WIPO, UNHCR, IOM, are also in Geneva.

You can visit the Palais des Nations. For security reasons, visits are limited to the Palace, you can not take bags with you and the visits may vary depending on the situation, especially if rooms are reserved for conferences.

For more information, click on the UN Official website.

WHO , World Health Organization

The World Health Organization was established in 1948 and is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN ) . Its headquarters are in Geneva.

WHO's goal is to ensure that the health of all peoples on Earth is as high as possible. In the WHO Constitution, the concept of health is defined by a « state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity ».

Before the WHO was founded, international agreements and other agencies had similar objectives. Among those for example the quarantining of people with the plague in 1850 in order to prevent its expansion in Europe and the organisation of conferences to inform and share knowledge on specific topics related to health.

Among the WHO targets:

establish a list of all diseases
establish ubne list of essential drugs considered
help the least developed countries in the field of health , for example by immunization , provision of drinking water, waste disposal
organise control and research programs and campaigns related to health topics. For example, a program to fight against AIDS campaign, campaign to encourage people to eat better and consume less tobacco and alcohol, research programs on cancer, etc.

For more information, click on the OMS Official website.

WMO , World Meteorological Organization

The World Meteorological Organization was established in 1950 and is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN ). Its headquarters are in Geneva.

Let us quote some of its objectives : the weather forecast and the development of models to make these predictions, archiving data to make climate studies, observation programs and lectures on topics such as ozone, climate, climate change, tropical cyclones, hydrology, environment and development, the prevention of natural disasters, ...

For more information, click on the WMO Official website.

The ILO International Labour Organization

The International Labour Organization was created in 1919 at the end of the First World War following the realization " that for a large number of people there are working conditions involving injustice, misery and deprivation, resulting into so great discontent that the peace and harmony of the world are endangered "and that" universal and lasting peace can only be established on the basis of justice social . " ILO is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN ). Its headquarters are in Geneva.

Its objectives , according to the ILO's official website, is " promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection and strengthen dialogue on work-related issues. "

In 1969, the International Labour Organization awarded Nobel Peace Prize.

For more information, click on the ILO official website.

The ITU, International Telecommunication Union

The ITU was originally founded under the name of International Telegraph Union in 1865. It received its current name in 1932 and is linked to the United Nations in 1947. Its headquarters are in Geneva.

The mission of the ITU is the development of information and communications technology. "The ITU coordinates the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promotes international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, works to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world, and assists in the development and coordination of worldwide technical standards. The ITU is active in areas including broadband Internet, latest-generation wireless technologies, aeronautical and maritime navigation, radio astronomy, satellite-based meteorology, convergence in fixed-mobile phone, Internet access, data, voice, TV broadcasting, and next-generation networks." (Source : Wikipedia)

For more information, click on the ITU official website.

WIPO , World Organization of Intellectual Protection

The World Organisation for International Protection (WIPO) was established in 1967 and is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).

Its mission "is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international intellectual property (IP) system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all". (Source : WIPO)