This comprehensive handbook designed for the general public, sets forth the structure of the United Nations and how the organisation works, as well as describing the main issues it deals with and their importance for people everywhere. Along with explaining the role played by its principal organs and the family of UN organisations, individual chapters explore UN contributions to international peace and security, economic and social development, human rights, humanitarian action, international law, and decolonization. A series of appendices document UN membership, peacekeeping operations, budget, and contact information for UN information centres, services and offices. This new edition of the work has been substantially revised to take account of many significant developments that have taken place in the world and in the United Nations itself since the last edition of the book (previously titled The UN Today) in 2008.