The Bahá'í International Community and the United Nations

The staff of the Bahá'í International Community offices in New York, taken in front of the United Nations General Assembly building.

The worldwide Bahá'í community manages its relations with the outside world through the offices of the Bahá'í International Community.

Since 1948, the Baha l International Community has enjoyed recognition as an international non-governmental organization at the United Nations. Since 1970, it has held consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). It also has working relations with the World Health Organization (WHO), and is associated with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

The work of the Bahá'í International Community is handled by several specialized offices. These include a Secretariat, a United Nations Office, an Office of Public Information, an Office of the Environment, and an Office for the Advancement of Women.

Through representatives based at the Bahá'í World Centre in Haifa and in New York, Geneva, Paris, Hong Kong, London, Jerusalem, and Fiji, these offices are involved in a wide range of activities, including efforts in peace-building, human rights, education, health, environmental conservation and sustainable development, and the promotion of women's equality. Many of these activities are undertaken in collaboration with national Bahá'í communities. An international newsletter, ONE COUNTRY, reports on these activities.

The Bahá'í International Community also collaborates with many international non-governmental organizations. It is, for example, a member of the World Wide Fund for Nature's Network on Conservation and Religion, the Center for Our Common Future, the Education for All Network, the World Conference on Religion and Peace, and the Advocates for African Food Security.