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Introduction
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United Nations Information Centre Informing media, governmental institutions, NGOs, academia and the general public about the work of the United Nations is the key function of the UN Information Centres. This worldwide network is vital to the Organization's efforts to promote an understanding of and support for the purposes and activities of the UN. The need for the services Centres provide was recognized at the very inception of the Organization. In 1946 the Preparatory Commission on the United Nations submitted to the General Assembly a recommendation that branch offices of the UN Department of Public Information should be created, since "the development of improved world opinion and intelligent support depends as much on the establishment of a wide and well-organized network of information-distributing offices at appropriate world centres as on adequate and efficient public service at Headquarters". The General Assembly acted on this recommendation and in 1947 first Information Centres were established in 10 countries, including India. Covering India and Bhutan, the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) in New Delhi had thus become the first United Nations office in independent India. UNIC India celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1997. UNIC provides information on the United Nations to print and electronic media, governmental and non-governmental organizations, educational institutions, academic and other research centres and think-tanks, students and public at large. UNIC's Director, who acts as spokesman for the United Nations, processes on a day-to-day basis the information received from Headquarters and other organs and agencies of the United Nations system, and brings it to the attention of a wide circle of users. This is done through press releases, background notes and UNIC's weekly newsletter (which includes a monthly Development Supplement). In addition, UNIC disseminates on a regular basis pamphlets, documents, information kits, posters, photos, books etc., produced by the Department of Public Information and other UN agencies. Vernacular translations of select UN documents are also undertaken. Films, video tapes and audio cassettes are provided to media users, including Doordarshan. All India Radio is regularly supplied with tapes of UN Radio programmes, which it broadcasts to the entire Asian region. UNIC New Delhi maintains a reference library of United Nations documents and publications, which is an important resource centre for journalists, academics, students, etc. All holdings in UNIC library are available on a database. The library also serves as focal point for all public inquiries about the United Nations activities. The library contains information on the United Nations, its funds and programmes, as well as specialized agencies in the form of documents, books, newsletters, periodicals, audio/video tapes and films. Basic texts on the history of the Organization and its structure and activities are available; so are the major reference sources of information on political, economic, social, humanitarian, legal and other activities of the United Nations system. Official records of the main organs of the United Nations and their subsidiary bodies are particularly interesting for academics and students. Statistical publications issued by the United Nations are consulted by a wide circle of users. Subject-wise, information covers a wide range of issues dealt with by the UN: peace-keeping, human rights, development, environment, population, refugees, housing, shelter, women, children, crime, transport, drug control, disabled, elderly, nuclear energy, alleviation of poverty, outer space, HIV/AIDS, trade, investment, law of the sea and many, many more. The Centre plays a major role in the commemoration of UN Day (24 October), Human Rights Day (10 December) and other dates officially observed by the United Nations. It publicizes UN conferences and programmes, engaging in a variety of outreach activities, like lectures, press conferences, TV and radio interviews, exhibitions etc. UNIC conducts information activities on behalf of UN agencies without local representation and maintains close co-operation with and assists UN agencies resident in India. UNIC Library - A profile of services and holdingsUNIC library provides information on the United Nations through data, documents, newsletters, pamphlets, books, audio/video tapes and films. The library fulfils information demands from governmental institutions, NGOs, educational institutions, academic and other research centres, journalists, academicians, students and the public at large. Broadly the subject coverage of library is as follows : - Information on the history of the organization as well as its structure and substantive activities and programmes. - Catalogues, indexes, dictionaries and sources of economic, social statistical, legal and political information. - Basic texts, like Charter of the UN, Basic Facts about the United Nations, Yearbook of the UN, Annual Reports of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization, etc. - Major reference sources, like A Guide to Information at the UN, An Agenda for Peace, Agenda for Development, UN Blue Book series, etc. - Major economic, social and statistical sources like Agenda 21, classification by broad economic categories defined in terms of SITC, classification of commodities by industrial origin, commodity indexes for the standard international trade classification, Demographic Yearbook, Energy Statistics Yearbook, International Trade Statistics Yearbook, Industrial Commodity Statistics Yearbook, Human Development Report, World Economic Survey, World Development Report, Statistical Yearbook, National Accounts Statistics, Trade and Development Report, The World's Women, etc. - Major economic, social and statistical sources on Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Carribean, Africa and Western Asia. - Major legal and political sources like Disarmament Yearbook, Blue Helmets, Human Rights: a compilation of International Instruments, official records of Human Rights Committee, UN Juridical Yearbook, UN Treaty Series, Yearbook of the International Law Commission, etc. DOCUMENTS OF THE UNITED NATIONS, ITS FUNDS AND PROGRAMMES AND ITS SPECIALIZED AGENCIES Literature produced by UN and its agencies on different political, economic and social issues is available. Some of the areas covered are: environment, climate change, population, housing/shelter, refugees, human rights, women, peace-keeping, children, crime, transport, tourism, disabled, nuclear energy, poverty, outer space, apartheid, HIV/AIDS, etc. Official records - verbatims or summary records - of the main organs of the UN: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic & Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the International Court of Justice. These records include records of the subsidiary committees and other bodies established by the main organs, supplements to the official records, annual reports by organs and bodies, meeting records of special conferences, etc. Documents produced by the Regional Commissions (especially ESCAP) of the Economic & Social Council. Official records of UNCTAD - Conference proceedings, committee meetings, Trade & Development Board meeting records with annexes and supplements. Documents produced by UNIDO: major studies and reports, general conference reports, reports and summary records of Industrial Development Board, Programme & Budget Committee reports, Reports of Expert Working Groups, workshops and seminars on various subjects like building materials, machine tools, furniture, fisheries, wood products, leather products, industry and development. Select collection of GATT, ITC & WTO publications. Main publications of WHO, UNDP, UNU, WMO, WIPO, UNESCO, UNICEF etc. are also available. |