26 UNITED NATIONS AT A GLANCE
»» In 2006, United Nations Member States agreed on a process of reforming the work of the General Assembly to speed up the decision-making process, streamline the agenda and strengthen the role and authority of the General Assembly President. »» In 2006, the General Assembly approved the establishment of a new, strengthened Human Rights Council to replace the United Nations Human Rights Commission. The Council, which was inaugurated on 19 June 2006 in Geneva, has a higher status in the United Nations System as a subsidiary body of the General Assembly. »» In July 2010, the General Assembly created UN-Women, a historic step towards the realization of the Organization’s goals on gender equality and the empowerment of women. UN-Women brings together the resources and mandates of four previously distinct UN entities for greater impact. Empowering women sparks progress in education, health, productivity and the economy, and therefore boosts a country’s level of development. »» In September 2010, the General Assembly created a new Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health. The initiative aims to save the lives of more than 16 million women and children, help prevent 33 million unwanted pregnancies, protect 120 million children from pneumonia and 88 million children from stunting due to malnutrition. »» In December 2010, the General Assembly declared 2011-2020 the United Nations Decade on Biodiversity. Protecting biodiversity is in our self-interest. Biological resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations. The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, our opportunities for recreation and tourism and our sources of wood, medicines and energy. It also interferes with essential ecological functions. »» In September 2011, recognizing that non-communicable diseases constitute one of the major challenges for development in the twenty-first century, the General Assembly called a high-level meeting. The world leaders gathered in New York agreed to adopt, before the end of 2012, targets to combat heart disease, cancer, diabetes and lung disease, and to devise policies that would cut smoking and slash the high salt, sugar and fat content in foods that cause obesity, injury and death.