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Building UN Websites

Create a site Style Guide Accessibility Multilingualism

Building UN Websites

Create a site Style Guide Accessibility Multilingualism

What We Do


Build websites

We plan, build, test, launch, and maintain United Nations websites in all official languages following the highest standards of web development.

Ensure branding

One of our goals is to ensure web branding across UN sites! To this end, we work with the Graphic Design Unit (GDU), in charge of the UN branding across all of the Organization’s varied products (publications, posters, cards, etc.). We also partner with the Office of Information Technology (OICT) to ensure that UN web templates abide by the branding and accessibility standards so that the UN digital presence has a consistent look and feel and is accessible to all.

Validate accessibility

The Web Services Section (WSS) plays a key role in the Department of Global Communications' mission of promoting global awareness and understanding of the work of the UN through the design, development and presentation of the United Nations website.

Support multilingualism

An essential factor in harmonious communication among peoples, multilingualism is of particular importance for our mission.

Policy and Legal Framework


United Nations website publishing

The publication of content on UN.org is detailed in . We encourage you to read the circular, specifically paragraph 3.10, which is related to the web compliance standards.

Sustainable Development Goals projected onto UN Headquarters in New York

Create a site

Check the essential steps to create a website that complies to UN web branding and accessibility standards. Three steps – Plan, Design and Build – take you through the basics. You can also opt to use choose a pre-defined enterprise UN web template, "UNite" (contact OICT: itservices @ un.org).

Style Guide

Font, colors, language bar, navigation and other key elements of a UN website are detailed in the Web Style Guide. Our goal is to ensure that these guidelines are taken into account so that the branding, which represents the Organization’s values, is consistent with the UN digital footprint.

A view of the United Nations emblem in the General Assembly Hall.
A visitor walks through an art sculpture called the “Luminarium

Accessibility

Accessible websites benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities; text is more readable, content is better organized, and the design is clean and simple. The UN websites include several features designed to improve accessibility for users with temporary or long-term disabilities, following the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) of the World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative (W3C WAI).

Multilingualism

A multilingual United Nations reflects the universality of the Organization. Multilingualism is a core value of the UN and plays a key role in promoting unity in diversity, international understanding, tolerance and dialogue. The full and equitable treatment of all the official languages - Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish – in all its information and communications activities include digital content.

A night view of the Palais des Nations in Geneva

 

This website was created by the Web Services Section (WSS) of the Department of Global Communications (DGC) to help standardize the building of UN multilingual websites that meet the design and usability requirements of the Organization. WSS, in charge of web governance, manages and coordinates the content of the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish versions of the United Nations website, and ensures that all newly-created sites are accessible to persons with disabilities.