Whether your mission is to promote peace, eradicate female genital mutilation, provide sustainable, clean water solutions, or anything else that positively changes people’s lives – there’s a global cause for that!
Based on Resolutions established by the General Assembly, the United Nations designated specific days to help promote and create awareness about development causes around the world. These causes, and some that have developed into campaigns, provide a cost-effective way to generate awareness about your mission and programmes. Most of them have an annual theme, campaign events and activities, and can be used in innovative ways to drive advocacy around your mission.
Note: The causes listed below were selected based on their relevance to African development. Visit the United Nations Website for a complete list of all the UN recognised causes and campaigns.
80 Global Causes and Campaigns
JANUARY
4 January
World Braille Day
24 January
International Day of Education
FEBRUARY
4 February
World Cancer Day
6 February
International Day of Zero Tolerance to Female Genital Mutilation
11 February
International Day of Women and Girls in Science
20 February
World Day of Social Justice
21 February
International Mother Language Day
27 February
World NGO Day
MARCH
1 March
Zero Discrimination Day
3 March
World Wildlife Day
8 March
International Women’s Day
20 March
International Day of Happiness
21 March
International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
21 March
World Down Syndrome Day
22 March
World Water Day
25 March
International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade
APRIL
2 April
World Autism Awareness Day
6 April
International Day of Sport for Development and Peace
7 April
World Health Day
25 April
World Malaria Day
MAY
3 May
World Press Freedom Day
15 May
International Day of Families
21 May
World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
23 May
International Day to End Obstetric Fistula
29 May
International Day of UN Peacekeepers
JUNE
1 June
Global Day of Parents
4 June
International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
5 June
World Environment Day
8 June
World Oceans Day
12 June
World Day Against Child Labour
13 June
International Albinism Awareness Day
14 June
World Blood Donor Day
19 June
International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
20 June
World Refugee Day
23 June
International Widows’ Day
26 June
International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
27 June
Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day
JULY
6 July (first Saturday in July)
International Day of Cooperatives
11 July
World Population Day
15 July
World Youth Skills Day
18 July
Nelson Mandela International Day
30 July
International Day of Friendship
30 July
World Day against Trafficking in Persons
AUGUST
9 August
International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples
12 August
International Youth Day
19 August
World Humanitarian Day
21 August
International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
23 August
International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
SEPTEMBER
5 September
International Day of Charity
8 September
International Literacy Day
10 September
World Suicide Prevention Day
15 September
International Day of Democracy
21 September
International Day of Peace
23 September
International Day of Sign Languages
28 September
International Day for Universal Access to Information
27 September
World Tourism Day
OCTOBER
1 October
International Day of Older Persons
2 October
International Day of Non-Violence
5 October
World Teachers’ Day
7 October (first Monday in October)
World Habitat Day
10 October
World Mental Health Day
11 October
International Day of the Girl Child
13 October
International Day for Disaster Reduction
15 October
International Day of Rural Women
16 October
World Food Day
17 October
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
24 October
United Nations Day
24 October
World Development Information Day
NOVEMBER
14 November
World Diabetes Day
16 November
International Day for Tolerance
19 November
World Toilet Day
20 November
Africa Industrialization Day
20 November
Universal Children’s Day
25 November
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
DECEMBER
1 December
World AIDS Day
2 December
International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
3 December
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
9 December
International Anti-Corruption Day
10 December
Human Rights Day
12 December
International Universal Health Coverage Day
18 December
International Migrants Day
20 December
International Human Solidarity Day