Financing of the United Nations System

The United Nations system is financed mainly through assessed contributions and voluntary contributions. Assessed contributions are compulsory dues calculated under an agreed scale, while voluntary contributions are discretionary payments whose amount, timing and purpose are largely chosen by donors.

Assessed contributions

For the United Nations, the General Assembly approves budgets and apportions expenses among member states under Article 17 of the UN Charter. Separate assessments finance the regular budget and United Nations peacekeeping operations.

• Assessment scales broadly reflect each member state's capacity to pay, subject to adjustments approved by the General Assembly.
• Under Article 19, a member with specified contribution arrears may lose its General Assembly vote, unless the default is due to conditions beyond its control.
• Specialized agencies may levy assessed contributions under their own constitutions and governing arrangements.

Voluntary contributions

Voluntary contributions are not fixed membership dues. Governments and other permitted donors may provide either core funding, which the recipient can allocate flexibly, or earmarked funding, which is restricted to particular programmes, countries or activities.

• United Nations funds and programmes such as UNDP and UNICEF depend heavily on voluntary contributions.
• Voluntary funding can supplement assessed budgets and support humanitarian, development and other operational activities.

Why the distinction matters

Assessed financing offers greater predictability and reflects collective approval of institutional mandates. Voluntary financing can mobilize additional resources, but extensive earmarking may reduce organizational flexibility, fragment programmes and give major donors greater influence over spending priorities.

• Many United Nations system entities use a mixed model, so assessed and voluntary financing coexist rather than forming wholly separate systems.