Highlight 15/2025: How Does the UN Use Communication for Policy and Peace?
Krithi Gurajada, 4 March 2025
George Bernard Shaw stated, « The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. » This statement serves as a crucial reminder that effective information exchange requires verifiable transmission and reception.
From shaping public perception to influencing policy, communication is one of the most powerful tools in global affairs. It can unite nations, resolve conflicts, and even save lives.
Communication theory emphasizes that the success of a message relies on clear encoding, robust transmission channels, and accurate decoding by the intended audience. This rigorous process minimizes ambiguity and ensures that the intended outcomes are achieved.
Nowhere is this more evident than within the United Nations. As a global institution responsible for maintaining peace, promoting development, and safeguarding human rights, the UN depends on strategic communication not just to share information but to drive action.
As Kiyo Akasaka, former UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information said, « Communications cannot just be a supportive endeavour – it must be integral to the creation of policy, programs, and change ».
This was evident in the UN’s role in brokering a prisoner exchange deal in Yemen in 2020. By facilitating open dialogue between the Houthi rebels and the internationally recognized government, the UN helped secure the release of over 1,000 detainees. This diplomatic success alleviated tensions and laid the groundwork for future peace efforts.
In times of crisis, the need for access to accurate information becomes even more pronounced. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of communication in combating misinformation and ensuring global cooperation. The UN’s coordinated efforts to counter false narratives and promote science-backed health guidelines demonstrated how strategic messaging can influence public behaviour and save lives.
Similarly, in conflict zones like Ukraine, the UN’s rapid dissemination of humanitarian information helped coordinate aid efforts, ensuring that food, medicine, and shelter reached those in desperate need.
Beyond diplomacy and crisis response, communication plays a crucial role in advancing human rights. Campaigns like HeForShe, launched by UN Women, leverage storytelling, digital media, and grassroots engagement to challenge gender inequality and mobilize support worldwide (UN Women, 2022). By engaging men and boys in the conversation, this initiative proves that inclusive communication strategies can reshape social norms and drive systemic change.
The UN also recognizes the power of language in fostering peace. The ancient Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning « the world is one family, » reflects the importance of inclusivity in communication. By ensuring that messages are translated into local languages and culturally adapted, the UN enhances transparency, builds trust, and makes peace initiatives more effective.
Diplomacy without communication is powerless. Crisis response without information is ineffective. Advocacy without a voice is meaningless. Communication is not just an instrument of the UN’s mission – it is its foundation. Whether through diplomatic negotiations, crisis management, or human rights advocacy, communication remains the torchbearer of peace, illuminating a path for future generations.
Krithi Gurajada, Highlight 15/2025: How Does the UN Use Communication for Policy and Peace?, 4 March 2025, available at www.meig.ch
The views expressed in the MEIG Highlights are personal to the authors and neither reflect the positions of the MEIG Programme nor those of the University of Geneva.