Better World Campaign

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The Better World Campaign (BWC) is a nonpartisan group started in 1999 to strengthen the relationship between the United States and the United Nations. It is part of the Better World Fund, created with Ted Turner’s $1 billion gift in 1998 to support UN causes, and it works alongside the UN Foundation.

Led by Peter M. Yeo, BWC aims to persuade U.S. leaders to support the UN’s work for peace, progress, freedom, and justice. It seeks to inform and mobilize policymakers, the media, and the American public about the benefits of the U.S.-UN relationship.

BWC is a leading member of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition. Its focus is on U.S.-UN relations, U.S. funding for the UN, peacekeeping, development, and global health. The organization is headquartered in New York City.

BWC argues that the UN helps protect American interests abroad and lets the U.S. share the burden of global problems. It notes that the United States pays UN dues and that funding decisions are reviewed every three years by the U.S. and other member states.

The campaign works with Congress and the Administration to ensure the United States fulfills its UN obligations. The UN runs 14 peacekeeping missions with more than 100,000 personnel, and peacekeeping is far cheaper than large U.S. troop deployments, helping maintain global security.

BWC seeks more U.S. support for peacekeeping to improve missions’ logistics, training, and management. In global health, the group focuses on areas where U.S. and UN work overlap, such as malaria, vaccines, girls’ empowerment, and family planning, supporting agencies like the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and UNFPA.

Peter Yeo has led BWC since 2009 and also serves as Senior Vice President of the United Nations Foundation. Under his leadership, BWC has helped secure significant U.S. payments to the UN and back dues, and it works closely with UNA-USA to form a large network of UN supporters.

Controversy note: In May 2025, the Better World Fund announced an award for excellence in film and television to Kevin Spacey, which drew criticism due to allegations against him.