In News:

Context:

• The United States and Israel officially quit the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) with the close of 2018. 
• The countries had announced their decisions in 2017 of withdrawing from the agency, accusing it of bias against Israel. 
• America has demanded fundamental reform in UNESCO, which was co-founded by it after World War II to foster peace. Israel joined the agency in 1949.

Impact:

• The withdrawals will not greatly impact UNESCO financially since it has been dealing with a funding slash ever since 2011 when both Israel and the US stopped paying dues after Palestine was voted in as a member state.

United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO):

• UNESCO is UN organization that helps preserve historical and cultural sites worldwide. It is special multi-country agency, formed in 1945 and based in France. It promotes literacy and sex education as well as improving gender equality in countries around world.
• It is also known for recognising world heritage sites and work to preserve cultural and heritage sites such as ancient ruins, villages and temples, and historic sites.
• UNESCO also works to improve education for girls, promote understanding of the Holocaust’s horrors, and to defend media freedom.