Hello! This is a presentation to discuss important points from the UN Charter to better understand your role as a delegate in the MUN.

1. 5 Discussion Questions
on the UN Charter
Adapted from
http://bestdelegate.com/how-to-
teach-model-un-5-discussion-
questions-on-the-un-charter/
Read the Charter here:
http://www.un.org/en/sections/un-charter/un-charter-full-text/
Teacher Pamela L.

2. What is the purpose of the UN?
Article 1
The Purposes of the United Nations are:
● To maintain international peace and security
○ take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace,
○ suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace
○ to bring about by peaceful means in conformity with the principles of justice and international
law
● To develop friendly relations among nations > based on respect for the principle of equal rights and
self-determination of peoples
● To achieve international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social,
cultural, or humanitarian character
○ promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all
without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion
● To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

3. What is the purpose of the UN?
Article 2
The Organization and its Members, in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1, shall act in accordance
with the following Principles.
● Sovereign equality
● Fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed
● Peaceful means
● Refrain in the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence
● Give the United Nations every assistance in any action refrain from giving assistance to any state
against
● The Organization shall ensure that states which are not Members of the United Nations act in
accordance with these Principles
● Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters
which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state

4. How do countries join the UN?
Article 3
The original Members of the United Nations shall be the states which, having participated
in the United Nations Conference on International Organization at San Francisco, or having
previously signed the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, sign the present
Charter and ratify it in accordance with Article 110.

5. How is the UN organized?
Article 7
There are established as principal organs of the United Nations:
➢ a General Assembly,
➢ a Security Council,
➢ an Economic and Social Council,
➢ a Trusteeship Council,
➢ an International Court of Justice,
➢ a Secretariat.

6. Can the UN infringe on a country’s sovereignty?
Article 2 is about upholding state sovereignty and ensuring that the UN does not “intervene
in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction” of a member state.
However, the Security Council can authorize enforcement action under Chapter VII — but
the Security Council is subject to the veto of the Permanent 5 (US, UK, France, Russia, and
China).
● How does the UN balance its principle of sovereignty with maintaining international
peace and security or promoting human rights?
● When should the Security Council determine that a domestic matter has become an
international matter, such as in the case of human rights abuses?
● And what happens if those abuses take place within the territory of a Permanent 5
country?

7. Veto power, what’s that?
Who has the power of Veto?
When and why would they apply their power?
To get the answers read about the Security Council.