Un detailed information

1. What is the United Nations?
• The United Nations (UN) is an international organization
founded in 1945 after World War II to promote peace,
security, cooperation, and human rights among nations.
It started with 51 countries and today has 193 member
states.
Main Purpose
The UN works to:
– Maintain international peace and security
– Protect human rights
– Provide humanitarian assistance
– Promote sustainable development
– Uphold international law

4. Why Was the UN Created?
• The world wanted to prevent another global
war like World War II, so nations agreed to
form a body that would:
• Solve disputes peacefully
• Stop aggression
• Promote cooperation
• Encourage social and economic development

5. Six Principal Organs of the UN
• The UN operates through six main organs:
• General Assembly – World’s meeting place; all countries have one
vote.
• Security Council – Maintains peace; can impose sanctions or
authorize force.
• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – Coordinates global
development and economy.
• Secretariat – Administrative body led by the Secretary-General.
• International Court of Justice (ICJ) – World court for disputes
between countries.
• Trusteeship Council – Now inactive; supervised former colonies
until they became independent.

6. UN Specialized Agencies
These work independently but report to the UN:
• WHO – World Health Organization (Geneva)
• UNICEF – Children’s rights & welfare
• UNESCO – Education, science, and culture (Paris)
• UNDP – Development Programme
• FAO – Food and Agriculture (Rome, Italy)
• IMF – International Monetary Fund (Washington)
• World Bank – Development loans
• ILO – International Labour Organization (Geneva,
Switzerland)

7. UN Goals: The SDGs
In 2015, the UN adopted 17 Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs) to be achieved by 2030,
including:
• No poverty
• Zero hunger
• Quality education
• Climate action
• Peace, justice, and strong institutions

9. Importance of the UN
• The UN remains the world’s most important
platform for:
• Mediating conflicts
• Coordinating global cooperation
• Supporting developing nations
• Fighting climate change
• Protecting human rights

10. United Nations – Six Principal Organs
– General Assembly
– Security Council
– Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
– Secretariat
– Trusteeship Council
– International Court of Justice (ICJ)

11. General Assembly (UNGA)
• The General Assembly (UNGA) is the main
deliberative, representative, and policymaking
body of the United Nations. It is the only UN body
where all 193 member states have equal
representation.
• ✔ One country = One vote
Decisions are made by
✔ majority, except for
major issues (2/3 majority)

12. Continue….
Key Features
• 1. Universal Membership
• Every member of the UN is part of the General Assembly.
This makes it the most democratic organ of the UN.
• 2. Annual Session
• Meets every year from September to December in New
York.
• Special and emergency sessions can be held anytime.
• 3. The General Debate
• Every September, world leaders address the Assembly.
This sets the tone for global diplomacy each year.

14. Security Council (UNSC)
• It holds primary responsibility for maintaining international peace
and security, making it the most powerful UN body.
• Composition
• The UNSC has 15 members:
• Permanent Members (P5)
• United States
• United Kingdom
• France
• Russia
• China
• These five countries have veto power, meaning any one of them can
block a substantive resolution.

15. Continue…
Non-Permanent Members (10)
• Elected by the UN General Assembly for two-
year terms.
• Seats are distributed regionally (e.g., Asia,
Africa, Latin America, etc.).
• Non-permanent members do not have veto
power.

16. Functions and Powers
The UNSC’s powers come from the UN Charter (Chapter V–VII). Key functions include:
• a. Maintaining International Peace and Security
• Identifies threats to peace.
• Calls for peaceful settlement of disputes (negotiation, mediation, arbitration).
• b. Authorizing Peacekeeping Missions
• Deploys UN peacekeeping forces with consent of host states.
• Sets mandates, including protection of civilians, ceasefire monitoring, etc.
• c. Imposing Sanctions
• May impose economic, travel, arms, or diplomatic sanctions to maintain or restore peace.
Examples: sanctions on North Korea, Iran, Taliban.
• d. Authorizing Use of Force
• Under Chapter VII, UNSC can authorize military action.
Example: 1991 Gulf War against Iraq (Resolution 678).
• e. Recommending Admission of New UN Member States
• UNSC approval is required before the General Assembly admits a new member.
• f. Appointment of Key UN Officials
• Recommends:
• Appointment of the UN Secretary-General
• Election of judges to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

17. Decision-Making
• For substantive decisions: 9 out of 15 votes
required, including all P5 (no veto).
• These include decisions on:
• sanctions
• peacekeeping operations
• admitting new UN members
• authorizing use of force
• major resolutions under Chapter VI and VII

18. • For procedural decisions: 9 out of 15; veto
does not apply.
• These include:
• agenda setting
• inviting non-members to speak
• establishing subsidiary bodies

19. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
• Composition
• ECOSOC has 54 member states, elected by the UN
General Assembly for three-year terms.
• Seats are allocated based on geographical
representation:
– 14 for Africa
– 11 for Asia-Pacific
– 6 for Eastern Europe
– 10 for Latin America and Caribbean
– 13 for Western Europe & Others

20. Mandate and Functions
ECOSOC serves as the central platform for discussing international economic and
social issues. Key functions include:
a. Coordinating UN Agencies and Programs ECOSOC oversees or coordinates the work
of specialized agencies, commissions, and programs, such as:
• WHO
• UNESCO
• ILO
• FAO
• UNDP
• UNEP
• UNICEF
b. Promoting Sustainable Development ECOSOC leads work on:2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• global poverty reduction
• climate action and resilience
• inclusive economic growth
c. Conducting Studies and Preparing Reports
• ECOSOC analyzes global economic, social, and environmental trends.
It publishes important global assessments for UN member states.

21. d. Policy Guidance
Recommends policies to:
• promote higher living standards
• improve health, education, and labor conditions
• advance human rights and gender equality
• strengthen global economic cooperation
e. Forum for Dialogue
• ECOSOC organizes major forums, such as:
• High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable
Development
• Development Cooperation Forum (DCF)
• Financing for Development Forum
These forums bring together governments, civil society,
youth, academia, and the private sector.

22. Secretariat
• Secretary-General (SG)
• The Secretariat is headed by the UN Secretary-General.
• Appointed by the General Assembly on the
recommendation of the Security Council.
• Term: 5 years, renewable.
• Role of the Secretary-General:
• Acts as the chief administrative officer of the UN.
• Plays a major role in conflict prevention, mediation, and
public diplomacy.
• Can bring threats to international peace to the attention of
the Security Council (Article 99 of the UN Charter).
• Represents the UN to the world.

23. António Guterres
Took office: January 1, 2017

24. Functions of the Secretariat
The Secretariat manages the operational, technical, and administrative work of the UN. Major
functions include:
a. Administrative Work
• Organizing meetings, conferences, documentation.
• Providing translators, interpreters, legal experts, economists, and technical staff.
b. Peacekeeping Support
• Deploying and managing UN peacekeeping missions.
• Coordinating logistics, personnel, and financing for peacekeeping operations.
c. Research, Analysis & Policy Support
• Produces economic, social, environmental, and political reports for UN organs.
• Helps in drafting resolutions, treaties, and reports.
d. Humanitarian & Development Activities
• Supports UN agencies like UNDP, UNICEF, UNEP, and UNHCR.
• Coordinates disaster response and humanitarian assistance.
e. Communication & Public Information
• Manages UN publications, media outreach, and digital platforms.
• Promotes awareness of global issues.

25. Structure of the Secretariat
• The Secretariat is a large, global organization with offices
around the world. Key departments include:
• Major Departments
• Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)
• Department of Peace Operations (DPO)
• Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
• Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)
• Department of Management Strategy, Policy & Compliance
(DMSPC)
• Department of Global Communications
• Office of Legal Affairs (OLA)
• Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS)

26. Role in Today’s World
• The Secretariat is crucial for:
• Climate change coordination (e.g., UNFCCC
support).
• Global humanitarian crises (Syria, Sudan, Gaza).
• Peacekeeping management (Africa, Middle East,
South Asia).
• Sustainable development coordination (SDGs, 2030
Agenda).
• Human rights monitoring and reporting.

27. Recruitment and Staff
• UN employs tens of thousands of
international civil servants.
• Staff must be impartial and not take
instructions from any government.
• Diversity and gender balance are key
commitments.

28. Trusteeship Council
– Created to supervise Trust Territories
– Became inactive in 1994 after last territory gained
independence
• Why It Still Exists
• Cannot be abolished without amending the UN
Charter.
• Charter amendments require approval of P5 + two-
thirds of UN members, which is difficult to achieve.
• So the Council remains legally present but practically
inactive.

29. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the
principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
Established in 1945 and based at The Hague,
Netherlands, it is the only global court that
settles disputes between states and gives
advisory opinions to UN organs.

30. Composition
The ICJ is composed of 15 judges.
Key Features
• Judges serve 9-year terms.
• Elections are held every 3 years for one-third of the seats.
• Judges are elected independently by both the UN General
Assembly and the Security Council.
• No two judges can be from the same country.
• Judges represent the main forms of civilization and principal
legal systems of the world.
• President and Vice-President
• Elected by the judges themselves for 3-year terms.

31. Jurisdiction of the ICJ
• A. Contentious Jurisdiction (Binding)
• The ICJ settles legal disputes between states.
Decisions in contentious cases are binding, but only on:
The states involved
In that particular case
• Common Types of Disputes
• Border and territorial conflicts
• Maritime boundaries
• Diplomatic relations
• Use of force
• Treaty interpretation
• Human rights issues involving state responsibility
• Environmental disputes (e.g., river pollution, climate-related cases)
• Examples
• India vs. Pakistan (Kulbhushan Jadhav case, 2019)
• Nicaragua vs. United States (1986, unlawful use of force)
• Australia vs. Japan (Whaling case, 2014)