The United Nations was established in 1945 with 51 founding member countries committed to maintaining international peace and cooperation. It now has 192 member states. The UN Charter sets out basic principles for the organization to uphold, including maintaining peace and security, promoting human rights, and acting as a forum for international cooperation. The main UN bodies are the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, Secretariat, and International Court of Justice. Specialized agencies are also linked to the UN to address issues like health, trade, development, and labor.

1. United NationsUnited Nations
Global IssuesGlobal Issues

2. IntroductionIntroduction
 Established on 24 October 1945Established on 24 October 1945
 51 countries were committed to preserving51 countries were committed to preserving
peace through international cooperationpeace through international cooperation
 UN Membership: 192 countriesUN Membership: 192 countries
 States agree to accept obligations of theStates agree to accept obligations of the
UN CharterUN Charter, an international treaty that sets out, an international treaty that sets out
basic principlesbasic principles

3. How the UN WorksHow the UN Works
 According to the Charter the UN has 4According to the Charter the UN has 4
basic principles:basic principles:
1. Maintain international peace and security1. Maintain international peace and security
2. Develop friendly relations among nations2. Develop friendly relations among nations
3. Cooperate in solving international problems3. Cooperate in solving international problems
and promote respect for human rightsand promote respect for human rights
4. Be the center for harmonizing the actions of4. Be the center for harmonizing the actions of
nationsnations

4. How the UN WorksHow the UN Works
 The UN is not a world governmentThe UN is not a world government
 It does not make lawsIt does not make laws
 Large or small, rich or poor, and withLarge or small, rich or poor, and with
differing political views and socialdiffering political views and social
systems:systems:
• All member states have a voiceAll member states have a voice
• All member states have a voteAll member states have a vote

5. Main BodiesMain Bodies
 General Assembly (New York)General Assembly (New York)
 Security Council (NY)Security Council (NY)
 Economic and Social Council (NY)Economic and Social Council (NY)
 Trusteeship Council (NY)Trusteeship Council (NY)
 Secretariat (NY)Secretariat (NY)
 International Court of Justice (Netherlands)International Court of Justice (Netherlands)

6. General AssemblyGeneral Assembly
 The main deliberative organ of the UNThe main deliberative organ of the UN
 Composed of all member statesComposed of all member states
 Each member has one vote.Each member has one vote.
 Decisions on important issues require twoDecisions on important issues require two
thirds majority votethirds majority vote
• Peace and SecurityPeace and Security
• Admissions of new membersAdmissions of new members
• Budget mattersBudget matters
 Decisions on other issues: simple majorityDecisions on other issues: simple majority

7. Functions and PowersFunctions and Powers
 Maintain international peace and securityMaintain international peace and security
(disarmament)(disarmament)
 Make recommendations to the Security councilMake recommendations to the Security council
 Promote international political cooperationPromote international political cooperation
 Develop international lawDevelop international law
 Promote human rightsPromote human rights
 Over see international collaboration in theOver see international collaboration in the
economic, social, humanitarian, cultural, andeconomic, social, humanitarian, cultural, and
educational and health fieldseducational and health fields

8. Functions and PowersFunctions and Powers
 Receive and consider reports from the SecurityReceive and consider reports from the Security
Council and other UN organsCouncil and other UN organs
 Consider and approve UN budgetConsider and approve UN budget
 Establish financial assessments of MemberEstablish financial assessments of Member
StatesStates
 Elect non-permanent members to SC and otherElect non-permanent members to SC and other
UN councils and organsUN councils and organs
 Appoint Secretary GeneralAppoint Secretary General

9. General AssemblyGeneral Assembly
 Subsidiary OrgansSubsidiary Organs
 Committee on InformationCommittee on Information
 Human Rights CouncilHuman Rights Council
 CandidaciesCandidacies

10. Security CouncilSecurity Council
 Primary responsibility to maintain peace andPrimary responsibility to maintain peace and
securitysecurity
 A representative of each member must beA representative of each member must be
present at all times at the UN Headquarterspresent at all times at the UN Headquarters
 15 Council Members15 Council Members
 Five permanent members:Five permanent members:
• ChinaChina
• FranceFrance
• Russian FederationRussian Federation
• United KingdomUnited Kingdom
• United StatesUnited States
“Non Violence”

11. Security CouncilSecurity Council
 Ten non-permanent members elected by the GeneralTen non-permanent members elected by the General
Assembly for two year termsAssembly for two year terms
• BelgiumBelgium
• Congo (Republic of the)Congo (Republic of the)
• GhanaGhana
• IndonesiaIndonesia
• ItalyItaly
• PanamaPanama
• PeruPeru
• QatarQatar
• SlovakiaSlovakia
• South AfricaSouth Africa
 Each member has one voteEach member has one vote
Japanese Peace Bell

12. Security CouncilSecurity Council
 In the event of fighting the Council:In the event of fighting the Council:
• Tries to secure a ceasefireTries to secure a ceasefire
• May send peace keeping missionMay send peace keeping mission
• Impose economic sanctionsImpose economic sanctions
• Order an arms embargoOrder an arms embargo
• Rare occasions “all means necessary”Rare occasions “all means necessary”
 The Council makes recommendations to theThe Council makes recommendations to the
General Assembly on:General Assembly on:
• appointment of Secretary Generalappointment of Secretary General
• admission of new Members to the UNadmission of new Members to the UN

13. Economic and Social CouncilEconomic and Social Council
 Council has 54 membersCouncil has 54 members
• Elected by the General AssemblyElected by the General Assembly
• Three year termsThree year terms
 Serves as central forum for discussingServes as central forum for discussing
international economic and social issuesinternational economic and social issues

14. Economic and Social CouncilEconomic and Social Council
 This Council is responsible for:This Council is responsible for:
• Promoting higher standards of livingPromoting higher standards of living
• Full employmentFull employment
• Economic and social progressEconomic and social progress
• Identifying solutions to international economic,Identifying solutions to international economic,
social and health problemssocial and health problems
• Facilitating international cultural andFacilitating international cultural and
educational cooperationeducational cooperation
• Encourage universal respect for human rightsEncourage universal respect for human rights
and fundamental freedomsand fundamental freedoms
ECOSOCECOSOC

15. Trusteeship CouncilTrusteeship Council
 Suspended operation 1 Nov, 1994Suspended operation 1 Nov, 1994
 Palau: last remaining UN trust territoryPalau: last remaining UN trust territory
 Council amended rule to meet annuallyCouncil amended rule to meet annually
 Meet when required by President, GeneralMeet when required by President, General
Assembly, Security Council or a majority of membersAssembly, Security Council or a majority of members
 Established to promote the advancement ofEstablished to promote the advancement of
developing countries towards self-government ordeveloping countries towards self-government or
independence.independence.
 China, France, Russian Federation, UK and USChina, France, Russian Federation, UK and US

16. SecretariatSecretariat
 International staff working in duty stationsInternational staff working in duty stations
around the worldaround the world
 Carry out diverse day to day work of theCarry out diverse day to day work of the
UNUN
 Survey economic and social trendsSurvey economic and social trends
 Prepare studies on human rights andPrepare studies on human rights and
sustainable developmentsustainable development
 Inform the media about work of the UNInform the media about work of the UN

17. SecretariatSecretariat
 Organize international conferencesOrganize international conferences
 Interpret speechesInterpret speeches
 Translate documentsTranslate documents
 Staff 8,900 under a regular budgetStaff 8,900 under a regular budget
from some 170 countriesfrom some 170 countries
 Take oath not to seek or receiveTake oath not to seek or receive
instructions from any governmentinstructions from any government

18. International Court of JusticeInternational Court of Justice
 Hears cases involving legal disputesHears cases involving legal disputes
among governmentsamong governments
 Clarifies questions of international lawClarifies questions of international law
 Interprets the UN CharterInterprets the UN Charter
 Composed of 15 judges, elected to officeComposed of 15 judges, elected to office
for 9 year terms by UN GA&SCfor 9 year terms by UN GA&SC
 Official languages are English and FrenchOfficial languages are English and French

19. Specialized AgenciesSpecialized Agencies
 Linked to the UN but remain autonomousLinked to the UN but remain autonomous
(independent)(independent)
 ILOILO – International Labor Organization: improve– International Labor Organization: improve
working conditions and employment agenciesworking conditions and employment agencies
 WHOWHO – World Health Organization: solve health– World Health Organization: solve health
problems, health education, immunizationsproblems, health education, immunizations
 The World BankThe World Bank – provides loans and economic– provides loans and economic
assistance to nationsassistance to nations
 WTOWTO – World Trade Organization: oversees– World Trade Organization: oversees
world tradeworld trade

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