The United Nations

History • The United Nations – Founded 24 October 1951 by 51 Nations – By 2006 membership was 192• All accept the United Nations Charter

– Four purposes » Maintain international peace and security» Develop friendly relations among nations» Cooperate in solving international problems and in

promoting respect for human rights » Centre for harmonizing the actions of nations

– Correct the problems of the League of Nations• Lack authority and cooperation • Key states were not members • Unable to prevent war… WWII

Structure

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Continue – The Secretariat• Performs the administrative work as directed by the

GA, SC, and other branches • Led by Secretary-General

– Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea » 8,900 staff under regular budget» Around additional 9,000 under special funding

• Bureaucratic and lacks political power and right of initiative – Exception Article 99

» Right of the Secretary-General to bring attention of security issues to the SC

» Provides large diplomatic role to S-G

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Continue– The Trusteeship Council• Provides international supervision for trust territories

as they prepare for self-government and independence

– The International Court of Justice • Main Judicial organization of the UN.• Consist of 15 judges elected by the GA and SC jointly

– Settlers disputes between countries – Authority extends from state consent, but if a state agrees to

participate, it must follow the rulings of the court

Maintaining Peace and Security

State Intervention • Promoting Human Security and Justice is a

major function of the UN• Security of people, including their physical safety, their

economic and social well-being, respect for their dignity, ad the protection of their human rights – Runs against doctrine of Non-Intervention and state

sovereignty, which were strong elements of the UN during its founding » Intervention was common before establishment of the

UN and after • World Summit 2005 – UN could intervene if state fails

to protect or his intentionally harming population – Genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes, etc…– Indicates movement towards World Government – Still difficult to intervene: Darfur, Rwanda, Somalia, etc…

Economic and Social Questions • Conditions within states; human rights, justice,

development, and equality, have a bearing on global peace

• Integrated Global Context – economic and social problems on one side of the globe will impact other parts of the globe

• Promoting social and economic development is critical to the UN– Most impact worldwide– Number of agencies are growing

• Shortage of funds hinders development

• Millennium Summit– Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

• By 2015 half people living on $1 a day, primary education for all, combating AIDs and malaria

Is the UN effective?• Is the UN effective?

• Security Council?• General Assembly? • Economic and Social Council?

• Is the UN global government?• Social and Economic development?

– UNICEF

• Health Regulation? • Courts?• Intervention?