Following the devastation of the Second World War in 1945, the United Nations was formed with one central mission: the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN does this by working to prevent conflict; helping parties in conflict make peace; peacekeeping; and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and flourish. In this lesson, we will talk about the history, structure, and functions of the United Nations.
The United Nations (UN) is an organization between countries established on 24 October 1945 to promote international cooperation. It was founded to replace the League of Nations following World War II and to prevent another conflict. When it was founded, the UN had 51 member states; there are now 193. Most nations are members of the UN and send diplomats to the headquarters to hold meetings and make decisions about global issues.
The UN is the world's largest intergovernmental organization.
Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations.
All organs of the United Nations are based in New York City, except the International Court of Justice which is located at The Hague in the Netherlands. The United Nations has important offices in Geneva (Switzerland), Nairobi (Kenya), and Vienna (Austria).
The Charter of the United Nations was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945.
There are six main organs of the United Nations
The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations comprised of all Member States, each of which has one vote, no matter its size or influence. It may discuss any matter arising under the UN Charter. Decisions on international peace and security, admitting the new Member States and the UN budget are decided by a two-thirds majority. Other matters are decided by a simple majority.
The annual General Assembly session takes place each year in September in New York. The presidency of the assembly rotates each year among the five geographical groups of the countries viz. African, Asian, East European, Latin American, and Western European and other states. The General Assembly appoints the secretary-general of the UN secretariat on the recommendation of the Security Council. It is also empowered to admit new members.
It has a primary responsibility under the UN Charter to maintain international peace and security. Unlike the General Assembly, the Security Council does not hold regular meetings. It can be convened at any time, whenever international peace is threatened. In fact, it meets almost every day. The Security Council has 15 members, including 5 permanent members – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
To pass a resolution in the Security Council, 9 out of the 15 members of the Council must vote “yes”, but if any of the 5 permanent members vote “no” – often referred to as a veto – the resolution does not pass.
It is the central body for coordinating the economic and social work of the United Nations. The Council has 54 members who are chosen for equal geographical representation and serve a three-year term. Voting in the Council is by simple majority; each member has one vote.
It recommends and directs activities aimed at promoting the economic growth of developing countries, supporting human rights, and fostering world cooperation to fight poverty and under-development. To meet specific needs, the General Assembly has set up a number of specialized agencies such as Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Health Organization (WHO), and the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and programmes such as the UN Development Programme (UNDP), the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The work of these agencies and programmes is coordinated by ECOSOC.
It was assigned under the UN Charter to supervise the administration of 11 Trust Territories – former colonies or dependent territories – which were placed under the International Trusteeship System. The system was created at the end of World War II to promote the advancement of the inhabitants of those dependent Territories and their progressive development towards self-governance or independence.
Since the creation of the Trusteeship Council, more than 70 colonial Territories, including all 11 Trust Territories, have attained independence with the help of the United Nations. The last Trust Territory to become independent was Palau in 1994, and, as a result, the Council decided formally to suspend its operation and to meet as and when occasion might require. The Trusteeship Council is comprised of the permanent members of the Security Council—China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each member has one vote, and decisions are made by a simple majority.
It is the UN’s main judicial organ, located in the Hague, Netherlands. It was established in 1945 and assumed its functions in 1946. It is also known as “World of Court”. It settles legal disputes only between nations and not between individuals, in accordance with international law. All judgments passed by the Court are final and without appeal.
It is presided over by 15 judges elected for 9-year terms, each from a different nation, both by the General Assembly and the Security Council. No two judges can be from the same country. Elections take place every three years for one-third of the seats, and retiring judges may be re-elected. The members of the court do not represent their governments but are independent magistrates. It takes a majority of nine judges to make a decision.
It is made up of an international staff working at UN headquarters in New York, as well as UN offices in Geneva, Vienna, Nairobi, and other locations. It consists of departments and offices with staff drawn from most member states. They carry out the day-to-day work of the Organization. Their duties range from administering peacekeeping operations, mediating international disputes, surveying social and economic trends, laying the groundwork for international agreements to organizing international conferences. The Secretariat is responsible for servicing the other organs of the United Nations and administering the programs and policies laid down by them.
The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a 5-year term and is responsible for implementing decisions taken by various organs of the United Nations.
The staff of the Secretariat is known as “international civil servants” and they work for all 193 member states and take orders not from governments but from the Secretary-General.
