United Nations An International
Organization
• A unique organization of independent countries
that have come together to work for world
peace and social progress.
Introduction • Established on 24 October 1945, with 51
countries considered founding Members.
to United • Currently 193 members
Nations. • Victors of WW2 were the creators
• The UN Charter establishes six main organs of
the United Nations.
The Main Organs
UN, Sovereignty and Power
• Key Question is to how powerful is UN in terms of other
states?
• Firstly, the organs spoken together have no authority.
The UN 6 organs are analogous with the components of
domestic governments i.e. GA to Legislature, Security
Council to an Executive, Secretariat to a permaent
Bureacracy and ICJ to a Supreme court.
• Once looked at as a System, it redefines traditional state
interaction or redefined state sovernity through
providing a multilateral platform
• The UN, as a system, has some power through the
regime of multilateralism – Agenda setting, and rules of
interaction.
• The regime of Multilateralism has some power in
constraining state behavior e.g. The Bust Administration
worked through the UNSC in dealing with Iraq, despite
having complete capability of acting otherwise.
1. The General Assembly – the core
democratic organ of United Nations.
• Purpose: Open, deliberative forum
• Membership:
• All member nations (193) – Article 9
• 1 vote per delegation
• 2/3rd vote to pass resolutions/mandates
• Function/Powers:
• Elect members of other organs
• Debate issues and make (non-binding) recommendations
• Approve budget and spending
• Suspend or revoke membership
• Conclusion:
• A forum, rather than an institutional actor
• Place for discussion
• Equal Representation in GA – advantage to the G-77
Functions:
• Appointing the secretary general
• Electing the non-permanent members of the
security council
• Approving the UN regular budget
• Pass resolutions and create subsidiary agencies
• Resolutions are not binding unlike in UNSC – but
indicative of consensus by majority + political
weight
• GA selects new president and 17 new vice
presidents each year
Articles (9 till 22) on Composition, functions, Voting and
Procedures.
1. Article 10 – functions and power:
The General Assembly may discuss any questions or any matters within the
scope of the present Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any
organs provided for in the present Charter, and, except as provided in Article
12, may make recommendations to the Members of the United Nations or to
the Security Council or to both on any such questions or matters.
2. Article 19 – Voting:
A member of the UN which is in arrears (due payables) in the payment of its
financial contributions shall have no right to vote. (Eg. Yamen and Somalia)
3. Article 21 – Procedure:
The GA shall adopt its own rules of procedure and elect its own president.
United Nations Security
Council
(UNSC)
The Security Council
• The collective security is the core design of the United Nations
Security Council (UNSC).
• The United Nations preamble begins with the words:
“We the people of the United Nations determined to save the
succeeding generations from the scourge of war”
• The security council is an effective legitimator in international
politics.
• The UNSC has an integral institutional role and can legitimately
authorize force against international violence moreover
adjudicates questions of international security.
What is the United Nations Security Council?
• The UN Charter established six main organs of the United Nations, including the Security Council. It
has the primary responsibility and purpose for maintaining international peace and security, to take
effective collective measures for prevention and removal of threats to peace. The Security Council
meets whenever peace is threatened.
• According to the Charter, the UNSC has four purposes:
1. to maintain international peace and security;
2. to authorize the use of force to maintain collective security;
3. to cooperate in solving international problems of security and in promoting respect for human
rights;
4. The UNSC has the clear authority to mandate action diplomatically, economic and militarily to
combat threats to International security.
Article 23, 27: Members of the Security
Council
• The Security Council consists of 15
Members of the United nations.
• United Kingdom, United States of
America, Russia, France and China as
the 5 permanent members of UNSC.
• 10 other members of the UN, which
are non-permanent members of the
UNSC. Who are elected for a two year
term.
• Each member of the UNSC will have 1
representative.
• Each member of the council will have
1 vote*.
Article 24,25,26: Functions and Powers of the
Security Council
• The Security Council resolves disputes that it sees a threat to the international peace and to
investigate, arbitrate and recommend solutions. The Council may:
• set forth principles for such an agreement;
• undertake investigation and mediation;
• dispatch a mission;
• appoint special envoys.
• The UNSC takes actions with respect to peace, breaches of peace and acts of aggression.
• UNSC gives appropriate responses ranging from diplomatic pressure, to economic sanctions, to use
of force.
Articles 28,29,30,31,32:
Procedures of the Security Council
• The council will be organized as to be able to function continuously. Each member
of the security shall for this purpose must be present at all times.
• Holding Periodic meetings. Matters to be presented by a designated
representative or an appointed associate of a government of the member state.
• The council will establish subsidiary organs as it deems necessary for the
performance of its functions.
• The council will adapt its own rules of procedure, including methods of selecting
its President.
• The council shall lay down conditions as it deems just for the participation of a
state which is not the member of the United Nations.
THE SECRETARIAT
Secretariat
• Administrative Organ Of UN
• Central Bureaucracy
• Secretary General is the Head of the Secretariat
• Provides Institutional Support for Legitimation
Functions Of Other Organs
• Operates Head of Peace Keeping Operation
• Introduces New Ideas
• Take Initiatives
Functions
• Carries Out Task as Directed by UNGA, UNSC, ECOSOC
• Prevent Conflict
• Promote Settlement & Disputes
• Conduct Survey and Research
• Communicate With Non-State Actors (Media & NGOs)
•
• Appointed By General Assembly
SECRETARY
GENERAL • Act as a Mediator
• Act as an Agenda Setter
• 44000 Civilian Workers
• Staff Is Selected By Secretary General Based On
Qualification & Efficiency
• Civilians Take Oath Not To Seek Instruction From Any
Other Government
The International Court of
Justice
The ICJ
• The International court of justice is the central or main judicial organ of the
United Nations (UN)
• it was established in June 1945 by the charter of United Nations.
• The seat of the court is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands)
• The ICJ or ‘’World Court’’ is designed to settle the dispute between countries or
nations in accordance with the International law.
• The ICJ consists of 15 judges which are elected by the general assembly and the
security council
• If a state is not willing to take part in proceeding it does not have to do so.
The ICJ
• It is because only states have position before the ICJ and the acceptance of
mediation by the ICJ is voluntary.
• This point further strengthens the idea that states are the main actors in the
international relations.
• The states only appear before the court when they agree to do so.
• ICJ does not even violate the national sovereignty of requiring states to submit to
International arbitration.
• Once the state accepts the courts jurisdiction it is bound to obey its decision.
The Trusteeship council
• The Trusteeship council was created to supervise ‘the
administration of territories whose people have not yet attained
a full measure of self-government.
• The former colonies or the dependent territories were placed
under the International Trusteeship system.
• The system was created at the end of the WW2 to promote the
advancement of inhabitants of those dependent territories and
their progressive development towards independence.
• The Trusteeship suspended s operation in 1994 after the
independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust
territory.
• The trusteeship council even though is officially still one of the
UN’s six central organ ,its for all practical purposes non-
functioning.
ECOSOC
• Another significant organ is the Economic and Social
Council ,commonly known as ECOSOC.
• ECOSOC consists of 54 members which are elected by
General Assembly .
• It is the central organ for coordinating the economic and
social work of UN.
• The council directs activities and aimed at promoting
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 set up a
number of specialized agencies and the council coordinated
with the affiliated agencies, such as:
ECOSOC
• The World Health Organization (WHO)
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
• The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization(UNESCO)
• The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
• The office of UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
• It has also created a number of commissions both functional and regional.
• The work of these agencies is coordinated by ECOSOC
