United Nations Aims and Structures 1965 Successor of LON.

United NationsAims and Structures19

65Successor of LO

N

Aims of the UN• Avoid future wars• Maintain peace and security• Forming friendly relationships between countries• Achieve international cooperation and

coordination of their actions• Settle dispute peacefully• UN can use force to deal with offending

members and expel them from the organization

Structure – General Assembly

• Main forum for debate• All members represented, each have up to 5 delegates but

only 1 vote• Matters settled via majority voting• Meets annually, more frequently if the circumstances

require• No binding authority, members can choose not to abide• Selects states required for non-permanent seats,

members of other bodies and new members• Disbar member states from voting if subscription not met

for 2 years

Structure – The Security Council

• Executive council • 15 members by 1956 – 10 temporary members, 5 permanent

members : Britain, France, USA, The USSR and Nationalist China• Permanent members posses power of Veto – Way of preventing

action ( abstaining/absence from voting does not count as veto)• Limitations for Veto – Cannot prevent a problem being discussed• ‘Uniting for Peace’ resolution – Enables Assembly to take action

in a crisis –Veto suspended for such scenarios• Better equipped for taking quick action • Can impose sanctions, authorize a cease-fire• Authorizes local collective action in the form of regional pacts

Structure - The Trusteeship Council

• Inherited the work of the League’s Mandates Commission• Undertake to promote economic, social and educational

advance and to prepare the trust territories for self-government

Structure – The Secretariat

• Civil Service of UN• Secretary-General(Head) recommended to General

Assembly by Security Council and appointed on a majority vote

• Manage the whole organization• Draw the attention of the Security Council to any problem

affecting peace• Lead UN missions• Absolute impartiality( fair mindedness)

Structure – The court of international justice

• Founded in 1946• 15 Judges• Adjudicates in disputes between states• Gives a decision but has no means of enforcing its

judgments• Can only operate successfully when both parties to the

dispute accept the verdict

Structure – The International Criminal Court (ICC) 2003

• Try individuals accused of crimes against humanity• Dealt with war crimes, genocide and other crimes against

humanity• Consisted of 18 judges and was based in Hague , Holland

Structures – Social and Economic Council (ECOSOC)

• 27 members, elected by the General Assembly• Organizes projects concerned with health,

education and other social and economic matters

• 4 regional commissions and commissions on population problems

Commissions – The Human Rights Commission

• Works under the supervision of ECOSOC• Ensures all governments treat their people in a civilized way• Member governments expected to produce a report every

3 years on humans right in their country• However, lack of enforcement; can only hope for influence

via world opinion

Commissions – Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

• Raise living Standards by encouraging improvements in agricultural production

• Introduce new varieties to ensure increased survivability of crops

• Introduce new methods to increase food production• Cash is funded for these projects• Aid in supplying food to countries in times of emergencies

Commissions – The United Nations Educational, Scientific and

Cultural Organization(UNESCO)

• Encourage the spread of literacy• Foster international co-operation between scientist,

scholars and artists in all fields• Works based on the theory that the best way to avoid war

is by educating people's minds in the pursuit of peace• Most time and resources spend setting up schools and

teacher–training colleges in under-developed countries