Growth in Importance of the UN
- Global organisations are not new but their importance has grown since the end of WWII (1945)
- Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs) have controlled the rules of the global trade and flows of finance
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IGOs also manage global environmental issues
United Nations (UN)
One place where the world's nations can gather together, discuss common problems and find shared solutions.www.un.org/en/about-us
- Based in New York, the UN became the first IGO established post-war and is important because:
- It helps maintains international peace and security
- It functions in managing global environmental, socio-economic and political problems
- Promotes the principles of human rights and equal rights for all through its commitment to economic and social development
- It has a role in global governance through fostering cooperation and dialogue among nations
Members
- The UN’s Membership has grown from the original 51 Member States in 1945 to the current 193 Member States
- All UN Member States are members of the General Assembly
- States are admitted to membership by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council
- António Guterres of Portugal, is the current and 9th United Nations Secretary-General, and is the Chief Administrative Officer of the UN - a role which:
- Symbolises the Organisation's ideals
- An advocate for all the world's peoples, especially the poor and vulnerable
- The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a 5-year, renewable term
Other functions
- The UN is involved in many global issues, such as climate change, humanitarian crises, nuclear disarmament, and sustainable development:
- The Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) and its successor, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is the foundation of international human rights law. Adopted in 1948, it represents:
- "[the] universal recognition that basic rights and fundamental freedoms are inherent to all human beings, inalienable and equally applicable to everyone, and that every one of us is born free and equal in dignity and rights"
- The Geneva Convention which aims to protect the rights of prisoners
- International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands) is the main body of independent judges set up to settle disputes between countries
- UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) supports a global response to the threat of climate change
- The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aims
- "[to] eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience so countries can sustain progress"
- The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) established in 1972, is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system
- The World Food Programme (WFP) aims to eradicate hunger and malnutrition
- The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) promotes agricultural development which aids food security
- The UN has also expanded its scope and functions over time, creating specialised agencies, funds, and programs to address specific challenges and needs, such as:
- The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) supports people affected by conflict
- The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) promotes socially and environmentally sustainable settlements to provide adequate shelter for all
- The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to help them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence
- The World Health Organization (WHO) aims to ensure the highest possible level of health for all
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) focuses on everything from teacher training to helping improve education worldwide to protecting important historical and cultural sites around the world
- UN Women focuses exclusively on gender equality and women’s empowerment
- UN Population Fund (UNPF) funds family planning services to aid combating HIV
- The UN faces many challenges and criticisms, such as:
- Lack of representation
- Bureaucracy
- Inefficiency
- Politicisation
- However, it remains the most legitimate and representative global organisation that can address the common problems of humanity