United Nations
Share View PDF | Print View | Views: 937 |
Aims of the UN
- To preserve peace and eliminate war
- Encourage social and economic growth
- Protect the rights of peoples and nations
Structure of the UN
General Assembly
- meets once a year
- general discussion topics
- Decissions pass by simple majority or 2/3 majority on important things
Security Councul
- main decision maker
- 5 permanant members (China, France, USA, Russia and UK)
- 10 non-permanant members, on rotation
- Decisions have to be unanimous (countries have veto power)
Secritarat
- Spokesperson
- Hammerskjold
- Kofi Annan
- Makes sure protocol is followed
International Court of Justice
- In the Hague, Holland
- Sorts out legal disputes between countries
Trusteeship Council (no longer really active)
- Same as mandates commission
Economic and Social Council
- WHO
- ILO
- FAO
- UNESCO
(More details on these later)
Differences between the League of Nations and the UN
- UN spends more on economic and social matters - has more scope, and more agencies
- UN safegaurds individual human rights
- Change in procedures,unanimous decision not required in General Assembly
- Secretary General now has power (or not recently, you decide)
- Larger membership
Bad points of the UN
- Too many members can delay action
- 3rd world countries supported the USSR, causing rivalry
- 3rd world countries are a drain on funds
- Relies on member donations (Members, especially big ones don't always pay)
- International Court of Justice can't uphold resolutions without backing of large country
- Some organisations overlap.
- No army
- Permanant members have veto power
Changes in the UN
- Membership - 191 members (colonies, communist and other government types recognised)
- More agencies and activities
- Secretary General has less power nowadays - UN controlled by US
- UPR (1950) - not used again
Example of Economic and Social Agencies (ECOSOC)
1) International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Fights for:
- equal opportunities for everyone to get a job
- standardised minimum wages and working conditions
- Allowance and creating of unions - which fight for better pay and benefits for workers
- strives to get countries to provide social security
- Sets up educational facilities
2) World Health Organisation (WHO)
- tries to rid world of disease
- combatted SARS
- Combated cholera in 1947 in Egypt
- Trains doctors and nurses
- free contraceptive pills for women of the third world
3) Food and Agrculture Organisation (FAO)
- raise standards of living by improving agricultural development
- introduced new strains of maize and rice which produces more yield and have less disease
- teaches new farming techniques
- deals with floods, civil war, natural disasters etc.
- food aid
Successes and Failures of the UN
Succeses
1946 West New Guinea - oversaw the indipendance of Dutch West Indies (Indonesia), and settled disupute over West New Guinea
1950-53 Korean War - see indepth notes
1956 Suez Crisis -
- Egypt took over Suez canal
- British, French and Israeli troops sent to invade area
- troops condemned by Security Council (vetoed by Britain and France)
- Uniting for Peace (UPR) resolution used
- UN made peaceful settlement (troops had to be removed)
1960-64 Congo Crisis - See indepth notes
1980-88 - Bought an end to Iraq-Iran crisis
1991 - UN action during the Gulf War
Cyprus - prevented war between Turkey and Greece
Failures
1947-present day - Palestine and Israel, constant conflict. Does nothing to neutralise situation.
1956 Hungarian Crisis - Hungary tried to gain indipendance, this was crushed by USSR. Hungary appealed to the UN, but everything was vetoed by the USSR.
1968 Czechoslovak crisis - Same as Hungary
1991 Somalia - There was a civil war there, UN sent troops (mainly American), but they sustained heavy casualties, so they withdrew. Similar thing occured in Bosnia
Kashmir - Still conflict in the region
Interested in the UN, set up a Model United Nations Organisation in you school.
About the Author
by: Admin
Total views: 937
Word Count: 1461
Date: Sat, 20 May 2006 Time: 12:00 AM
0 comments
Rating: Not yet rated
Login to vote
