8.7A 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
  • IGOs also manage global environmental issues
• UN :

  • 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
• 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)
  • Geneva Convention
  • International Court of Justice
  • Convention on Climate Change
• The UN faces many challenges and criticisms, such as:

  • Lack of representation
  • Bureaucracy
  • Inefficiency
  • Politicisation
  • Remains the most legitimate and representative global organisation that can address the common problems of humanity