Week 5

• The UN is a global international organization with near universal membership and offices and missions around the world
• UN principal organs include the Secretariat, General Assembly (GA), Security Council (SC), Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC), Trusteeship Council, and International Court of Justice (ICJ)
• The Secretariat, responsible for the day-to-day running of the UN, has 35,000 staff members led by the Secretary General, currently Mr. António Guterres
• The General Assembly (GA) has competences in decision-making, with 'important questions' requiring a two-thirds majority and 'other questions' a simple majority
• The Security Council (SC) has primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, with 15 members, 5 of which have permanent membership (P5) and can veto decisions
• The Economic & Social Council (ECOSOC) is a coordinating body for UN specialized agencies, focusing on economic and social development and cooperation
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has 15 judges, elected by the General Assembly and Security Council, and adjudicates contentious cases with decisions binding upon the states party to the proceedings
• The UN oversees and coordinates subsidiary organs like the UN Security Council and UN Human Rights Council, which have no final responsibility over any UN matter
• The International Law Commission (ILC) contributes to the codification and development of Public International Law (PIL) and has individuals, not member states, as experts
• The Human Rights Council (HRC) carries out the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of human rights situations in all UN Member States
• Specialized agencies like the WHO and ILO are autonomous international organizations working with the UN, focusing on specific technical subject matters
• The International Labour Organization (ILO) sets and monitors labor standards established through international treaties to improve work conditions
• The World Health Organization (WHO) assists states in improving people's health conditions and coordinates the fight against pandemics and infectious diseases