The UN

• 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙐𝙉:

  • set up in 1945
  • aims to maintain peace and avoid more world wars
  • its most powerful decision-making body is the Security Council
  • the INCoS upholds international law
  • creates peacekeeping missions to end conflicts
  • the UNFCCC informs the debate on climate change
• The UNFCCC is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• INCoS is the International Court of Justice.
• The UN Security Council has five permanent members: China, the US, France, the UK, and Russia.

  They act as two blocs, giving the UN a Western advantage of 3:2. This is beneficial as Russia and China don't always vote (won't affect a majority decision).
• The UN consists of 193 countries.
• The UN was set up in 1945 after the second world war.
• The UN aims to maintain peace and avoid conflicts that could lead to future world wars.
• The UN's most powerful decision-making body is the Security Council.
• The INCoS upholds international law.
• The UN creates peacekeeping missions to end conflicts.
• The UNFCCC informs the debate on climate change.
• The UN is the United Nations.
• What is the UN?

  An international non-profit organisation (IGO). It was formed in 1945 to increase political and economic cooperation among its member countries. It has 193 members and its aim is to maintain peace in order to prevent future world wars.
• The UN was created to increase political and economic cooperation among its member countries.
• How is the UN structured?

  In 6 parts:

  • the General Assembly
  • the Security Council
  • the Economic and Social Council
  • the Trusteeship Council
  • the Secretariat
  • the International Court of Justice
• 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙂𝙀𝙉𝙀𝙍𝘼𝙇 𝘼𝙎𝙎𝙀𝙈𝘽𝙇𝙔:

  • All 193 members are represented in the policymaking arm of the UN. They make decisions and recommendations on important questions of peace and security, economic and social development, the protection of human rights, the codification of international law, and the admission of new member states (among other matters).
  • The GA also approves the UN's budget and the financial assessments of member states.
  • Some decisions require a 2/3 majority while others are decided by a simple majority.
• 𝙁𝙐𝙉𝘿𝙄𝙉𝙂:

  • assessed contributions - ($5.4b in 2016-2017)
  • peacekeeping contributions - ($7.9b in 2016-2017)
  • voluntary contributions - (member states choose to contribute)
• What have been the successes of the UN?

  • the Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
  • encourages decolonisation
  • has helped to end conflicts in Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mozambique, Nambia, etc.
• What have been the criticisms of the UN?

  • its peacekeeping forces do not always behave lawfully
  • previously failed to prevent mass genocide
  • biased against some countries
• 𝙐𝙉𝙄𝘾𝙀𝙁:

  𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘌𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘍𝘶𝘯𝘥 (𝘜𝘕𝘐𝘊𝘌𝘍)

  • established in 1946
  • helps children and young people whose lives and futures are at risk
  • ensures the vaccination, education, and protection of children
  • works in more than 190 countries and territories
  • four core principles: the best interests of the child; non-discrimination; child participation; and survival and development.
• The UN works to promote development by fostering cooperation between countries and regions.

  It was set up in 1945 with several goals including maintaining international peace and security, protecting human rights, delivering humanitarian aid, promoting sustainable development and upholding international law and has been involved in a diverse range of areas such as the environment, food supply, justice and eradication of poverty.
• The Millennium Development Goals are 8 anti-poverty targets set in 2000 by the United Nations Development Programme. They aimed to reduce poverty across the globe by 2015.

  They have now been replaced with the Sustainable Development Goals, which have a wider range including disaster risk reduction and reducing the impacts of climate change.
• The UN technically has no political power as it mainly has an advisory role.

  It has however made an enormous contribution to securing world peace through the UN Security Council and the use of its peacekeeping forces.
• The 15 member security council has the most power within the UN and can vote to authorise military actions, for example in Libya in 2011.
• The UN has been very successful in promoting human rights and development assistance. The UN Capital Development Fund has given grants and loans to developing countries enabling them to grow economically and improve living standards.