The UN Charter is the only international document whose provisions are binding on all states. On the basis of the UN Charter, an extensive system of multilateral treaties and agreements concluded within the UN has emerged.
Peacekeeping activities
One of the main tasks of the United Nations is to maintain world peace. Under the Charter, Member States shall resolve their international disputes by peaceful means and refrain from the threat or use of force against other States.
Over the years, the United Nations has played an important role in helping to prevent international crises and in resolving protracted conflicts. It carried out complex operations related to the establishment and maintenance of peace and the provision of humanitarian assistance. She also had to prevent brewing conflicts. In post-conflict situations, it is increasingly making concerted efforts to address the root causes of violence and lay the foundations for lasting peace.
The United Nations has achieved impressive results. Thus, in 1948-1949, she managed to defuse tension during the Berlin crisis, to relieve the Caribbean crisis in 1962 and the crisis in the Middle East in 1973. In 1988, United Nations peace efforts brought the Iran-Iraq war to an end, and the following year, thanks to United Nations-sponsored negotiations, Soviet troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan. During the 1990s, the United Nations helped restore Kuwait's sovereignty, played an important role in ending civil wars in Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mozambique, restored democratically elected governments in Haiti and Sierra Leone, and resolved or prevented conflicts in a number of other countries.
The most important tasks of the United Nations are to stop the proliferation of weapons, as well as to reduce and eventually eliminate all stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction. The United Nations serves as a permanent forum for disarmament negotiations, making recommendations and initiating research in this area. It supports multilateral negotiations within the framework of the Conference on Disarmament and other international bodies. These negotiations resulted in international agreements such as the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (1968), the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (1996) and treaties on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones.
As part of its peacekeeping activities, the United Nations, using diplomatic mechanisms, helps the warring parties reach an agreement. The Security Council, as part of its efforts to maintain international peace and security, may recommend ways of preventing conflict and restoring or securing peace, for example through negotiations or recourse to the International Court of Justice.
The Secretary General also plays an important role in peacekeeping activities. He may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which, in his opinion, poses a threat to international peace and security. The Secretary-General may use "good offices", mediate or engage in "quiet diplomacy", acting behind the scenes on his own or through special envoys. The Secretary General can also use the mechanism of "preventive diplomacy" to resolve disputes before the situation escalates. In addition, it can send fact-finding missions, support regional peace efforts, and establish United Nations political offices in countries to assist the parties in building confidence.
As part of its efforts to maintain peace and international security, the Security Council establishes United Nations peacekeeping operations and defines their scope and mandate. Most of these operations involve military personnel who enforce a ceasefire or create a buffer zone while a long-term solution is sought at the negotiating table. Other operations may involve civilian police officers or civilian professionals who help organize elections or monitor human rights. Some operations, such as the one in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, were launched as a preventive measure and prevented the outbreak of hostilities. In a number of cases, operations are aimed at monitoring compliance with peace agreements and are carried out in cooperation with the peacekeeping contingents of regional organizations.
Respect for human rights, international law.
Thanks to the efforts of the United Nations, governments have negotiated hundreds of multilateral agreements that make the world a safer and healthier, more promising and fairer place for all of us. The development of this comprehensive body of international law and human rights standards is a major achievement of the United Nations.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the General Assembly in 1948, proclaims the fundamental rights and freedoms to which all men and women are entitled, including the right to life, liberty and citizenship, the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, the right to work, education and participation in management.
These rights are legally binding through two international covenants to which most states are parties. One pact deals with economic, social and cultural rights, the other with civil and political rights.
Together with the Declaration, they constitute the International Bill of Human Rights.
The Declaration laid the foundation for the preparation of more than 80 conventions and declarations on human rights, including conventions on the elimination of racial discrimination and discrimination against women; conventions on the rights of the child, the status of refugees and the prevention of genocide; declarations on self-determination, enforced disappearances and the right to development.
United Nations human rights bodies are involved in early warning and conflict prevention efforts, as well as efforts to address the root causes of conflict.
The Charter of the United Nations gives the United Nations the specific task of encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification. The conventions, treaties and norms resulting from this work provide the basis for strengthening international peace and security and promoting economic and social development. States that have ratified these conventions are legally bound to comply with them.
The United Nations and its specialized agencies have developed international agreements that are the main legal instruments for combating terrorism.
humanitarian aid
In disaster situations, organizations of the United Nations system provide food, medicine, shelter and logistical support to the victims, most of them children, women and the elderly. To cover the cost of providing this assistance to those in need, the United Nations has mobilized billions of dollars of funds from international donors. In 1998, thanks to the efforts of the United Nations, approximately $2 billion was pledged in response to calls for emergency humanitarian assistance for some 25 million people. In 1997-1998, the United Nations assisted more than 51 Member States in their efforts to deal with the consequences of more than 77 natural and environmental disasters.
The provision of humanitarian assistance to the United Nations faces significant logistical and security challenges on the ground. The very task of reaching the affected areas can be fraught with complex obstacles. In recent years, many crises have been exacerbated by the lack of respect for human rights. Humanitarian personnel are denied access to those in need, and parties to conflict deliberately target civilians and aid workers. Since 1992, more than 139 United Nations civilian personnel have died and 143 have been taken hostage in humanitarian operations around the world. In an effort to ensure the protection of affected populations, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is playing an increasingly active role in the response of the United Nations to emergencies on the ground, paying attention to the potential risk of human rights violations in a crisis.
United Nations (UN) - the largest international intergovernmental organization of a universal nature, created to maintain and strengthen international peace and security, and develop cooperation between states.
History of the UN
For the first time, the idea of institutionalizing the collective efforts of the allied states aimed at ensuring a lasting and lasting peace was put forward (in general terms) in the Declaration of the Government of the Soviet Union and the Government of the Polish Republic on Friendship and Mutual Assistance of December 4, 1941.
On October 30, 1943, the Moscow Conference of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain adopted the Declaration of four states (it was also signed by the representative of China) on the issue of universal security, which contained a decision to create a new international organization. This decision was confirmed on December 1, 1943, at the Tehran Conference of the leaders of the three allied powers - the USSR, the USA and Great Britain.
At the Conference of Experts, held in August-September 1944 in Dumbarton Oaks (USA), representatives of the USSR, the USA and Great Britain basically developed a draft charter for the future organization in the form of "Preliminary Proposals for the Establishment of a General International Organization for the Maintenance of Peace and Security". The project was later approved by China. At the Conference, however, a number of issues (on the procedure for voting in the Security Council, the fate of mandated territories, the content of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, etc.) remained unresolved. These issues were resolved at the Crimean (Yalta) Conference of the leaders of the three Allied Powers in February 1945.
At the San Francisco Conference, held in April-June 1945, the Charter of the Organization was finalized and signed on June 26, 1945 by 50 states - the original members of the Organization. Poland, which did not participate in the work of the Conference, was left a place (in alphabetical order) among the signatures of the original members. The organization was named the United Nations (UN). The very term "United Nations" appeared during the formation of the anti-Hitler coalition of states and found its consolidation in the Declaration of the United Nations (26 states), signed in Washington on January 1, 1942.
On October 24, 1945, the UN Charter came into force, and this day began to be celebrated annually as United Nations Day.
Purposes and principles of the United Nations
According to Article 1 of the UN Charter, the objectives of the organization are:
(i) to maintain international peace and security and to that end take collective action against those who disturb the peace;
(ii) develop friendly relations among all nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples;
(iii) to carry out international cooperation in resolving international problems of an economic, social, cultural and humanitarian nature;
(iv) to be a center for coordinating the actions of nations in the pursuit of these common goals.
To achieve these goals, the UN acts in accordance with the following principles:
(i) the sovereign equality of UN members;
(ii) their faithful performance of their obligations under the UN Charter;
(iii) settling international disputes by peaceful means; renunciation of the threat or use of force in any case inconsistent with the UN Charter;
(iv) UN interference in the internal affairs of states;
(v) to render every possible assistance to the UN by each of its members in actions consistent with the UN Charter and to refrain from assisting states against which the UN is taking preventive or enforcement measures;
(vi) ensuring by the Organization that non-Member States act, if necessary, in accordance with its Charter (Art. 2).
Membership in the Organization
Members of the UN can be peace-loving states that will accept the obligations contained in the Charter, and which, in the opinion of the Organization, are able and willing to fulfill these obligations (Article 4).
The admission of new UN members is carried out by the General Assembly by a 2/3 majority vote on the recommendation of the Security Council, subject to the principle of unanimity of its permanent members. Since the UN is based on the principle of universality, since the goals and subject of its activities are of general interest, any peace-loving state, regardless of its socio-economic system, can be a member of the UN.
In Art. 6 of the Charter provides for the possibility of exclusion from the UN of states that systematically violate this act, in Art. 5 - suspension of the exercise of the rights and privileges of a UN member in relation to states against which the Security Council has taken measures of a preventive or coercive nature. The provisions of these articles have not yet been applied.
In connection with the successes of the national liberation movement and the emergence of a significant number of sovereign states in the international arena, the number of UN members has sharply increased. There are currently 192 states in the UN.
Organs of the Organization
The organizational structure of the UN has its own specifics, which lies in the fact that the bodies of the Organization are divided into two types: main and auxiliary. The charter provides for six main organs. About 300 subsidiary bodies have been created by the main bodies since the existence of the UN.
Main organs:
- General Assembly,
- Security Council,
- Economic and Social Council,
- Guardian Council,
- International Court,
- Secretariat.
Although all these bodies belong to the same category - the main bodies, they are different in their meaning and legal status.
The most important are the General Assembly and the Security Council.
The Economic and Social Council and the Trusteeship Council work under the leadership of the General Assembly, presenting the results of their activities for its final approval, but this circumstance does not change their status as the main bodies.
General Assembly is the only body in which all Member States are represented. Each of them has an equal position, regardless of its size, power and significance. The General Assembly has broad competence. According to Art. 10 of the UN Charter, it can discuss any issue, except for those that are under consideration by the Security Council.
The General Assembly is the highest body of the UN in ensuring international cooperation between states in the economic, social, cultural and humanitarian fields. It encourages the progressive development of international law and its codification (Article 13). The General Assembly has a number of powers related to the internal life of the UN: elects non-permanent members of the Security Council, members of the Economic and Social Council, appoints the Secretary General (on the recommendation of the Security Council), elects members of the International Court of Justice together with the Security Council, approves the UN budget and controls financial activities Organizations etc.
As for the powers of the General Assembly on matters of international peace and security, they are significantly limited in favor of the Security Council. The General Assembly considers, first of all, the general principles of cooperation in the maintenance of international peace and security, including the principles governing disarmament and the regulation of armaments. But any question on which it is necessary to take action of a military or non-military nature is referred by the General Assembly to the Security Council (Article 11).
The General Assembly has a sessional order of work. It may hold regular, special and emergency special sessions.
The Annual Regular Session of the Assembly opens on the third Tuesday of September and operates under the direction of the President of the General Assembly (or one of his 21 Vice-Presidents) in plenary meetings and in Main Committees until the agenda is exhausted.
At the request of the Security Council or a majority of the Members of the Organization, special or emergency special sessions may be convened.
Each member of the UN may send a delegation to the session, consisting of not more than five delegates and five substitutes, as well as the required number of advisers, experts, etc. Each state has one vote.
The official and working languages of the General Assembly are: English, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, French.
The work of each session of the General Assembly takes place in the form of plenary meetings and committee meetings. There are six main committees:
- Disarmament and International Security Committee (First Committee)
- Committee on Economic and Financial Affairs (Second Committee)
- Committee on Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Affairs (Third Committee)
- Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee)
- Administration and Budget Committee (Fifth Committee)
- Legal Affairs Committee (Sixth Committee).
All UN members are represented on the Main Committees.
There is also a General Committee and a Credentials Committee.
The General Committee is composed of the President of the General Assembly; Vice-Chairmen, chairmen of the main committees, who are elected on the basis of the principle of equitable geographical representation of the five regions (districts): Asia, Africa, Latin America, Western Europe (including Canada, Australia and New Zealand) and Eastern Europe. General Committee - makes recommendations to the Assembly regarding the adoption of the agenda, the distribution of agenda items and the organization of work. The Credentials Committee submits reports to the Assembly on the credentials of State representatives.
Decisions of the General Assembly on important issues are taken by a 2/3 majority of the members of the Assembly present and voting. These issues include recommendations regarding the maintenance of international peace and security, budgetary issues, the admission of new members to the Organization, etc. Decisions on other issues are taken by a simple majority of those present and voting (Article 18 of the Charter).
The decisions of the General Assembly are in the nature of recommendations.
Decisions relating to organizational, administrative and budgetary matters are binding. In UN practice, these decisions are called resolutions.
The General Assembly has a number of subsidiary bodies: the International Law Commission, the Disarmament Commission, the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, etc.
Security Council- the most important body of the UN, consisting of 15 members: 5 of them are permanent members - Russia, Great Britain, China, the USA and France and 10 are non-permanent, elected by the General Assembly for a two-year term (5 members annually), taking into account the degree of participation of the members of the Organization in maintaining international peace and security and in achieving the other objectives of the Organization, and in accordance with the principle of equitable geographical distribution. I will establish the following plan for the distribution of ten non-permanent seats among the geographical regions of the world: five from the States of Africa and Asia, two from the States of Latin America and the Caribbean, two from the States of Western Europe and other States (meaning Canada, Australia and New Zealand), one - from the states of Eastern Europe.
Recently, the issue of reorganizing the Security Council has been actively discussed, in particular, it is proposed to increase the number of members of the Security Council, the number of its permanent members, and change the decision-making procedure.
The Security Council is entrusted with the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security (Article 24 of the Charter). It can make decisions binding on member states (Art. 25).
The Security Council determines the existence of any threat to the peace, any breach of the peace or act of aggression, and makes recommendations or decides what measures should be taken to maintain or restore international peace and security (Article 39). The Security Council has the right to decide on coercive measures against a state that has violated the peace or committed an act of aggression. These are measures both not related to the use of armed forces (complete or partial interruption of economic relations, rail, sea, air, postal telegraph, radio or other means of communication, severance of diplomatic relations - Art. 41), and related to the use of armed forces, t .e. such action by air, sea or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. These actions may include demonstrations, blockades and other military operations (art. 42).
The application of coercive measures is the exclusive competence of the Security Council. For the application of coercive measures with the use of armed forces, the member states undertake to place armed forces at the disposal of the Security Council (Article 43). The UN Charter for the exercise of strategic leadership of the armed forces provides for the creation of a special subsidiary body, the Military Staff Committee, which should consist of the chiefs of staff of the permanent members of the Security Council (it was formed in 1946).
In practice, the provisions of the Charter regarding the formation and use of the armed forces, as a rule, were not respected for a long time. Serious violations of the UN Charter were also committed in the use of UN forces in Korea in 1950, in the Middle East in 1956 and in the Congo in 1960.
The situation changed in 1990, when, in connection with Iraq's aggression against Kuwait, the five permanent members of the Security Council showed unity regarding the Council's action against the aggressor. The Security Council adopted resolution No. 661 (1990) imposing economic and financial sanctions against Iraq, resolution No. 670 (1990) providing for additional sanctions, and resolution No. 678 (1990) on using all necessary means to restore peace and security in the Persian Gulf .
Currently, the UN armed forces are located, in particular, in Cyprus, the Middle East, Kosovo; a group of military observers in India and Pakistan.
In addition to the use of coercive measures, the duties of the Security Council include the peaceful resolution of interstate disputes. According to ch. VI of the UN Charter, the parties to a dispute, the continuation of which could threaten the maintenance of international peace and security, must first of all try to resolve this dispute using appropriate peaceful means (Article 33), and in case of failure to reach an agreement, refer it to the Security Council (Article 37).
In accordance with Art. 27 of the UN Charter, decisions of the Security Council on questions of procedure are considered adopted when they are voted for by any nine members of the Security Council. Decisions on matters of substance require a majority of nine votes, including five votes of the permanent members of the Council (principle of unanimity of the permanent members of the Security Council). Therefore, if at least one of the five permanent members votes against a proposal on a non-procedural issue, the proposal cannot be accepted. This is the so-called "right of veto". Abstention from voting by one or more permanent members of the Security Council shall not preclude the adoption of a decision.
When the Security Council takes decisions on the peaceful settlement of disputes under Ch. VI of the UN Charter, nine votes are required, including the votes of the permanent members of the Security Council, but at the same time, the state participating in the dispute, if it is a member of the Council, is obliged to abstain from voting.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) carries out specific tasks in the field of international economic and social cooperation and works under the direction of the General Assembly. ECOSOC undertakes studies on issues of economic and social cooperation, draws up reports on the results of studies and makes recommendations on these issues to the General Assembly and the specialized agencies. He is also authorized to prepare draft international conventions for submission to the General Assembly for approval, to convene international conferences on issues within his competence, to coordinate the activities of specialized agencies, concluding cooperation agreements with them.
ECOSOC consists of 54 members, which are states elected by the General Assembly for three years, with one-third renewed annually. An outgoing Council member may be re-elected for a new term immediately.
By tradition, the permanent members of the Security Council are elected to ECOSOC for each regular term. Elections to the Council are held in accordance with the principle of fair geographical representation: from Africa - 14 states, from Asia - 11, from Latin America - 10, from Western Europe and other states - 13, from Eastern Europe - 6.
Regular sessions of the Council are held twice a year. Special sessions may be convened. Decisions in the Council are taken by a simple majority of votes of the members present and voting.
The Council during its activity created a significant number of subsidiary bodies: sessional committees (economic, social and coordinating); standing committees (Committee for Program and Coordination, Committee for Non-Governmental Organizations, etc.); functional commissions and subcommissions (statistical, on population and development, on narcotic drugs, on human rights, on the status of women, on crime prevention and criminal justice, etc.). A special place in the system of the Council belongs to the regional economic commissions.
Trusteeship Council under the direction of the General Assembly, was to supervise the fulfillment of the duties that the administering authorities (states) had in relation to the territories under trusteeship. The main objectives of the trusteeship system were to promote the improvement of the situation of the population of the trust territories and their progressive development towards self-government or independence.
The Trusteeship Council is composed of the five permanent members of the Security Council - China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States. The aims of the trust system were achieved when all of the Trust Territories achieved self-rule or independence, either as independent states or through association with neighboring independent countries.
The Trusteeship Council suspended its work on 1 November 1994 after the last remaining UN Trust Territory, Palau, gained independence on 1 October 1994.
By means of a resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the Council amended its rules of procedure to remove the obligation to hold annual meetings and agreed to meet as needed, by its own decision or that of its President, or at the request of a majority of its members or the General Assembly, or Security Council.
International Court is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. The Court is composed of 15 permanent independent judges elected by the Security Council and the General Assembly, acting in their personal capacity and not representing the state. The court has two functions:
- deals with disputes between states and
- gives advisory opinions on legal matters to UN bodies and its specialized agencies.
Secretariat consists of the General Secretary and the required number of staff.
The Secretary General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a term of five years, with the possibility of reappointment in the same manner. The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the Organization, overseeing the work of the staff of the Secretariat in servicing UN bodies.
The functions of the Secretary General are very diverse and are of great importance for the activities of the UN. Every year the Secretary-General submits to the General Assembly a report on the work of the Organization. As a representative of the UN, he participates in the work of international conferences convened under the auspices of the UN.
The Secretariat provides technical support for the work of the sessions of all bodies, publication and distribution of reports, storage of archives, publication of official documents of the Organization and information materials. It registers and publishes international treaties concluded by members of the UN.
The staff of the Secretariat is divided into three categories:
- senior administrative officials (Secretary General and his deputies);
- international officials of the professional class;
- technical staff (secretaries, typists, couriers).
Recruitment to the service is carried out on a contractual basis, provided for by the system of permanent and fixed-term contracts. The staff is selected by the Secretary General, in accordance with the rules laid down by the General Assembly. When selecting, a high level of efficiency, competence and integrity of the Secretariat staff should be ensured. Selection is made on as wide a geographical basis as possible. The responsibilities of the Secretariat and its staff are international in nature.
This means that neither the Secretary-General nor any other member of the Secretariat may seek or receive instructions from any government or authority outside the Organization. International officials enjoy privileges and immunities of a functional nature.
The UN headquarters is located in New York. The offices of the UN Secretariat are located in Geneva.
Main activities of the UN
There are four main areas of UN activity:
- maintaining international peace and security;
- development of international cooperation in the socio-economic field and in the field of human rights protection;
- the fight against colonialism, racism and apartheid;
- codification and progressive development of international law.
Despite the fact that the period after the Second World War until the mid-1980s was mainly a period of the Cold War and confrontation between the states of the two socio-economic systems, the UN managed to make a useful contribution in all these areas of its activity.
Proceeding from the fact that disarmament is the most important means of ensuring international peace and security, the UN pays considerable attention to these issues. Thus, in 1978, 1982, 1988, three special sessions of the General Assembly were held on disarmament issues. In accordance with the decision of the XXXI of its session in 1977, the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Means of Impact on the Environment was opened for signature.
Over the 60-year period of its existence, the UN has played a certain positive role in solving a number of problems of international economic and social cooperation. In this area, many new bodies have appeared and their competence has expanded. Subsidiary bodies of the General Assembly were formed, having the structure of international organizations, such as UNCTAD, the Development Program
United Nations (UNDP), which are directly related to the economic needs and interests of developing countries. In 1974, the 6th special session of the UN General Assembly was held, dedicated to the restructuring of international economic relations. The same issues were considered at the XXIX regular session of the General Assembly. The sessions adopted two important documents: the Declaration on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order and the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States.
The adoption on December 14, 1960, at the initiative of the Soviet Union, of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples stimulated the activities of the UN in the field of decolonization. A new body, the Special Committee on Questions of the Implementation of the 1960 Declaration, was established, and the proportion of questions connected with the liquidation of the colonies increased sharply. The Security Council adopted decisions to apply sanctions against the colonial and racist regimes of Southern Africa. In 1980, in connection with the 20th anniversary of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, it was noted that during this period 59 trust and non-self-governing territories with a population of 140 million people gained independence.
The activities of the UN in the field of codification and progressive development of international law are carried out primarily with the help of a subsidiary body of the General Assembly - the International Law Commission, whose task is to codify and progressively develop international law. In addition, a number of other subsidiary bodies, such as the Human Rights Council, the Outer Space Committee, the Commission on Women's Rights, are involved in this normative work, including temporary subsidiary bodies. Draft international treaties developed by the subsidiary bodies are adopted either by the General Assembly itself or by conferences convened by its decision.
The great creative potential of the UN, laid down in its Charter, can be used in the new millennium for the benefit of all peoples, if universal values and interests become more and more influential in the policies of states, and if the desire of states to maintain international peace and security intensifies.
United Nations (UN) is an interethnic organization that was formed to support cooperation and maintain peace between states.
It is also a unique assembly with special rights in the field of resolving issues of international security, an important component of today's diplomacy.
The UN is a global council, a forum where various problems of the peoples of the world are discussed and resolved.
The founders of this organization, its structure, regulations on activities, were members of the anti-Hitler coalition. On January 1, 1942, the Declaration of the United Nations was signed and began to exist, in which the concept of "United Nations" was used for the first time.
In 1945, the San Francisco Conference took place, during which on June 26 the UN charter was adopted and signed.
50 states participated in the signing of this document. Poland later joined the UN as an original member, signing the charter in October 1945. The charter of the organization entered into force on October 24, 1945. Since then, this date has been considered the official day of this world famous organization.
UN structure
The structure of the UN is arranged in such a way that all the bodies in it have their own profile, their own range of issues they resolve and their own competence, but they interact closely with each other.
The structure is represented by such bodies as: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, the Secretariat.
The UN also created separate organizations to solve specialized tasks, for example, the IAEA, UNESCO, WTO, WHO and others. They can be called secondary, auxiliary bodies.
Security Council is a body that is called upon to monitor the preservation of the peaceful situation between the members of the organization. The Charter states that five permanent members and ten non-permanent members enter the Security Council.
Permanent members, unlike non-permanent members, have the right to veto.
The procedure for electing temporary members of the Security Council is stipulated by the UN Charter. Decisions adopted by the Security Council are binding on all members of the organization.
The Secretariat ensures the working processes of the UN bodies. He is also responsible for the implementation of programs adopted by the organization. Its staff is quite large - about 44 thousand employees. There are institutions around the world where representatives of the Secretariat work.
The largest branches of the UN Secretariat are located in the cities of New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi. This body performs such important functions as distribution, publication, publication and storage of UN materials.
The Secretary General is at the head of the Secretariat, being the main representative and face of the organization, as well as an invariable symbol of the UN. The duties of the Secretary General are shaped by the principal organs of the UN. Appointment to this position is made by the Assembly, but only on the recommendation of the Security Council. The so-called "Gentlemen's Agreement", currently in force, states that a representative of a state that is a permanent member of the Security Council cannot be the Secretary General.
During the existence of the UN, 8 people have served as Secretary General. This position is currently held by Ban Ki-moon (Republic of Korea).
The International Court of Justice is the highest judicial body of the United Nations. The activities of the Court are aimed at ending disputes and conflict situations between states. Accordingly, only states, and not individuals, can act as plaintiffs and defendants in it. The Court is composed of 15 independent judges with diplomatic privileges and immunities.
The Economic and Social Council consists of five commissions in the regions. The purpose of their activities is to support economic and social relationships between states.
The Trusteeship Council is a UN body entrusted with the mission of supervising the Trust Territories with a view to their development and independence. The Council suspended its activities in November 1994 with the independence of the last Trust Territory of Palau. However, there is an agreement to resume the work of this body if necessary. For this, the decision of the Council itself or its chairman will be sufficient. The request of participants in other bodies of the organization may also be the reason for the resumption of the activities of the Trusteeship Council.
The United Nations Postal Administration issues postage stamps. The stamps are denominated in dollars, francs and euros. Each of them corresponds to the currency of the state in which the organization's office is located.
Specialized institutions
The role of the specialized agencies is to serve as a support mission to the organization. Each of the main organs can create additional organs to help themselves. The most famous organizations created by the UN are WHO, IAEA, UNESCO, World Bank and others.
UN members
Members of the UN are states that are parties to international law. As stated in the Charter, any state pursuing a peace-loving policy, as well as those that agree with the rules of the UN and are willing to comply with them, can join the UN. Initially, 50 states were members of the UN, at the moment there are 193 member states.
The procedure for admitting a state to the UN consists of several stages. The Security Council is considering joining the UN. A state wishing to become a member needs the support of at least 9 states out of 15 that are members of the Security Council. The Security Council then submits a recommendation to the General Assembly, where a resolution on accession is adopted. This resolution requires a two-thirds majority vote.
Along with the concept of "UN member" there is the concept of "UN observer".
This status can be acquired by a state through a vote of the General Assembly, where a positive decision is made by an ordinary majority. In contrast to the procedure for admission to UN membership, where only an internationally recognized state can become a member, partially recognized states can also become a UN observer.
official languages
To carry out the full-fledged work of the UN bodies, an exhaustive list of official languages has been established. These are English, Spanish, Russian, French, Chinese and Arabic. All UN documentation is maintained using the official languages. Delegations may speak in other languages, but in this case a translation of the report into one of the official languages must be provided.
UN Charter
The Charter of the United Nations is the fundamental document on which all the activities of the organization are based. The Charter is a unique international treaty, in which the foundations of cooperation and relations between states were fixed. Such as the principle of equality of UN members; the principle of UN interference in the affairs of other states; the principle of resolving conflicts exclusively by peaceful means, and others.
Basic declarations and conventions
In addition to the UN Charter, there are various declarations and conventions adopted by the organization. They differ from the Charter in that they are not indisputable for ratification by UN member states. Some of the most famous UN declarations and conventions are: the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948); Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989); Kyoto Protocol (1997); Millennium Declaration (2000) and others.
Public recognition and awards
The work of the UN is known all over the world. However, the activities of this organization are not limited to maintaining peace between states and resolving issues of providing humanitarian assistance. The activities of the UN are more versatile than it might seem at first glance. Large-scale work is being carried out in the areas of promoting and spreading democracy, combating terrorism, protecting the environment and many other areas.
All this has a global impact on the situation in the world, thereby improving the quality of life of people living around the world.
Numerous forums and conferences discuss and make important decisions on economics, ecology, science and education, family, health and medicine, security, statistics, and communication. The work of the UN has a beneficial effect on the social development of many countries, assistance and protection are provided to states in need of them.
The UN is a huge apparatus working for the benefit of society, monitoring the proper implementation of human rights, fighting to reduce poverty, disease and financial distress throughout the world.
Concern for the present and future of mankind is one of the overriding intentions of the United Nations.
In 2001, the UN and the Secretary General (then Kofi Annan) were awarded the Nobel Prize. In 1988, the UN peacekeeping force received a similar award.
Public recognition of the organization has a positive impact on its activities. Many celebrities expressed their support and provided all possible assistance in the affairs of the organization. Among them are such famous names as Mother Teresa, Princess Diana, Angelina Jolie, Shakira and others.
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization created to maintain and strengthen international peace and security, and develop cooperation between states.
The foundations of its activities and structure were developed during the Second World War by the leading members of the Anti-Hitler Coalition. The name "United Nations", proposed by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was first used on January 1, 1942 in the Declaration of the United Nations, when during World War II representatives of 26 states pledged on behalf of their governments to continue the joint struggle against the Axis.
It is noteworthy that earlier the first international organizations were created for cooperation in certain areas: the International Telegraph Union (1865), the Universal Postal Union (1874), etc. Both organizations are today UN specialized agencies.
The First International Peace Conference was convened in The Hague in 1899 to develop agreements on the peaceful resolution of crises, the prevention of war, and the rules of war. The conference adopted the Convention for the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes and established the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which began its work in 1902.
World Food Program (WFP);
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD);
United Nations International Drug Control Program (UNDCP);
United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-Habitat; UNHP);
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP);
United Nations Volunteers (UNV);
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF);
Center for International Trade (WTC);
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Educational and research institutions:
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR);
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI);
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD);
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
Other UN entities:
United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC);
International Computing Center (ICC);
the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS);
United Nations University (UNU);
United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), UN Women.
Commission on Narcotic Drugs;
Commission on Population and Development;
Commission on Science and Technology for Development;
Commission on the Status of Women;
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice4
Commission for Sustainable Development;
Commission for Social Development;
Statistical Commission;
United Nations Forum on Forests.
ECOSOC Regional Commissions:
Economic Commission for Europe (ECE);
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP);
Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA);
Economic Commission for Africa (ECA);
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Standing Committees of ECOSOC: Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations, Committee for Negotiations with Intergovernmental Institutions, Committee for Program and Coordination.
ECOSOC Ad Hoc Bodies: Open-Ended Ad Hoc Working Group on Informatics.
Expert bodies composed of government experts:
United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names;
United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management;
Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals;
Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Accounting and Reporting Standards.
Expert bodies composed of members acting in their personal capacity: Committee on Development Policy, Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Committee of Experts on Public Administration, Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Taxation, Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.
Council related bodies: Executive Board of the International Institute for Training and Research for the Advancement of Women, United Nations Population Prize Committee, Coordinating Board of the United Nations Joint Program on HIV/AIDS, International Narcotics Control Board.
With the creation of the international trusteeship system, the UN Charter established the Trusteeship Council as one of the main organs of the United Nations, which was entrusted with the task of supervising the administration of trust territories falling under the trusteeship system.
The main goals of the system were to promote the improvement of the situation of the population of the trust territories and their progressive development towards self-government or independence. The Trusteeship Council consists of five permanent members of the Security Council - Russia, USA, Great Britain, France and China. The aims of the trust system were achieved when all of the Trust Territories achieved self-rule or independence, either as independent states or through association with neighboring independent countries.
In accordance with the Charter, the Trusteeship Council is authorized to consider and discuss the reports of the administering authority concerning the political, economic and social progress of the peoples of the trust territories and the progress in the field of education, and in consultation with the administering authority to consider petitions coming from the trust territories, and to arrange periodic and other special visits to the Trust Territories.
The Trusteeship Council suspended its work on November 1, 1994, after the last remaining United Nations Trust Territory, Palau, gained independence on October 1, 1994. By a resolution adopted on May 25, 1994, the Council amended its rules of procedure to remove the obligation to meet annually, and agreed to meet as needed, by its own decision or by that of its President, or at the request of a majority of its members or the General Assembly, or the Security Council.
International Court.
It is the main judicial organ of the United Nations. It was established by the UN Charter to achieve one of the main purposes of the UN: "to pursue by peaceful means, in accordance with the principles of justice and international law, the settlement or settlement of international disputes or situations which may lead to a breach of peace." The Court functions in accordance with the Statute, which is part of the Charter, and its Rules. It began operating in 1946, replacing the Permanent Court of International Justice (PPJ), which was established in 1920 under the auspices of the League of Nations. The seat of the Court is the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
Secretariat.
The Secretariat is an international staff based in institutions around the world and carries out the various day-to-day activities of the Organization. It also serves the other principal organs of the United Nations and implements the programs and policies adopted by them. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a period of 5 years with the possibility of re-election for a new term.
The responsibilities of the Secretariat are as varied as those of the UN, from leading peacekeeping operations to mediating international disputes, from reviewing economic and social trends and issues to preparing studies on human rights and sustainable development. In addition, Secretariat staff guide and inform the world's media about the work of the UN; organizes international conferences on problems of global importance; monitors the implementation of the decisions of the UN bodies and translates speeches and documents into the official languages of the Organization.
United Nations specialized agencies and related bodies. The specialized agencies of the United Nations are independent international organizations linked to the United Nations by a special cooperation agreement. Specialized institutions are created on the basis of intergovernmental agreements.
Specialized institutions:
Universal Postal Union (UPU);
World Bank Group;
International Development Association (IDA);
International Finance Corporation (IFC);
International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD);
International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID);
Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA);
World Meteorological Organization (WMO);
World Health Organization (WHO);
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO);
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO);
International Maritime Organization (IMO);
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO);
International Labor Organization (ILO);
International Monetary Fund (IMF);
International Telecommunication Union (ITU);
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD);
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO);
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
UN related organizations:
World Trade Organization (WTO);
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA);
the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO);
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Convention Secretariats:
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities;
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Severe Drought and/or Desertification, Especially in Africa (UNCCD);
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
UN Trust Funds:
United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF);
United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP).
The leadership of the UN is represented by the President of the General Assembly and the Secretary General.
President of the General Assembly. Opens and closes each plenary meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations, fully directs the work of the General Assembly and maintains order at its meetings.
General Secretary. The chief administrative officer is the symbol of the United Nations and the spokesman for the interests of the peoples of the world.
According to the Charter, the Secretary General performs the functions assigned to him by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies of the United Nations.
The Secretary General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a term of 5 years with the possibility of re-election for a new term.
Currently, there is a gentlemen's agreement, according to which a citizen of a state - a permanent member of the UN Security Council (Russia, USA, Great Britain, France and China) cannot be the UN Secretary General.
UN Secretaries General:
Member States of the UN.
The original members of the UN include the 50 states that signed the UN Charter at the San Francisco Conference on June 26, 1945, as well as Poland. Since 1946, about 150 states have been admitted to the UN (but at the same time a number of states, such as Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia, were divided into independent states). On July 14, 2011, with the admission of South Sudan to the UN, the number of UN member states was 193.
Members of the UN can only be internationally recognized states - subjects of international law. According to the UN Charter, membership in the UN is open to all "peace-loving States which will accept the obligations contained in the Charter and which, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to fulfill these obligations." "Admission of any such State to membership in the Organization shall be effected by a decision of the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council."
The admission of a new member requires the support of at least 9 of the 15 member states of the Security Council (with 5 permanent members - Russia, the United States, Britain, France and China - can veto a decision). After approval of the recommendation by the Security Council, the issue is taken to the General Assembly, where a two-thirds majority is required for a resolution to join. The new state becomes a member of the UN from the date of the resolution of the General Assembly.
Among the original members of the UN were countries that were not full-fledged internationally recognized states: along with the USSR, its two union republics - the Byelorussian SSR and the Ukrainian SSR; British colony - British India (divided into now independent members - India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar); US protectorate - Philippines; as well as the actually independent dominions of Great Britain - Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand, the Union of South Africa.
In September 2011, the Palestinian Authority (a partially recognized State of Palestine) applied for membership in the UN, but the satisfaction of this application was postponed until the Palestinian-Israeli settlement and universal international recognition of Palestine.
In addition to the status of a member, there is the status of a UN observer, which may precede entry into the number of full members. Observer status is assigned by voting in the General Assembly, the decision is made by a simple majority. UN observers, as well as members of UN specialized agencies (for example, UNESCO) can be both recognized and partially recognized states and state entities. So, the observers at the moment are the Holy See and the State of Palestine, and for some time there were, for example, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Japan, Finland, and other countries that had the right to join, but temporarily did not use it for various reasons.
For the organization of the work of bodies in the UN system, official and working languages have been established. The list of these languages is defined in the rules of procedure of each body. All major UN documents, including resolutions, are published in the official languages. Verbatim records of meetings are published in the working languages and speeches delivered in any official language are translated into them.
The official languages of the United Nations are: English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic. If a delegation wishes to speak in a language other than the official language, it must provide interpretation or translation into one of the official languages.
The calculation of the UN budget is a process in which all members of the organization are involved. The budget is put forward by the UN Secretary-General after agreement with the divisions of the organization and based on their requirements. Subsequently, the proposed budget is reviewed by a 16-member Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions and a 34-member Program and Coordination Committee. The committees' recommendations are forwarded to the General Assembly's Committee on Management and Budget, which includes all Member States, which reviews the budget again. Finally, it is submitted to the General Assembly for final consideration and approval.
The main criterion used by the Member States in the General Assembly is the solvency of the country. Solvency is determined on the basis of gross national product (GNP) and a number of adjustments, including adjustments for external debt and per capita income.
29. United Nations: history of creation, goals and principles. Structure and content of the UN Charter
The UN was created during the Second World War, when humanity was seriously thinking about how to prevent such terrible wars in the future.
On August 14, 1941, US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and United Kingdom Prime Minister Winston Churchill signed a document where they pledged to "work together with other free peoples both in war and in peace." The set of principles for international cooperation in the maintenance of peace and security was subsequently called the Atlantic Charter. The first contours of the UN were drawn at the Washington Conference at meetings held in September - October 1944, where the United States, the United Kingdom, the USSR and China agreed on the goals, structure and functions of the future organization. On April 25, 1945, delegates from 50 countries gathered in San Francisco for the United Nations Conference and adopted a Charter consisting of 19 chapters and 111 articles. On October 24, the Charter was ratified by the five permanent members of the Security Council, by a majority of signatory states, and entered into force. Since then, October 24 int. calendar is called United Nations Day.
The UN is the most authoritative universal int. intergovernmental organization. UN - universal int. organization created to maintain peace and international. security and development of cooperation between states. The UN Charter is binding on all states.
UN goals.
Support int. peace and security.
To develop friendly relations among nations on the basis of respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.
Carry out international cooperation in resolving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems.
To be a center for coordinating the actions of nations in the pursuit of these common goals.
UN principles:
Sovereign equality of all its members;
Conscientious fulfillment of obligations under the Charter;
Permission intl. disputes by peaceful means;
Renunciation of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state;
Ensuring that non-member states of the UN act in accordance with the principles of the UN, when necessary to maintain international peace \l security;
Non-intervention in the internal affairs of states;
Respect for fundamental human rights and freedoms;
Equality and self-determination of peoples;
cooperation and disarmament.
The main organs of the UN are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Secretariat and the International Court of Justice.
The structure and content of the UN Charter: the purposes and principles of the UN; members of the organization; bodies, peaceful resolution of disputes; action against a threat to peace; self-governing territories; regional agreements; int. guardianship system.
30. UN General Assembly. United Nations Security Council. Economic and Social Council of the United Nations
General Assembly (GA)- the most representative body of the UN, has the widest competence. GA is a democratic body. Each member, regardless of the size of the territory, population, economic and military power, has one vote. Decisions on important issues are taken by a 2/3 majority of the GA members present and voting. Non-member states of the UN, having permanent observers at the UN (Vatican, Switzerland) and not having them, can take part in the work of the GA. The GA is headed by the Secretary General.
Competence.
Discusses any questions or matters within the Charter.
Examines the general principles of cooperation in the maintenance of peace, including the principle of disarmament, and makes appropriate recommendations.
Considers any questions related to the maintenance of peace.
Promotes international cooperation in the political field and the progressive development of the MP and its codification.
Forms UN bodies, receives reports from them on their activities.
Together with the Security Council elects a member of the Int. court.
Security Council consists of 15 members: 5 permanent - Russia, China, France, Great Britain, USA - and 10 non-permanent - elected by the GA for a period of 2 years. It has the primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security. The Council acts on behalf of the UN member states and is the main executive body of the UN, it is assigned the main role in the peaceful resolution of disputes. Decisions on procedural matters in the Council are taken by a majority of 9 votes. For other issues, a majority of 9 votes is required, but this number must include the votes of the permanent members.
Competence.
Monitoring the implementation of UN principles by states.
Preparation of plans for the regulation of weapons.
Determination of the presence of a threat to the peace, violation of the peace or acts of aggression.
Economic and Social Council(ECOSOC) - is responsible for the implementation of the functions set out in Chapter IX of the UN Charter. Consists of 5 members elected annually by the GA for a period of three years.
Competence.
Undertakes research and reports on int. issues in the field of economy, social sphere, culture, education, health care and similar areas. \
Concludes agreements with specialized institutions and coordinates their activities, receives reports from them.
Liaises with non-governmental int. organizations.
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