Overview of the UN

By: Sonja Agata Bian

The First World War was followed by the establishment of the League of Nations in 1919. At the time, the
most powerful states realized that they could not pursue living in isolation and that threats, violation of
human rights existing in other parts of the world, as well as the widespread injustice between two or more
states, should no longer be ignored, as it can affect the community on an international scale.
The League of Nations could be considered UNs predecessor, as UN is a similar, yet more advanced
attempt to settle major disputes in a nonviolent way and preserve world peace and security.
Six years after the Second World War started, in San Francisco, on 26 June of 1945 the Charter of the
United Nations was signed. It came into force on 24 October 1945. It could be of value to mention that
less than two months after it was signed, there were bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and, at the
same time, the Agreement on the International Military Tribunal for the Punishment of War Criminals, that
took part in London, was signed.
Those events together, raised awareness of the necessity to create a new peaceful common ground.
Some of the goals (articles) mentioned in the Charter, consisted of: maintaining international peace and
security (Article 1.1); developing friendly relations between the states and respecting equal rights (Article
1.2), demising colonial systems and promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all
persons (Articles 1.3, 55), etc.
The Article 2.4 of the Charter, prohibited use or threat of force, and granted to the Security Council the
right to take sanctions if that rule wouldnt be obeyed. Unlike of the League of Nations and other similar
organizations prior to the establishment of UN, UNs Charter prohibited not only war, but any threat of
using the military force.
The UN has six principal organs: the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social
Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat.
The Security Council is the organ whose main responsibility is maintaining international peace and
security. It has the authority to act on behalf of all members of the UN. Its first session was held at Church
House, Westminster in London in 1946, and ever since then (with the exception of its sessions abroad), in
UN Headquarters in New York City. It has 15 members, 5 of which are permanent and 10 of which are
not. It was deliberately designed to be small, to make decision- making process more efficient and so that
it could be facilitated more easily. The five permanent members (P-5) are the United States, Great Britain,
France, Russia and the Peoples Republic of China. Each of them has veto power. The ten nonpermanent
members (originally 6) are elected for two- year terms. The council presidency rotates among all
members on a monthly basis.
Its functioning changed over the years, and so did its credibility and prestige. The more frequent decisionmaking under Chapter VII of the Charter, since 1987, authorizing more enforcement actions, such as
sanctions; or the fact USA and NATO decided to take military actions against Iraq in 2003, without SC
approval, raised serious questions regarding SCs legitimacy and authority. Meanwhile, it experienced its
necessary reforms in order to retain the credibility. In 1987, it had 49 meetings, and in 2004 more than

225. However, its important to point out that, even though, the Security Council is given a lot of formal
power, it does not have the direct control over the means in order to use it. While its independent work is
not questionable, it shares a number of responsibilities with the General Assembly.
General Assembly is the main representative organ of the UN, in which all of UNs 193 Member States
are represented, according to the formula of one- state/ one- vote. It meets annually in September for the
GA session and general debate. It has important elective functions. The decisions on peace and security,
admission of new members and budget require a two- thirds majority, while those on less important
matters, a simple majority.
Its responsible for coordinating and supervising subsidiary bodies, but, unlike the Security Council, has
only the power to make a recommendation to members, and not to make the decision on behalf of them.
On the other hand, at times, it can undertake initiatives in peace and security matters if the SC cannot.
And it happened, for instance, in emergency special sessions, when the SC was deadlocked by veto.
It elects its President once a year.
Another UNs primary organ is the Economic and Social Council. It has 54 members and is responsible
for coordination, policy review and dialogue, as well as recommendations on social, economic and
environmental issues. It promotes sustainable development.
Trusteeship Council is an organ established to supervise the administration of Trust Territories and so that
it would ensure that Governments act in accordance to their administrative responsibilities.
Furthermore, there is International Court of Justice, whose fifteen judges are appointed by the GA. It is
the main judicial organ of UN and its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague. It engages in settling legal
disputes, and issues decisions following the rules of international law. The ICJ has non-compulsory
jurisdiction, meaning that the parties (states) must all agree to submit a case to the court; it has no
executive power to enforce its decisions and there is no police. The enforcement depends on the
voluntary compliance of states; their perception of ICJ and the need/ will to respect decisions made under
international law.
The sixth organ that is to be described in this report is the Secretariat. It lists tens of thousands of
international UN staff members and the Secretary- General. The Secretariat is responsible for collecting
statistical data, issuing studies and reports, preparing documentation and meetings, providing translations
of debates etc. The Secretary- General is the chief administrative officer and global diplomat,
recommended by SC and appointed by GA, for a renewable five- year term.
All of the UNs primary organs support each other, in terms of, following the greater goals, most of which,
if not all, were mentioned when envisioning, creating and signing the Charter in 1945.
Of course, promoting nonviolence in a violent world is neither simple nor pleasant, and most certainly,
does not always result in the existence of ultimate international security, respect and peace.
However, considering the fact that, after over 70 years of its establishment and many more since the idea
of promoting international peace occurred in the first place, the UN still exists, and on a scale larger than
ever; the work, ideas behind it, and its mere existence, should speak for itself, when questioning the UNs
structure and importance.

Sources:
A.Cassese- International Law (2nd Edition, 2005, Oxford University Press Inc., New York), p1-10; 20-39
K. A. Mingst and M. P. Karns, The United Nations in the 21st Century (3rd Edition, 2007, Westview Press,
Boulder, Colorado), p39-44; 317-331
Charter of the United Nations, http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/index.shtml
United Nations, Main Organs, http://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/main-organs/index.html
United Nations, Security Council http://www.un.org/en/sc/about/
United Nations, Trusteeship Council http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/trusteeship.shtml
United Nations, General Assembly http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/index.shtml
United Nations, Economic and Social Council http://www.un.org/en/ga/about/index.shtml
United Nations, Secretariat http://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/secretariat.html