MADAN YADAV

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE,MAC

AN HISTORICAL OVERVIEW

 The United Nations is an international institution founded in 1945.

 It is currently made up of 193 Member States.
 The UN is an association of sovereign states who have bound themselves by
a charter to maintain global peace and security.
 UN is an instrumentality which the victorious nations in Second World
War established in 1945 having view several high goals and aspirations.
 The UN is a political experiment on the largest possible scale and of
the greatest complexity and difficulty after WW-II in global politics.
 The Delegates of 50 governments convened on April 25, 1945 in the
Opera House in San Francisco, they expected to create a new world
organization.
 League of Nations emerged from the First World War, so the United
Nations is product of the Second World War.
 League of Nation was the brain child of the President Woodrow Wilson of the
U.S, which was based on the 14 points.
 League of Nation was founded in 1919, it was assumed that all of the states in
the world would join and membership would be universal.
 Both the failure to obtain universality of membership and unwillingness of some
states to renounce war as a means of policy conflicted with the fundamental
principles of league.
 League lacked the cooperation of some of the major powers.
 The next major step towards international organistaion consisted of of a joint
declaration by the adherence to the ‘Atlantic Charter’, plus China, Poland,
Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, and some Latin American states.
 Signed by 26 governments, this” Declaration of the United Nations” stated
that the Atlantic Charter would be viewed as a common programme for the
allied states.
 Its signatories pledged to give each other full support in the war efforts and
not to conclude a separate peace or armistice.
 Groping towards the details of new international institutions intensified
during 1943. The “ Declaration of Moscow” by foreign ministers of US,
UK, and Soviet Union as significant step, it was later signed by China.
 The new international organistaion got focal point at the “Tehran
Conference, 1943. This was attended by Churchill, Stalin, and Roosevelt.
 “Dumbarton Oask Conference” (Washington), the most significant planning
effort took place from August to October 1944. During this conference,
where plans made in the U.S Department of State furnished the basis of
discussion, the principles of the United Nations.
 Today, We know as ‘United Nations’ , were formulated and approved by
the U.S, the UK, the USSR and China.
“Yalta Conference” in February 1945, agreed to a system of trusteeship. It
was dealt by Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin.
 The United Nations Conference on International Organization opened on
25th April 1945, in San Francisco and ended on 26 July 1945, with
agreement on the United Nations Charter, the constitutional document of
the new institution.
 The United Nation is global organization and has different organs and a
number of specialized agencies. The purposes of the UN, as given in the
Charter in Artcle-1 are four, -:
 Maintenance of international peace and security
 Development of the friendly relations among nations
 International cooperation in solving problems of economic, social, cultural
and humanitarian character, promotion and encouragement of respect for
human rights and fundamental freedom, and
 Centre for harmonizing the action of nations to achieve the above ends.
 The United Nation is global organization and has different organs and a number

of specilaised agencies, all of which will be found in ultimate analysis directly

and indirectly contributing towards the maintenance of world peace. The
purposes of the UN, as given in the Charter in Artcle-1 are four,

 Maintenance of international peace and security

 Development of the friendly relations among nations

 International cooperation in solving problems of economic, social, cultural and

humanitarian character, promotion and encouragement of respect for human

rights and fundamental freedom, and
 Centre for harmonizing the action of nations to achieve the above ends.
PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES

 The power realities of the post war were reflected in the UNO in 1945, at the same time
as the Charter purposes and principles allowed for living institution to adopt itself to
dynamic world. It was bipolar world led by US and USSR had agreed to cooperate
through prescriptions of documents which reflected the traditional concert system.

 The first declared objective of the UN is ‘to save succeeding generations from the
scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind’ and
towards this end ‘to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security, and to
ensure, by the acceptance of principles and institution of methods, that armed forces shall
not be used, save in common interests……’ To attain these goals, the Charter laid down
some prescriptions and set up an enforcement machinery…….B.S Murty.
STRUCTURES AND FUNCTIONS
 The main organs of the UN are the General Assembly, The Security

Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, The
International Court of Justice and the UN Secretariat. All were established
in 1945.All specialized agencies ILO,UNESCO, WHO, UNICEF, UNDP,
UNEP,UNHCHR and the UN program and funds.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
 Every member of the UN has a seat and one vote in the General Assembly.

It hold regular sessions each year between September, and many meet at the
other times in special or emergency session.
 According to Article 10 of the Charter, the General Assembly may discuss

any matter within scope of the Charter, itself broad constitutional

document, or matters relating to the powers and functions of any other
organ including maintenance of international peace and security, Budgetary
matters and admission of new members etc.
SECURITY COUNCIL
It has 5 permanent members (P-5) (US, UK, France, Russia, and
China) and 10 non permanent members.
Under UN charter, Permanent members have primary responsibility
to maintain global peace and security.
The Security Council has both conciliatory and coercive powers.
 Article 33 has provided privilege to try to find settlement by means
of negotiations, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial
settlement, or regional organizations as well as other peaceful means
of their choice.
 Under Chapter VI of the Charter, the Security Council may help in
such conciliatory efforts and may take initiatives in making
recommendations for settlements when a dispute is put before it as
an issue that, if not resolved , may threaten to peace.
 The Security Council may legally take stronger action under Chapter VII
of the Charter.
 It may recommended provisional measures or move directly to call on

member states to apply diplomatic and economic sanctions (Article 40 and

41).
 The Veto power –P-5 has veto power
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL

 It is principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue, and

recommendation on economic, social and environmental issues.
 It has 54 members, elected by General Assembly for overlapping three
years terms.
 ECOSOC has very broad jurisdiction related to the general welfare, and the
underlying conditions of peace.
 It has power to make recommendations to the UN members, other
organizations,, and to the specialized agencies associated with the UN.
 It reports to the General Assembly annually, and send most of its
resolutions to that organ for approval.
 ECOSOC has right to initiate the formation of new international

organizations to promote the general welfare and it intended to coordinate

the work of such specialized agencies, including some of that had been
founded under the auspices of the League of Nations.
 It concludes agreements with such agencies as Food and Agriculture

Organization (FAO) and WHO.

 It is also UN’s central platform for reflection, debate, innovative thinking

on sustainable development.
THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
 International Court of Justice established by the Charter of the
United Nations as the principal judicial organ.
 Its seat is at the Peace Palace in Hague(Netherland).
 It began work in 1946, when it replaced the Permanent Court of
International Justice which had functioned in the Peace Palace
since 1922.
 The Court has dual role: to settle in accordance with international
law the legal disputes submitted to it by states , and to give
advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly
authorized international organs and agencies.
 The Court is composed of 15 judges elected to nine years terms of
office by the United Nations General Assembly and Security
Council sitting independently of each other.
 Elections are held every three years for one third of the seats.
 Members of the Court do not represent their government but are
independent magistrates.
INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION

 ILO is special organization of the UN that regulates labor

relations.
 The ILO was created in the 1919, as part of the Treaty of
Versailles that ended WW-I, based in Geneva since 1920.
 ILO is devoted to promoting Social Justice and internationally
recognized human and labor rights.
 The main objectives are:-
 Promote and realize standards and fundamental principles and
right at work
 Create greater opportunities for women and men to decent
employment and income.
 Strengthen tripartism and social dialogue.
 UNESCO
 UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, is specialized agency of the United Nation System
that promotes collaboration among members countries,
 Its Constitution stated that “Since wars begin in the minds of men,
it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be
constructed”.
 The constitution was adopted by London Conference in
November 1945, and entered into effect on the 4th November
1946 when 20 states had deposited instruments of acceptance. Its
headquarters in Paris.
 The main objective of UNESCO is to contribute to peace and
security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations
through education, science, culture, and communication in order
to further universal respect for justice and rule of law and for the
human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for
the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex,
language or religion.
 WHO
 When diplomats met to form UN in 1945, one of the things they
discussed was setting up global health organization. WHO’s
constitution came into force on 7th April 1948- a date celebrate
every year as World Health Day.
 WHO is working in more than 150 country offices, in 6 regional
offices and headquarter based in Geneva.
 “Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well
being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”-WHO
Constitution.
 The overall objectives and goals of WHO are :-
 Human survival and healthy livelihoods are the ultimate goal and
true measures of success of humanitarian assistance.
 To restore the delivery and access to preventive and curative
health care quickly as possible and in the sustainable manner.
 UNICEF

 UNICEF, United Nations International Children Emergency Fund

is one of best noted global institution as a well administered,
streamlined organization of the UNO.
 UNICEF was established by the General Assembly in 1946, to
provide special aid to children, who has suffered from WW-II.
 UNICEF supports governments and civil society in some 155
countries to implement UN Convention on the Rights of Child
and other global standards, headquarter based in New York.
 UNICEF’s rule of law work includes support to child rights
legislative reforms, justice for children, disarmament,
demobilization, and reintegration of children associated with
armed forces and armed groups.; monitoring and reporting of
grave violations against children as per Security Council
resolution 1612; and protection against abuse, exploitation, and
violence including trafficking and sexual and gender based
violence etc.
 UNDP

 UNDP-United Nations Developing Programme is the UN’s global

development network- an organization advocating for change and
connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help
people to build a better life.
 UNDP works to assist national counterparts on their own solutions to
global and national development challenges, considering rule of law an
indispensible factor for the enhancement of human development
challenges and reduction of conflict, poverty and insecurity.
 UNDP has focused on the supporting strategic planning for successful
justice and security reforms, including through developing guidance on
assessing needs and capacities and measuring impacts.
 UNDP’s global programme ‘Accelerating Access to justice for human
development (lunched in 2009) focus on strengthening nad expanding
UNDP’s ongoing engagements and contribution to rule of law and access
to justice services particularly for poor and vulnerable people.
 UNEP

 As a result of the Stockholm Conference (1972), the General Assembly

established the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) to
monitor significant changes in environmental practices.
 The UNEP is leading global environmental authority that sets the global
environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the
environmental dimension of sustainable development within United
Nations system.
 It headquarter in Nairobi.
 UNEP played a major role in making ozone protection. Environmental
policy is immensely complicated
 The main goals of UNEP –to provide leadership and encourage
partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and
enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without
compromising that of future generations.
 UNEP focus in the filed of Climate change, Disaster sand Conflicts, Eco
system managements, Environmental governance, minimize the impacts
of Chemical & Waste, Resource efficiency and Green Economy
Initiatives (GEI).
 UNHCR

 UNHCR –The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugee was established on 14th December 1950 by UN General
Assembly.
 It was positive outcome to creation of international standard for the
treatment of human beings around the world.
 Concern with human rights became an integral part of the new United
Nations System. The UN made its first milestone step of practical
implications of human rights with adoption of the Universal declaration
of Human Rights on 10 December 1948.
 The main objectives of UNHCR is to safeguard the rights and well
beings of refugee. Using 1951 Geneva Refugee Convention as its major
tool to ensure the international protection of uprooted people worldwide.
 UNHCR promotes international Refugee agreements, helps states
established asylum structures and acts as an international watchdog over
refugee issues.
PEACE KEEPING, PEACE MAKING,AND ENFORCEMENT AND
PEACE BUILDING AND RESPONSBILTY TO PROTECT

 There has been a tacit transition from the concept of collective

security, as set out in Chapter VII of the UN Charter to a more
realistic idea of peace keeping. The idea that conventional
military methods or, to put it bluntly, war can be used by or on
behalf of the United Nations to counter aggression and secure
peace, seems now to be rather impractical”.( UN Secretary
General U. Thant, 1963).

 The UN represents an attempt to create the most effective

instrument ever designed to maintain international peace and
security. Peacekeeping operation make up part of what
Hammarskjold called “preventive diplomacy”. Peacekeeping
involves interventions by the UN in conflicts that were marginal
to Cold War and also continued in the different part of the world
after post Cold War era.
 Peace keeping operations are operations of a military, Para

military or non military character, which are to be conducted by

UN for maintenance of international peace and security with the
exception of enforcement action under Chapter VII. These
operations undertaken at the invitation of and with the consent of
the parties to the crisis. There is no obligation on other member
states to give contributions in the form of personnel or money.

 Uniting for peace resolution was first applied to the Korean Issue

that impelled its creation. The peacekeeping forces grew out of

the ‘Swez crises in 1956.
MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALs

 MDGs- The leaders of 189 countries signed the historic millennium declaration at

the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, at that time eight goals that called MDGs
with measurable target and clear deadlines for improving lives of the world’s
poorest people.

 The 8 MDGs were set to target achievement date of 2015 – 1)Eradicate Extreme

Poverty and Hunger, 2) Achieve Universal Primary Education, 3)Promote Gender

Equality and Empower Women, 4) Reduce Child Mortality, 5) Improve Maternal
Health,

6) Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, 7) Ensure Environmental

Sustainability and 8) Develop a global partnership for development.
 The Programe were formulated at the country level to adress

national MDG and related development priorities that form part of

the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), the
common strategic framework that guides operational activities of
the UN system at the country level.
 More than 25 UN Agencies were involved in the formulation and

implementation of MDGs joint Programme. This methodology

stimulated more effective and comprehensive approach that build
on the value added of each specialized Agencies.
MAJOR GLOBAL CONFLICTS SINCE WW-II

KOREAN WAR

VIETNAM WAR

AFGHANISTAN WAR

BALKANS: SERBIA AND BOSNIA

 KOREAN WAR

 Korean War (1950-1953) was the first major armed clash.

 The Invasion of South Korea by North Korea was the first
international crisis since the WW-II and the first crisis since the
United Nations was created.
 The Korean War set the precedent for future disputes and credible
future role of UN.
 UN Security Council passed the Korean resolution but China
more than USSR encouraged North Korea to go to war. However
they perceived war differently.
 The Security Council had decided under Article 39 that a breach
of the peace had occurred and called upon North Korea to
withdraw its forces.
 But, in reality it was the President Truman planned to send
American troops to support South Korea without approval of
Congress.
 China, USSR and US were sending military aid before the UN
resolution. US was sending more aid to South Korea than USSR
and China together .
 Resolution was passed due to Britain and France supported to US.
but, China, North Korea and US were really pro war.

 It is interesting facts that USSR did not veto the UN resolution

calling for measures against Korea, especially Stalin did not
war(Khruschchev claimed later) . This shows that his contempt for
the UN was greater than his desire to avoid war.

 The Soviet Union and US were already supplying Korea before

resolution was passed. therefore, situation was very dangerous
because of this ,and as the League of Nation had proved the
international organization was not important for countries!
 VIETNAM WAR

 The Vietnam war was the longest and most unpopular war.
 The Vietnam war was protracted and bloody. The Hanoi govt.
estimates that in 21 years of fighting , 4 million civilian killed
across North and South Vietnam, and 1.1 million Communist
fighter died.
 The period that American refers to as the “Vietnam War” – and
Vietnamese calls the “American War” –was the US military
interventions from 1965 to 1973.
 U.S was driven by Cold War concerns about the ideological
pattern of communism, particularly “Domino Theory” – idea that
if one Asian nation fell to the leftist ideology, others would
quickly follow.
 The resolution was never passed on Vietnam War in UN
Security Council, as both China and US has no respect for UN.
 AFGHANISTAN WAR

 Afghanistan hit world headlines in 1979.

 Russian paratroops landed in Kabul on 25th December 1979, installing puppet
regime.
 Babrak Kamal installed as ruler, backed by USSR. But, opposition intensifies
with various mujahedeen fighting Soviet forces.
 US, China, Pakistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia supply money and arms to
mujahedeen in Afghanistan in early1980s.
 U.S begins supplying ‘Stinger Missiles’ to rebel mujahedeen, enabling them
to shoot down Soviet helicopter gunships. Barack Kamal replaced by
Najibullah as head of Soviet backed regime.
 UN Security Council consider a response to Soviet intervention, but draft
resolution was not passed ,because USSR used ‘Veto’ in early 1980.
 UN General Assembly held an Emergency Special Session on Afghnaistan
from 10th January to 14 January 1980.
 UN General Assembly adopted a series of resolutions for end of
the conflict throughout 1980s.
 UN General Assembly also began separate consideration of
human rights situations in Afghanistan in 1985. The first annual
resolution on human rights and fundamental freedoms in
Afghanistan was adopted on 13 December 1985. (resolution
40/137).

 USSR, Afghanistan, US and Pakistan signed peace accord and

USSR begins pulling out in 1988.
 Red Army (Soviet troops) leave in 1989, but civil war continues.

 Najibullah’s government toppled , but devastating civil war

follows in Afghanistan in 1992.
 BALKANS: SERBIA AND BOSNIA

 The formor Yugoslavia was torn by a brutal war (1991-1995) between

the different ethnic groups contending for dominance in a post
Communist world.
 It was civil war between Orthodox Serbs, Catholic Croats, and Muslim
Bosniacs.
 The War started because the Bosnian Croats wanted to live in Croatia,
the Bosnian Muslims in a sovereign Bosnia, and the Bosnian Serbs in
Serbia, the number of people in each ethnic group that wanted and wants
otherwise is negligible.
 The failure of the UN to stop killing in Bosnia seriously compromised
its credibility as its 50th anniversary in 1995.
 The UN already had UNPROFOR (United Nation Protection Force)
troops in Sarajevo at the outset of war because it was their base of
operation for the UN mission in Croatia.
 The UN hoped that their presence would discourage the spread of
conflicts from Croatia to Bosnia. But, when Sarajevo came under attack
by Serb artillery in April 1992,the UN forces pulled out to avoid
causalities., leaving behind only a small and lightly armed contingent
‘peacekeepers’ to discourage the attacks by Serbians nationalists. There
to was clearly no peace to keep.
 As the situation deteriorated , creating a humanitarian nightmare, the UN
struck a deal with the Serbs to control the Sarajevo airport. In reality, the
Serbs only allowed the UN to use the airport under de facto Serb control.
 The UN personnel were well aware of massive violations of human rights
and humanitarian law committed by Bosnians Serbs nationalist, yet did
nothing.
 Wrenching scenes were broadcast around the world showing hundreds
of emancipated men and women behind barbed wire, their eyes hollows
from hunger and despair. They never succeed in protecting civilians from
attack, the UN took seriously its obligation to investigate the war crimes,
genocides, and crime against –humanity in the former Yugoslavia and
established the ICJ.
UNO: REFORMS AND PROCESS OF REFORMS

 The UN is numero uno institution in global politics. The global scenario has
changed after Cold War in international relations.
 Change is inevitable process. Reforms is essential part of growth and dynamic
process of any credible global institutions
 The objectives of UN is the global cooperation. There is big scope for
democratic reforms and revitalization of UN system in 21st century.
 The attitudes of great powers i.e P-5 need to be taken into account because
whether or not the reforms involve formal charter amendments, the P-5 votes
in Security Council count.
 The quest foe efficiency, viability and cost effectiveness has been a
continuing process from the very inception of the UN system.
 The Demand for reforms and reorganization is need of hour in the era of
interdependence and interconnected world in 21st century.
 The objective analysis indicates that the framework of the UN is
based on the hard realities of international politics and not on
‘fallacious notions’ as an expert ignoramus would have us
believe.
 The International community, as represented in the UN , is
standing today at crossroads.
 Growing North –South conflict has significant impact on reforms
and reorganization of UNO.
 It is regrettable that most of the studies on the current crisis of the
UN system have failed to extend due recognisation of the real
questions- the equitable sharing of international economic
management etc.
 The crisis of the existing new global (dis) order is clearly
apparent. But , the shape of the new order is still out of sight?
 Privatized peacekeepers and outsourcing war have significantly
growing in international relations of global conflicts. But, the role
of UNO system is marginalized?
 THANK YOU