United NationsTroy High School

World Studies

Background

• Atlantic Charter (1941) – Roosevelt & Churchill seek to establish a “system of general security”.

• San Francisco Conference (1945) – 50 Nations met and agreed on the UN Charter.

• Headquarters in New York City.

United Nations vs. League of Nations

• Stronger executive powers assumed by the Security Council

• Requirement that member states should make available armed forces to serve as peace-keepers or to repel an aggressor.

Purposes

• To keep peace throughout the world.

• To develop friendly relations between nations.

• Promote respect for human rights w/o distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion

• Encourage international cooperation to solve economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems.

Organization of the UN

General Assembly• Consists of all UN member nations and

each has one vote.

• Discuss international problems.

• Elect members to other branches.

• Approve budgets

• UN amendments must be passed with a 2/3 vote

Committee’s within the G.A.

• First Committee - Disarmament and International Security

• Second Committee - Economic and Financial• Third Committee - Social, Humanitarian and Cultural• Fourth Committee - Special Political and

Decolonization• Fifth Committee - Administrative and Budgetary• Sixth Committee - Legal

Security Council• 15 Total Members, 5 Permanent.

1. United States

2. Great Britain

3. France

4. Russia

5. China (Taiwan until 1971)

• The 10 nonpermanent serve 2 year terms.

Security Council Cont…

• Investigates disputes that endanger world peace.

• Recommends peace settlements.

• Can call the UN to take economic or military action.

Secretariat• Headed by Secretary General

(Ban Ki-moon)• Administers peacekeeping• Mediates international

disputes• Informs media about the work

of the UN• Organizes international

conferences

International Court of Justice

• Settles legal disputes between countries.

Pending Cases1. Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of

Genocide(Bosnia and Herzegovina v. Serbia and Montenegro) 

2. Gabcíkovo-Nagymaros Project (Hungary/Slovakia) 

3. Ahmadou Sadio Diallo (Republic of Guinea v. Democratic Republic of Congo) 

4. Armed activities on the territory of the Congo (Democratic Republic of Congo v. Uganda) 

5. Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide         (Croatia v. Serbia and Montenegro)      

6. Maritime Delimitation between Nicaragua and Honduras in the Caribbean Sea (Nicaragua v. Honduras)      

7. Territorial and Maritime Dispute (Nicaragua v. Colombia) 

8. Frontier Dispute (Benin/Niger) 

9. Armed Activities on the Territory of the Congo (New Application : 2002) (Democratic Republic of the Congo v. Rwanda) 

10. Certain Criminal Proceedings in France (Republic of the Congo v. France) 

11. Sovereignty over Pedra Branca/Pulau Batu Puteh, Middle Rocks and South Ledge(Malaysia/Singapore) 

12. Maritime Delimitation in the Black Sea (Romania v. Ukraine)

Economic and Social Council

• 54 Members, each have 3 year terms

• The Council serves as the central forum for discussing international economic and social issues.

Major Actions Taken by the UN

• Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Provides food and medicine to needy children. Also provides training for mothers!

• Declaration of Human Rights – All humans are born free and equal and are entitled to…– Civil Rights (Speech/Religion/Assembly)

– Legal Rights (Fair Trial)

– Economic Rights (Employment/Labor Unions)

– Social Rights (Education/Culture)

Actions Cont…

• Genocide Convention – Nazis/Jewish

• War-Crimes Tribunals – Bosnia/Rwanda

• Law of Sea Convention – Borders extend 12 miles off the coast.

• Earth Summit – Protection of Environment/Global Warming

Accomplishments!!!• Deploying more than 35 peace-keeping

missions. There are presently 16 active peace-keeping forces in operation.

• Credited with negotiating 172 peaceful settlements that have ended regional conflicts

• Has helped minimize the threat of a nuclear war by inspecting nuclear reactors in 90

• Improving education in developing countries 60% of adults in developing countries can now read and write, and 80 percent of children in these countries attend school

More Accomplishments!!!• Safeguarding and preserving historic

cultural and architectural sites protected through the efforts of UNESCO, and international conventions have been adopted to preserve cultural property

• Limiting deforestation and promoting sustainable forestry development in 90 countries

• More than 30 million refugees fleeing war, famine or persecution have received aid from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

THE END!!!