What Is the United Nations?
The U.N.’s founding charter mandates four ambitious purposes: The charter’s mandates are established for these ends:
Practice tolerance and live in peace with one another as good neighborsUnite our strength to maintain international peace and securityArmed force shall not be used except for the common interestPromote economic and social advancement of everyone
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
The U.N. has 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs). These goals center around a shared vision, principles, values, and goals that help people and the planet through strong global cooperation and inclusive partnerships. Poverty: End poverty in all forms, especially by protecting children and vulnerable population groups Zero Hunger: Boosting agricultural productivity and sustainable food production to fight hunger Health: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for those of all ages, which includes providing access to doctors, eradicating disease, improving sanitation, and hygiene Education: Increasing access at all levels to education and school enrollment Gender Equality: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls Water and Sanitation: Ensure access to sanitation and water for everyone Energy: Enable access to affordable, sustainable, and reliable modern energy Economic Growth: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth as well as decent employment Infrastructure and Industrialization: Promote sustainable industrialization, infrastructure, and foster innovation Inequality: Decrease inequality within all countries Cities: Ensure that cities are safe, resilient, sustainable, and inclusive Consumption and Production: Ensure sustainable consumption and production to reduce the destructive impact on the planet, particularly from harvesting natural resources Climate: Take urgent action to fight climate change and its impact on the world Oceans: Conserve and sustainably use the seas, oceans, and marine resources by reducing overfishing, acidification of the oceans, and marine pollution Biodiversity, Forests, and Desertification: Stop biodiversity loss, manage forests, fight desertification and land degradation Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions: Promote peaceful, just, and inclusive societies Partnerships: Revitalize the international collaboration for sustainable development
How the UN Is Organized
The main parts of the U.N. are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat. The General Assembly is composed of representatives of all member states. It creates the mandates that guide the day-to-day work of the boards and councils under it. The General Assembly meeting lasts for several weeks in September of each year, and it gives world leaders a chance to come together and form working relationships. The Security Council is the most powerful U.N. unit. Its mandate is to keep the peace. The five permanent members are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The General Assembly also elects ten non-permanent members that hold two-year terms. All U.N. members must comply with Security Council decisions, and the Council sends peace-keeping forces to restore order when needed. The Council can impose economic sanctions or an arms embargo to pressure countries that don’t comply, and it authorizes the U.N.’s members to take military action if needed. The Economic and Social Council conducts analysis, agrees on global norms, and advocates for progress in the areas of sustainable development, humanitarian work, and financial development. It forms partnerships as needed and oversees joint U.N. action to address related issues. The International Court of Justice is located at the Hague in the Netherlands. It settles legal disputes between countries. The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the organization. It has several departments and offices that carry out distinct responsibilities. The Security Council nominates its leader, the Secretary-General.
How the UN Works
The U.N. is not a government and has no right to make binding laws. Instead, it uses the power of persuasion. The U.N. committees negotiate multilateral agreements that give more teeth to its policies. Combined, they form a body of international law. All nations contribute to the U.N. budget, so they each have a part in funding U.N.-specific initiatives. Every member votes in the General Assembly meeting, so the U.N.’s decisions reflect the prevailing values and goals of the majority of its members. Thus, countries that don’t comply know they are in the minority.
Members
There are 193 members of the U.N. The United States recognizes 195 countries. The two that aren’t U.N. members are Kosovo and the Holy See. Kosovo, which seceded from Serbia, does not have support from enough member countries since it’s still not recognized by some as an independent nation. The Holy See has not applied for membership, although it has “permanent observer” status. Notably, the U.N. made Palestine a “non-member observer state” status, even though the United States considers it to be part of Israel. China replaced Taiwan, which it now considers a province. All peace-loving countries that are willing and able to carry out their obligations under the U.N. charter can join the U.N. Nine of the fifteen members of the Security Council must approve without any of the five permanent members voting against membership. Then, two-thirds of the General Assembly must also approve the membership.
History
On October 24, 1945, the first 50 nations who were members of the U.N. ratified its charter. U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) lobbied for the U.N.’s creation even during World War II. In the Declaration of the United Nations, the Allies pledged to work together to stop the Axis. The four major Allies were the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and China. FDR’s administration worked with Congress to create a U.N. charter that had its support. President Harry Truman continued the effort after FDR’s death. On June 26, 1945, the members created the U.N. Charter at the San Francisco Conference. Truman made sure that Congress ratified it right away. The United Nations is the second attempt at a global peace initiative. In 1919, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson pushed for the League of Nations after World War I. The United States was not a member. Congress refused to ratify membership, fearing that it would pull the United States into countless wars. Many felt the League failed because it could not prevent the outbreak of World War II.
Other UN Organizations and How They Influence the World
Within the U.N., there are some well-known agencies that carry on its work. The International Atomic Energy Agency helps to prevent nuclear proliferation and possible annihilation by a worldwide nuclear war. Below are several other U.N. system organizations and their functions:
The United Nations Climate Change secretariat manages the global response to the threat of climate change. The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization addresses world hunger, human rights, and sustainable development through education and promoting inclusive knowledge. The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund focuses on the protection and care of the world’s children. The World Bank provides financial and technical assistance to emerging market countries. The World Health Organization monitors disease outbreaks and assesses the performance of health systems. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) supports countries’ efforts to stop human and drug trafficking, organized crime, terrorism, and corruption. These global issues are challenging for one member nation to handle on their own. As a result, the UNODC provides data and research through its global programs and field offices.
