Role of the UN

1. Maintain International Peace and Security

The United Nations came into being in 1945, following the devastation of the Second
World War, with one central mission: the maintenance of international peace and security.
The UN does this by working to prevent conflict; helping parties in conflict make peace;
peacekeeping; and creating the conditions to allow peace to hold and flourish. These
activities often overlap and should reinforce one another, to be effective. The UN Security
Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security. The General
Assembly and the Secretary-General play major, important, and complementary roles,
along with other UN offices and bodies.

How does the UN maintain international peace and security?

Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation

The most effective way to diminish human suffering and the massive economic costs of conflicts
and their aftermath is to prevent conflicts in the first place. The United Nations plays an
important role in conflict prevention, using diplomacy, good offices and mediation. Among the
tools the Organization uses to bring peace are special envoys and political missions in the field.

Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist host
countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. Today's multidimensional
peacekeeping operations are called upon not only to maintain peace and security, but also to
facilitate political processes, protect civilians, assist in the disarmament, demobilization and
reintegration of former combatants; support constitutional processes and the organization of
elections, protect and promote human rights and assist in restoring the rule of law and extending
legitimate state authority. Peacekeeping operations get their mandates from the UN Security
Council; their troops and police are contributed by Members States; and they are managed by the
Department of Peacekeeping Operations and supported by the Department of Field Support at
the UN Headquarters in New York. There are 16 UN peacekeeping operations currently
deployed and there have been a total of 69 deployed since 1948.

Peacebuilding
United Nations peacebuilding activities are aimed at assisting countries emerging from conflict,
reducing the risk of relapsing into conflict and at laying the foundation for sustainable peace and
development. The UN peacebuilding architecture comprises the Peacebuilding Commission,
the Peacebuilding Fund and the Peacebuilding Support Office. The Peacebuilding Support Office
assists and supports the Peacebuilding Commission with strategic advice and policy guidance,

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administers the Peacebuilding Fund and serves the Secretary-General in coordinating United
Nations agencies in their peacebuilding efforts.

Countering Terrorism
The United Nations is being increasingly called upon to coordinate the global fight against
terrorism. Eighteen universal instruments against international terrorism have been elaborated
within the framework of the United Nations system relating to specific terrorist activities. In
September 2006, UN Member States adopted the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism
Strategy. This was the first time that Member States agreed to a common strategic and
operational framework against terrorism.

Disarmament
The General Assembly and other bodies of the United Nations, supported by the Office for
Disarmament Affairs, work to advance international peace and security through the pursuit of the
elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and the regulation of
conventional arms.

2. Promote Sustainable Development

From the start in 1945, one of the main priorities of the United Nations was to “achieve
international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social,
cultural, or humanitarian character and in promoting and encouraging respect for human
rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language,
or religion.” Improving people’s well-being continues to be one of the main focuses of
the UN. The global understanding of development has changed over the years, and
countries now have agreed that sustainable development – development that promotes
prosperity and economic opportunity, greater social well-being, and protection of the
environment – offers the best path forward for improving the lives of people everywhere.

Close to 40 per cent of the population of the developing world lived in extreme poverty only two
decades ago. Since then, the world has halved extreme poverty, with the UN’s Millennium
Development Goals greatly contributing to this progress. Recognizing the success of the MDGs,
and the need to complete the job of eradicating poverty, the UN adopted an ambitious 2030
Agenda for Sustainable Development. At the same time, as climate change poses a growing
challenge to the world’s development objectives, the UN supported negotiations to adopt a
meaningful and universal global climate agreement in 2015. The UN is also working to develop
a financing for development framework to ensure that both the sustainable development agenda
and climate action are properly resourced.

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3. Protect Human Rights

The term “human rights” was mentioned seven times in the UN's founding Charter,
making the promotion and protection of human rights a key purpose and guiding principle
of the Organization. In 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights brought human
rights into the realm of international law. Since then, the Organization has diligently
protected human rights through legal instruments and on-the-ground activities.

How does the UN promote and protect human rights?

High Commissioner for Human Rights

The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has lead responsibility
in the UN system for the promotion and protection of human rights. The office supports the
human rights components of peacekeeping missions in several countries, and has many country
and regional offices and centres. The High Commissioner for Human Rights regularly comments
on human rights situations in the world and has the authority to investigate situations and issue
reports on them.

Human Rights Council

The Human Rights Council, established in 2006, replaced the 60-year-old UN Commission on
Human Rights as the key independent UN intergovernmental body responsible for human rights.

Human Rights Treaty Bodies

The human rights treaty bodies are committees of independent experts that monitor
implementation of the core international human rights treaties

Special Procedures
The special procedures of the Human Rights Council are prominent, independent experts
working on a voluntary basis, who examine, monitor, publicly report and advise on human rights
from a thematic or country-specific perspective.

UNDG-HRM
The UN Development Group’s Human Rights Mainstreaming Mechanism (UNDG-HRM)
advances human rights mainstreaming efforts within the UN development system.

Special Advisers on the Prevention of Genocide and the Responsibility to Protect

The Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide acts as a catalyst to raise awareness of the
causes and dynamics of genocide, to alert relevant actors where there is a risk of genocide, and to
advocate and mobilize for appropriate action; the Special Adviser on the Responsibility to
Protect leads the conceptual, political, institutional and operational development of the
Responsibility to Protect.

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What legal instruments help the UN protect human rights?

The International Bill of Human Rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) was the first legal document protecting
universal human rights. Together with theInternational Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the three
instruments form the so-called International Bill of Human Rights. A series of international
human rights treaties and other instruments adopted since 1945 have expanded the body
of international human rights law.

Democracy
Democracy, based on the rule of law, is ultimately a means to achieve international peace and
security, economic and social progress and development, and respect for human rights – the three
pillars of the United Nations mission as set forth in the UN Charter. At the 2005 World Summit,
all the world’s governments reaffirmed “that democracy is a universal value based on the freely
expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems
and their full participation in all aspects of their lives” and stressed “that democracy,
development and respect for all human rights and fundamental freedoms are interdependent and
mutually reinforcing”. Democratic principles are woven throughout the normative fabric of the
United Nations. The 2009 Guidance Note on Democracy of the Secretary-General sets out the
United Nations framework for democracy based on universal principles, norms and standards
and commits the Organization to principled, coherent and consistent action in support of
democracy.

4. Upholding International Law

The UN Charter, in its Preamble, set an objective: "to establish conditions under which
justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of
international law can be maintained". Ever since, the development of, and respect for
international law has been a key part of the work of the Organization. This work is
carried out in many ways - by courts, tribunals, multilateral treaties - and by the Security
Council, which can approve peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, or authorize the use
of force when there is a threat to international peace and security, if it deems this
necessary. These powers are given to it by the UN Charter, which is considered an
international treaty. As such, it is an instrument of international law, and UN Member
States are bound by it. The UN Charter codifies the major principles of international
relations, from sovereign equality of States to the prohibition of the use of force in
international relations.

Settling Disputes Between States

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International Court of Justice
The principal judicial organ of the United Nations is theInternational Court of Justice (ICJ). This
main body of the UN settles legal disputes submitted to it by States in accordance with
international law. It also gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it from
authorized UN organs and specialized agencies. The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are
elected for terms of nine years by the General Assembly and the Security Council.

5. Deliver Humanitarian Aid

One of the purposes of the United Nations, as stated in its Charter, is "to achieve
international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social,
cultural, or humanitarian character." The UN first did this in the aftermath of the Second
World War on the devastated continent of Europe, which it helped to rebuild. The
Organization is now relied upon by the international community to coordinate
humanitarian relief operations due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the
relief capacity of national authorities alone.

OCHA and the UN system

The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) of the UN Secretariat is
responsible for coordinating responses to emergencies. It does this through the Inter-Agency
Standing Committee, whose members include the UN system entities most responsible for
providing emergency relief. A coordinated, system-wide approach to humanitarian relief is
essential in providing assistance quickly and efficiently to those in need.

The UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), managed by OCHA, is one of the fastest
and most effective ways to support rapid humanitarian response for people affected by natural
disasters and armed conflict. CERF receives voluntary contributions year-round to provide
immediate funding for life-saving humanitarian action anywhere in the world.

What key UN entities deliver humanitarian aid?

Four UN entities, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations
Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food
Programme (WFP) have primary roles in the delivery of relief assistance. UNDP is the agency
responsible for operational activities for natural disaster mitigation, prevention and preparedness.
When emergencies occur, UNDP Resident Coordinators coordinate relief and rehabilitation
efforts at the national level.

Helping refugees

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The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) emerged in the wake of World War II to help Europeans
displaced by that conflict. The agency leads and co-ordinates international action to protect
refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. The General Assembly created the United
Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to provide
emergency relief to some 750,000 Palestine refugees, who had lost their homes and livelihoods
as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict.

Helping Children
Since its beginning, The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) has strived to reach as many
children as possible with effective, low-cost solutions to counter the biggest threats to their
survival. UNICEF also consistently urges governments and warring parties to act more
effectively to protect children.

Feeding the Hungry

The World Food Programme (WFP) provides relief to millions of people, who are victims of
disasters. It is responsible for mobilizing food and funds for transport for all large-scale refugee-
feeding operations managed by UNHCR.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is often called on to help
farmers re-establish production following floods, outbreaks of livestock disease and similar
emergencies. The FAO Global Information and Early Warning System issues monthly reports on
the world food situation. Special alerts identify, for Governments and relief organizations,
countries threatened by food shortages.

Healing the Sick

The World Health Organization (WHO) coordinates the international response to humanitarian
health emergencies. WHO is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters,
shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based
policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health
trends. In the 21st century, health is a shared responsibility, involving equitable access to
essential care and collective defence against transnational threats.

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The League of Nations failed to maintain peace and the Second World War broke out in 1939.
The outbreak of the Second World War revealed to the world the weaknesses of the League of
Nations. It was felt that a much stronger international organisation should be created, if the world
was to have peace. The Second World War which broke out in 1939 came to an end in 1945.

The Atlantic charter:

Even before the end of the war, in August 1941, the U.S. President, Franklin Roosevelt, and the
British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, met on a battleship, ‘the Cruiser’, in the mid-Altantic
and drew up the Atlantic Charter which was released on 14 August, 1941.

The Charter had the following objectives:

(1) To maintain international peace and security;

(2) To encourage international cooperation in the spheres of social, economic and cultural
developments;

(3) To develop friendly relations among nations on principles of equal rights and self-
determination;

(4) To recognise the fundamental rights of all people.

United Nations declaration or the Washington declaration:

On 1 January, 1942, representatives of 26 Allied countries met in Washington and signed a

Declaration of United Nations. The signatories endorsed the principles of the Atlantic Charter.
This was the first time that the term ‘United Nations’ was used.

The UN Charter finally emerged after three major conferences—the Dumbarton Oaks
Conference (1944), the Yalta Conference (1945) and the San Francisco Conference (1945). At
the Dumbarton Oaks Conference the representatives of four major powers (Britain, the United
States, the Soviet Union and China) agreed on proposals for the aims, structure and functioning
of the United Nations. They voted for an Assembly, a Security Council, a Secretariat and an
International Court. The Yalta Conference decided on the voting procedure to be followed by the
Security Council.

Membership of the United Nations was to be opened to all peace- loving states. Representatives
of fifty nations met at San Francisco to sign the Atlantic Charter. Poland signed it later and
became one of the original 51 member states.

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The United Nations officially came into existence on 24 October, 1945. The Charter had been
ratified by the five big powers Britain, China, France, the Soviet Union, and the United States
and by a majority of the other signatories.

The 24th of October is celebrated as United Nations Day. Today, the organization has 192
members.

The headquarters of the United Nations is located in New York, USA. The organization has six
official languages- English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese and Arabic. Its flag bears its
emblem, a map of the world encircled by two bent olive branches.

Aims of the United Nations:

The objectives of the United Nations, according to its Charter, are:

(1) To maintain international peace and security.

(2) To develop friendly relations among nations on the basis of equality and the principle of self-
determination.

(3) To foster worldwide cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian
problems.

(4) To promote human rights and fundamental freedom for the people of the world.

(5) To serve as a centre where various nations can coordinate their activities towards the
attainment of the objectives of the United Nations.

(6) To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.

The organs of the United Nations:

The UN has six principal organs to carry out its functions:
1. The General Assembly,

2. The Security Council,

3. The Economic and Social Council,

4. The Trusteeship Council,

5. The International Court of Justice and

6. The Secretariat.

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