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Basic Facts
Basic Facts
about the
United
Nations
Published since 1947, Basic Facts about the United Nations serves
as a guide to the world’s leading international organization and
Basic Facts
as the general public, explains how the United Nations works,
the main issues it addresses and its importance for people
everywhere. It presents a comprehensive overview of UN action
in support of international peace and security, economic and
social development, human rights, humanitarian action and
about the
international law. Basic Facts also provides current information
on UN membership and structure, and places peacekeeping
operations in their historical context. This forty-second edition
takes into account recent significant developments within the
Organization and in the world at large, illustrating the challenges United
Nations
facing the international community and the ongoing joint efforts
to find their solutions.
42nd Edition
42nd Edition
ISBN 978-92-1-101350-4
16-16789
Basic Facts about the United Nations
Front cover: Member of an Ethiopian battalion of UNMISS
helps a woman from the Protection of Civilians site in Bentiu,
South Sudan, to lift a stack of firewood in a patrolled area
where women have reported cases of harassment and abuse
(21 January 2015, UN Photo/JC McIlwaine).
Cover design: Graphic Design Unit, United Nations, New York
Basic Facts
about the
United Nations
42nd Edition
T
he United Nations remains an indispensable pillar of the international
system, working around the world, around the clock, for peace, sustainable
development and human rights. At a time when challenges are increasingly
global, and our fates are inexorably intertwined, understanding the United Nations
itself—its aims, workings and ideals—is more important than ever.
Published since 1947, Basic Facts about the United Nations provides a compre-
hensive and authoritative overview of the Organization. This latest edition de-
scribes the history and structure of the United Nations system, how it functions
and its continuing efforts to serve the world’s people.
Significant progress has been made over recent decades to improve human well-
being. Yet, many issues, including violent conflict, mass migration, humanitarian
crises, terrorism, poverty, youth unemployment, intolerance and inequality, have
grown in complexity. Climate change is a growing threat, amplifying the impact of
natural disasters and putting global water and food security at risk.
All these issues demonstrate the urgent need for multilateral cooperation that
recognizes the links between peace and security, human rights and sustainable
development. The venue for that cooperation is the United Nations—the world’s
unique universal forum where States can come together to address shared problems
and seize common opportunities. Recent cooperation is chronicled in this volume,
including three transformative international agreements endorsed in 2015: the
Paris Agreement on climate change, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financ-
ing for Development and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These
landmark plans provide a blueprint for peace, prosperity and dignity for all on a
healthy planet.
At this time of challenge and opportunity for the human family, I am com-
mitted to reforming the United Nations to ensure that the Organization delivers
meaningful results for the world’s people. This volume provides a window into that
work, and I hope that anyone interested in the United Nations will find it a use-
ful resource, as well as a call to action as we strive to realize the objectives of the
Organization’s founding Charter.
António Guterres
Secretary-General of the United Nations
New York, March 2017
CONTENTS
vii
viii Basic Facts about the United Nations
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development
(UNCTAD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) . . . . . . . . 33
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) . . . . . . . . . 34
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) 35
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research
Institute (UNICRI) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). . 37
United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Risk
Reduction (UNISDR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) . . 38
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) . . . . . . . 39
United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) . . . . . . . . 39
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development
(UNRISD) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine
Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
United Nations University (UNU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the
Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
World Food Programme (WFP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Specialized agencies and related organizations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
(FAO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) . . . . . . . . . . 42
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) . . . . . 43
International Labour Organization (ILO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
International Monetary Fund (IMF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
International Maritime Organization (IMO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) . . . . . . . . . . . 45
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) 46
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Universal Postal Union (UPU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
World Health Organization (WHO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) . . . . . . . . . 48
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
World Bank Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-
Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
International Organization for Migration (IOM). . . . . . . . . . . 52
Contents ix
V. HUMANITARIAN ACTION
Coordinating humanitarian action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
Humanitarian assistance and protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Protecting humanitarian workers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
Protecting and assisting refugees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Palestine refugees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
APPENDICES
I. United Nations member states . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
II. Peacekeeping operations: past and present. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
III. Decolonization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
IV. United Nations observances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
V. UN Information centres, services and offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
VI. Selected United Nations websites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
LIST OF ACRONYMS
xiii
xiv Basic Facts about the United Nations
B
asic Facts about the United Nations, published regularly since 1947, serves as
the definitive introduction to the UN and its family of related institutions
and agencies. Over the years, Basic Facts has expanded the scope and depth
of its coverage as the Organization has broadened its commitment to meet the
urgent needs of an ever more populous and complex world. At the same time, the
book has remained true to its roots as a comprehensive yet concise guide to this
leading world body. Continuing that tradition, this forty-second edition outlines
the current structure of the UN system and explains how each individual part
contributes to achieving key international goals.
Basic Facts begins by recounting the origins of the United Nations and provid-
ing an overview of the wider system of UN institutions and agencies. In a year
that began with the ninth Secretary-General taking office, it also explains the
selection process. Successive chapters describe the Organization’s efforts to ad-
vance international peace and security; enhance economic and social development
in an environmentally sustainable manner; protect human rights and eliminate
discrimination; provide humanitarian relief to refugees, displaced persons and
those affected by natural and man-made disasters; and develop and standardize
international law. These chapters portray an Organization unique in its ability to
mobilize collective action to meet the challenges facing our world.
Also functioning as a practical handbook, Basic Facts includes appendices pro-
viding essential information on UN membership; current and former UN peace-
keeping missions; and the observance of UN decades, years, weeks and days. It also
contains contact information for UN information centres, services and offices, and
lists selected UN websites.
This edition has been updated to reflect significant recent developments in the
world and within the UN itself. Photographs illustrate how various UN system
bodies have partnered with local institutions, governments, civil society—and local
people—to help save and improve lives everywhere. Coverage has been streamlined
to provide a more focused picture of today’s dynamic and effective UN. Develop-
ments concerning new and continuing peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions
are discussed, but situations in states or regions in which the UN has ended its
security presence or mandate are no longer treated. Likewise, details concerning
past UN programmes and conferences have been replaced by information on newer
entities such as the high-level political forum on sustainable development, and on
action taken such as the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change and
the launch of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development and its 17 sustainable
xv
xvi Basic Facts about the United Nations
development goals. This edition covers the work completed by the Trusteeship
Council as a principal UN organ, however, as the Council’s operations have been
suspended, coverage has been condensed and consolidated in the chapter on peace
and security.
Although officially produced by the UN Department of Public Information, this
forty-second edition of Basic Facts about the United Nations incorporates material
provided by UN system offices, programmes, agencies and institutions through-
out the world. Their input has been essential in bringing Basic Facts to diplomats,
researchers, students and the public at large, and they deserve thanks for their con-
tributions to this book and for their efforts to strengthen the United Nations and
improve the lives of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.
All data presented in this book are current as at 31 January 2017 unless otherwise
noted. Web addresses have been included for access to the latest information on the
related topic. For other UN activities throughout the world, please visit:
the official website of the United Nations (www.un.org);
the UN News Centre (www.un.org/news);
the Yearbook of the United Nations (unyearbook.un.org), the Organization’s au-
thoritative reference work, providing an in-depth and historical presentation of
UN goals and activities; and
the UN Chronicle magazine (unchronicle.un.org), providing a thematic perspec-
tive on issues of global concern.
SECURITY
COUNCIL
Subsidiary Organs
• Counter-Terrorism Committee • International Residual Mechanism
• International Tribunal for the for Criminal Tribunals
former Yugoslavia (ICTY) • Military Staff Committee
Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information DPI/2470 rev.5 —17-00023—March 2017
Chapter I
UN CHARTER, STRUCTURE AND SYSTEM
MINUSTAH conducts a patrol in Port-au-Prince as Hurricane
Matthew makes landfall in Haiti. In other affected areas, military
and police contingents were providing assistance, especially in
cleaning blocked roads (4 October 2016, UN Photo/Igor Rugwiza).
T
he struggle for peace is an enduring one. More than a century ago, in 1899, the first
International Peace Conference was held in The Hague to elaborate multilateral
instruments for settling crises peacefully, preventing wars and codifying rules
of warfare. It adopted the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes
and established the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which began its work in 1902.
Subsequently, in 1919, the League of Nations, conceived during the First World War,
was established under the Treaty of Versailles “to promote international cooperation
and to achieve peace and security”. While the League of Nations ceased activities after
failing to prevent the Second World War, the need for peaceful resolution of conflicts
through international collaboration and dialogue continued to grow.
The term “United Nations” was coined by United States President Franklin D.
Roosevelt during the Second World War. It first appeared in the Declaration by United
Nations of 1 January 1942, which put forth a pledge by 26 nations to fight together
against the Axis powers. Following deliberations held in Washington, D.C., in 1944
among representatives from China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the
United States, delegates from 50 countries met in San Francisco in 1945 at the United
Nations Conference on International Organization. There, with a firm commitment to
end “the scourge of war”, they drew up the Charter of the United Nations, signed on 26
June 1945.
Headquartered in New York, the United Nations officially came into existence on 24
October 1945 with the ratification of the Charter by China, France, the Soviet Union,
the United Kingdom, the United States and a majority of other signatories. In com-
memoration of this historic pledge for world peace, United Nations Day is celebrated
on 24 October each year. Despite the sharp divisions from which it arose in the Second
World War and those of the ensuing cold war that marked many of its deliberations,
the UN continues to grow in remaining true to this pledge—one all the more relevant
in the face of conflicts becoming more complex, the emergence of new threats such as
global terrorism and the need for a world forum for negotiations to address them.
3
4 Basic Facts about the United Nations
they are to settle their international disputes by peaceful means and without endan-
gering international peace and security and justice;
they are to refrain from the threat or use of force against any other state;
they are to give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes in accord-
ance with the Charter;
nothing in the Charter is to authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters
which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state.
UN STRUCTURE
The Charter establishes six principal organs of the United Nations: the General Assembly,
the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the
International Court of Justice and the Secretariat. The United Nations family, however,
is much larger, encompassing 15 specialized agencies, numerous funds and programmes,
as well as other entities.
General Assembly
The General Assembly (www.un.org/ga) is the chief deliberative, policymaking and rep-
resentative organ of the United Nations. It is composed of representatives of all member
states, each of which has one vote. Decisions on important questions (such as those on
peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters) require a two-
thirds majority. Decisions on other questions take place by simple majority.
6 Basic Facts about the United Nations
Sessions
The General Assembly’s regular session begins each year on Tuesday in the third week
of September, counting from the first week that contains at least one working day. The
election of the President of the Assembly, as well as its 21 Vice-Presidents and the Chair-
persons of its six Main Committees, takes place at least three months before the start of
the regular session. To ensure equitable geographical representation, the presidency of the
Assembly rotates each year among five groups of states: African, Asian, Eastern European,
Latin American and Caribbean, and Western European and other states. In addition, the
Assembly may meet in special sessions at the request of the Security Council; a majority of
member states; or one member if the majority of members concur. The twenty-ninth and
thirtieth special sessions of the Assembly (UNGASS) were held respectively, on popula-
tion and development (2014) and on the world drug problem (2016). Emergency special
Chapter I: UN Charter, structure and system 7
sessions may be called within 24 hours of a request by the Security Council on the vote of
any nine Council members; a majority of UN members; or one member if the majority of
members concur. At the beginning of each regular session, the Assembly holds a general
debate—often addressed by heads of state and government—in which member states
express their views on the most pressing international issues.
Year-round, the work of the United Nations derives largely from the mandates given
by the General Assembly—that is to say, the will of the majority of the members as ex-
pressed in the resolutions and decisions adopted by the Assembly. That work is carried
out by committees and other bodies established by the Assembly to study and report on
specific matters such as disarmament, peacekeeping, development and human rights;
through international conferences called for by the Assembly; and by the Secretariat of
the United Nations—the Secretary-General and his staff of international civil servants.
Most questions are discussed in one of the six Main Committees of the Assembly:
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).
While some issues are considered directly in plenary meetings, most are allocated to
one of these committees. Resolutions and decisions, including those recommended by
the committees, may be adopted—with or without a vote—in plenary meetings, usu-
ally before the recess of the regular session in December.
The Assembly normally adopts its resolutions and decisions by a majority of mem-
bers present and voting. Important questions—including recommendations on inter-
national peace and security, the election of members to some principal organs, and
budgetary matters—must be decided by a two-thirds majority. Voting may be con-
ducted as a recorded vote, a show-of-hands or a roll-call vote. While the decisions of the
Assembly have no legally binding force for governments, they carry the weight of world
opinion and the moral authority of the world community.
Security Council
The Security Council (www.un.org/en/sc) of the United Nations has primary responsi-
bility, under the Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has
15 members: 5 permanent (China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom
and the United States) and 10 elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms. These
currently consist of Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay (with terms ending in
2017); and Bolivia, Ethiopia, Italy, Kazakhstan and Sweden (with terms ending in 2018).
Each member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an affirma-
tive vote of at least 9 of the 15 members. Decisions on substantive matters require nine
votes and the absence of a negative vote (veto) by any of the five permanent members.
All five permanent members have exercised the right of veto at one time or another. If
a permanent member does not fully agree with a proposed resolution but does not wish
to cast a veto, it may choose to abstain, thus allowing the resolution to be adopted if it
obtains the required number of nine favourable votes. The presidency of the Council
is held by each of the members in turn for one month, following alphabetical order.
8 Basic Facts about the United Nations
The composition of the Council as well as its procedures are the subject of a work-
ing group of the General Assembly considering Security Council reform, especially the
addition of permanent seats or enlargement of non-permanent membership. At issue
is the notion of the equitable representation of member states in addressing matters
of global consequence. Over 60 UN member states have never sat on the Council. All
members of the United Nations, however, agree to accept and carry out the decisions
of the Security Council. While other organs of the United Nations make recommenda-
tions to member states, only the Security Council has the power to make decisions that
member states are then obligated to implement under the Charter.
Het St. Pieters Gasthuis, dat zijnen naam ontleent van één der
Gasthuizen welken weleer hier ter stede waren, komt eerst in
aanmerking: het was in oude tijde de Kloosters der Oude en Nieuwe
Nonnen: alles wat hierin gevonden wordt is ongemeen aan het
oogmerk voldoende; het heeft zijne eigene bakkerij en brouwerij, ook is
er de stads Apotheek in geplaatst: even binnen de groote poort is een
Beiërt, alwaar de bedelaars en arme vreemdelingen drie nachten om
niet kunnen logeeren, ontvangende des avonds en morgens ook spijs
en drank.
Het Burger weeshuis, was weleer het St. Lucie klooster in 1580
daartoe vervaardigd; vóór dien tijd was het fraai herbouwd Logement
de Keizers kroon, het Burger weeshuis: dit huis is groot, aanzienlijk, en
ook zeer rijk.
Van het Dol- of Krankzinnig huis hebben wij reeds gesproken: (zie
boven Bladz. 10).
Het St. Joris hof, staande tegen de oude Waals Kerk: was eertijds het
Pauliniaanen klooster; ’t is nu een Proveniers huis, schoon ’t voorheen
ook voor Leprozen gediend hebbe.
Behalven alle de gemelde gebouwen vindt men hier ter stede nog eene
menigte hofjens en Godsdienstige gestichten, door bijzondere
persoonen van verscheidene Gezinten, met Godsdienstige oogmerken,
aangelegd: de voornaamsten zijn:
WERELDLIJKE GEBOUWEN.
Het zoude ons bestek te veel gevergd weezen, wilde men eene
beschrijving van het inwendige des gebouws van ons [17]vorderen, wij
kunnen er slechts iet weinigs van zeggen; de talrijke vertrekken,
welken er in zijn, zijn allen der bezichtiginge overwaardig; eenigen van
dezelven zijn vercierd met overheerelijke schilderstukken, en
beschilderingen van de voornaamste oude meesters; de
vroedschapskamer munt daarin boven alle anderen uit: op de
wapenkamer zijn ook veele bijzonderheden te zien, voornaamlijk van
oude wapenen, harnassen, enz.
Het Willige rasphuis voor vrouwlieden, dat weleer aan den Y-kant
stond, en ter weeringe van bedelaarij diende, niet alleen, maar ook ter
gevangenplaatse van vrouwen, wier gedrag opsluiting verdiende, en
wier naastbestaanden de kosten van een bijzonder Beterhuis niet
konden draagen, almede door den aanleg van het voornoemde
algemeene Werkhuis, ten onbruike geraakt zijnde, werd de grond
daarvan bebouwd, met het allen lof verdienende Kweekschool voor
de Zeevaart; eene instelling die Amsteldam eere aandoet, en ons ’t
ons voorgeschreven bekrompen bestek doet betreuren; want gaarne
weidden wij ten breedsten over het aanleggen van die lofwaardige
schoole uit.
KERKLIJKE REGEERING.
Ingevolge onze gewoonte in het reeds afgewerkt gedeelte van ons
uitgebreid plan, bepaalen wij ons hier ook weder alleenlijk tot de
Gereformeerde, of Heerschende kerk in Amsteldam: deeze gemeente
dan wordt bediend door 29 Predikanten, één van welken in de
Hoogduitsche taale moet prediken: de Gasthuiskerk had weleer haar
afzonderlijken Predikant; doch thans predikt deeze ook op zijn beurt in
de andere kerken, gelijk de overige Predikanten ook de Gasthuiskerk
op hunne beurt moeten waarneemen: de gewoone kerkenraad bestaat
voords uit gemelde Predikanten, een gelijk getal Ouderlingen, waarvan
jaarlijks de helft afgaan, gelijk ook van de Diaconen, die 42 in getal zijn,
en een afzonderlijk Collegie uitmaaken, doch van den grooten
kerkenraad ook leden zijn: den Diaconen zijn 12 Diaconessen
toegevoegd, [25]die voor al het vrouwlijke in dat groote ligchaam zorg
draagen; voorheen zond de Wethouderschap twee Gemagtigden in
den kerkenraad; doch sedert eenige jaaren vindt zulks geen plaats
meer: in gevalle van eene vacature onder de Predikanten, worden
Burgemeesteren om handopening tot het doen van een beroep
verzocht; na bekomen verlof, maakt de gewoone kerkenraad een
nominatie van drie, het zelfde doet het Collegie van Diaconen: deeze
dubbelde nominatie wordt in den grooten kerkenraad tot een drietal
gebragt, en daaruit wordt bij meerderheid van stemmen één verkozen,
op welke verkiezing vervolgends de goedkeuring van Burgemeesteren
verzocht wordt.
WERELDLIJKE REGEERING.