The United Nations is an international organization. It is aimed at maintaining international peace and security. It develops friendly relations among nations and achieves international cooperation. It was set up in 1945 after the devastation brought on by World War II. It aimed to promote dialogue and resolve conflicts peacefully. 

The United Nations Organisation is significant for both the UPSC Prelims and GS Paper 2 of the UPSC Mains curriculum. In this article, we will provide you with all features and necessary information on the United Nations Organisation. Study major topics of International Relations from the perspective of UPSC Exams.

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About UNO (United Nations Organization)

The United Nations (U.N.), headquartered in New York, is a 193-member international organization. It was established in 1945 in order to avert another world war. During the Second World War, the leaders of the Allied Governments conducted several meetings that eventually led to the formation of the United Nations Organization (UNO). Participating nations signed the Charter. It was founded on October 24, 1945. The United Nations has six official languages. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish are among them.

Absolutely! Here’s a concise overview table capturing all the important details about the United Nations (UN) relevant for UPSC preparation — Prelims & Mains friendly:

Formation of UNO

• The United Nations is an International Governmental body that was established in 1945 to promote political and economic cooperation among its member countries.
• Following World War II, the League of Nations evolved into the United Nations, of which practically every country in the world is now a member.
• It is made up of five major components, including the United Nations Economic and Social Council, which supervises the activity of 15 specialized organizations.
• The United States is an international organization created in 1945 by 51 countries dedicated to maintaining international peace and security, creating cordial relations among nations, and promoting social development, higher living standards, and human rights.
• The United Nations’ membership has expanded from 51 members in 1945 to 193 members now.
• The General Assembly is composed of all UN Member States. On the proposal of the Security Council, states are admitted to membership by a decision of the General Assembly.

Objectives of the United Nations

• To maintain international peace and security and prevent conflicts.
• To develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for equal rights and self-determination of peoples.
• To promote cooperation in solving international problems related to economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian issues.
• To protect and promote human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without discrimination.
• To provide a platform for countries to discuss and resolve global issues peacefully.
• To promote respect for international law and encourage justice among nations.

The United Nations currently has 193 member countries.

Membership is open to all peace-loving states that accept the UN Charter and are willing to carry out its obligations. Members include almost every recognized country in the world, from the largest (China, India, USA) to the smallest (like Nauru, Tuvalu). New members can join after approval by the Security Council and General Assembly.

Principal Organs of the United Nations

The United Nations has a number of specialized agencies. The agencies of United Nations operate as autonomous entities inside the United Nations. The General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, and Secretariat are the primary components of the United Nations.

United Nations General Assembly

• The General Assembly is the only UN body with universal representation, having representatives from all 193 UN Member States.
• Every year, the whole UN membership gathers in New York for the annual General Assembly session and general discussion, to which many heads of state attend and speak.
• This is the United Nations’ principal deliberative body, and all members have equal representation.
• Its headquarters are in New York City, and its duties include establishing the United Nations budget, selecting rotating members of the Security Council, and approving non-binding resolutions that convey the views of the world community.

6 Main Committees of the UNGA

• The General Assembly is the only United Nations body with universal representation, with delegates from each of the 193 UN Member States.
• The annual General Assembly session and general discussion, which several heads of state attend and take part in, are held in New York each year and are attended by the entire UN membership.
• The UN General Assembly’s main committees are as follows:
  • First Committee -Disarmament & International Security)
  • Second Committee -Economic & Financial)
  • Third Committee -Social, Humanitarian & Cultural)
  • Fourth Committee -Special Political & Decolonization)
  • Fifth Committee -Administrative & Budgetary)
  • Sixth Committee -Legal)

Other Committees

• The Credentials Committee is charged with investigating the credentials of representatives from member countries and reporting to the General Assembly.
• The General Committee meets to examine the progress of the General Assembly and its committees and to offer suggestions for enhancing such progress.

United Nations Security Council

• The United Nations Security Council is in charge of ensuring international peace and security.
• It is made up of 15 people, among which 5 members are permanent while 10 are non-permanent members.
• A danger to peace or an act of aggression must be determined by the Security Council.
• It encourages the parties to a disagreement to settle it peacefully and suggests techniques of adjustment or conditions of the settlement.
• The Security Council also makes recommendations to the General Assembly on the Secretary-nomination Generals and the admission of new members to the United Nations.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) coordinates economic, social, and environmental policies for the United Nations.

• ECOSOC oversees agencies that work in the economic, social, and environmental areas. It helps the UN system achieve development goals.
• ECOSOC has 54 members that are chosen by the General Assembly for 3-year terms.
• ECOSOC is an important platform for discussing sustainable development at the United Nations.
• The ECOSOC Functional Commissions include the following:
  • Statistical Commission
  • Commission on Population and Development
  • Commission for Social Development
  • Commission on the Status of Women
  • Commission on Narcotic Drugs
  • Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
  • Commission on Science and Technology for Development
  • United Nations Forum on Forests
• These commissions help ECOSOC perform its functions related to collecting data, monitoring development issues, and making policy recommendations.

Trusteeship Council

• The UN Charter, established by the Trusteeship Council in 1945, seeks to ensure that all necessary efforts have been taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence.
• The Trusteeship Council terminated operations on November 1, 1994.
• The Council revised its process rules to remove the requirement to convene yearly and agreed to meet as needed.

International Court of Justice

• The International Court of Justice is the United Nations’ primary judicial organ.
• Its headquarters are in The Hague’s Peace Palace (Netherlands).
• It is the only one of the United Nations’ six main institutions that is not based in New York (United States of America).
• The Court’s responsibility is to handle legal issues brought before it by states in accordance with international law.
• It also seeks to give advice on legal issues referred to it by approved United Nations entities and specialized bodies.

UN Secretariat

• The Secretariat is made up of the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to-day operations of the UN as required by the General Assembly and other Organizations.
• The senior administrative officer of the Organization, the Secretary-General is chosen by the General Assembly for a five-year term that is renewable.

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The following table describes the agencies of the United Nations and related necessary information:

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Functions of UNO

The United Nations’ work has an influence on people all over the world on matters ranging from disarmament to efforts to combat terrorism and extremism, from conflict prevention to peacekeeping and peacebuilding, and so on. The following infographic shows the functions of the United Nations:

The following table describes the Funds and programs undertaken by the United Nations:

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UNO Conventions

On a variety of subjects and sectors, the United Nations establishes international conventions that may be legally binding on parties. The table below lists some of the most important conventions, protocols, and so on.

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Achievements of the United Nations

• The UN has helped keep peace by sending peacekeepers to stop wars and protect people in many countries.
• It created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 to protect basic rights for everyone.
• The UN started global goals to reduce poverty and improve health, education, and equality in many countries.
• Through the World Health Organization, the UN helped to wipe out smallpox and fight diseases like polio and malaria.
• The UN provides food, shelter, and safety to millions of people affected by wars, disasters, and displacement.
• The UN’s court helps countries solve problems peacefully by following international law.
• The UN supports protecting the environment and fights climate change by bringing countries together for agreements like the Paris Climate Accord.
• The UN helped more than 80 countries become independent from colonial rule after World War II.

UNO’s Contribution to the World 

Some of the major contributions of the UN to the world include the following:

• The UN has helped maintain peace by deploying peacekeepers to conflict regions. This has helped many nations recover from violence.
• The IAEA is the UN's nuclear watchdog. It has safeguard agreements with over 180 countries to prevent nuclear proliferation.
• The UN assists in clearing landmines in over 30 countries, saving lives every year.
• Through the UN, countries coordinate counter-terrorism operations. They have adopted the first global counter-terrorism policy to combat terrorism.
• The UN adopted the Genocide Convention for countries to prevent and punish genocide.
• The UN focuses on improving human potential worldwide. This is achieved through initiatives like the Millennium Development Goals. Most development aid comes from country contributions.
• The UN Food and Agriculture Organization works to end hunger by promoting food security for all nations.
• The International Telecommunication Union brings together governments and businesses. It helps build global telecommunication networks and improve infrastructure.

India’s Contribution to the UN

• India firmly supports the UN’s aims and ideals and has made major contributions to the Charter’s implementation and the expansion of the UN’s specialized programs and organizations.
• India makes major contributions to the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Food Programme’s basic resources.
• India has a long and illustrious history of contributing personnel to UN peacekeeping, having supplied more than any other country.
• Medical care is one of the many services offered by Indian peacekeepers in the communities where they serve on behalf of the Organization.
• Indian veterinarians with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) raced in to help cattle herders who were losing a huge chunk of their herds in the war-torn country due to famine and sickness.
• India is a signatory to the United Nations’ 13 sectoral treaties on terrorism. With the goal of establishing a comprehensive legal framework to combat terrorism.

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Conclusion

The United Nations Organization is extremely important in restoring global peace. The United Nations was established with the goal of finding solutions to keep the globe at peace. Since its inception, it has aided governments in dealing with economic, social, and humanitarian issues, as well as protecting refugees and promoting the long-term development of the countries.

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