The United Nations
The specialized agencies
( like WHO and International Labour) have thier own constitutions, regularly assessed budgets, executive heads, and assemblies of state representatives. The programmes and Funds are much closer to the central system in the sense that their management arrangements are subject to direct General ASSEMBLY supervision, and can be modified by Assembly resolution, and are largely funded on a voluntary basis.
What can the Security Council do if there is a threat to international peace?
1) settle dispute through settlement and mediation 2) in the event of fighting it tries to secure a cease-fire 3) may send peacekeeping mission to help out parties 4) impose economic sanctions or order an arms embargo 5) Collective military action Council can also make recommendations to the General Assembly on the appointment of a new Secretary-GENERAL AND ON THE ADMISSION OF NEW MEMBERS OF THE UN.
The Six Major Organs of the United Nations
1. Security Council 2. The General Assembly 3. The Secretariat 4. Economic and Social Council 5. Trusteeship Council 6. International court of Justice
UN history of non-intervention
A difficulty with carrying gout the new tasks to include human security and justice was that it went against the doctrine of non-intervention. Intervention is a deliberate incursion into a state without its consent by outside agency in order to change policies and functions and goals.
Alongside growing UN involvement in development issues in the 1990s, the UN economic and social arrangements underwent reform at the country (field) level and at the headquarters level.
A key feature of the reforms at the country ( field ) level was the adoption of Country Strategy notes.
What changed to make a focus on individual rights?
A) international environment had changed after cold war stand-off. . It means that the member states did not want to question the conditions of sovereignty of states. B) the process of decolonization had privileged statehood over justice. At first the right to statehood was unconditional, but then it was questioned by Charles Beitz. Attention to be given to the situation of individuals after independence. States were conditional entities in that their right to exist should be dependent on a criterion of performance with regard to the interests of their citizens.
The General Assembly
All UN member states are represented in the General Assembly-- a parliament of nations-- which meets to consider the world's most pressing problems. Each member setate has one vote. A two-thirds majority in the General Assembly is required for decisions on key issues such as international peace and security, the admission of new members, and the UN budget. A simple majority is required for all other matters. However the decisions reached by the GA have only the status of recommendations. (except the GA's Fifth Committee which makes decisions on budget that are binding on members)
Programmes and Funds
Are the new issues that have come up post 1945... They include UNDP and UNICEF
The UN mission
Created after the WW2 and refleced the hope for a just and peaceful global community. Created for states by states. And the relationship between state sovereignty and the protection of the needs and interest of people has not been fully resolved.
Intervention now
If national authorities are manifestly failing to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, and if peaceful means are inadequate, the international community could take collective action through the UN security Council. This document echoes recommendations from R2P
The Economic and Social C0uncil
Is under the overall authority of the G.A., and coordinates the economic and social work of the UN. It also consults with non-governmental organizations thereby maintaining a vital link between the UN and civil society. Its subsidiary bodies include: functional commissions, regional commissions and other bodies. Along with the Secretariat and the G.A., ECOSOC is responsible for overseeing the activities of a large number of other institutions known as the United Nations system. This includes the specialized Agencies and the Programmes and Funds. Oversees economic and social institutions. This is an example of how, unlike the League of Nations, the Un created special organizations to deal with specific economic and social problems.
Threats to Peace
Not just by states, but also violations against individual human rights and various civil conflicts... There is an inter-connected nature to security threats.
What was another reform at the country level?
The strengthening of the Resident Coordinator, usually an employee of the UNDP. He/she became the responsible officer at the country level. Field-level officers were given enhanced authority so that the could make decisions about the redeployment of funds within a programme without referring to headquarters. ' There was also an effort made to improve information sharing. The activities of various UN organizations were brought together in single locations or UN Houses which facilitated inter-agency communication and collegiality. This new country-level approach was called an integrated programmes approach.
By 1994
The trust territories had attained self-government or independence, either as separate states or by joining neighbouring independent countries. its work has therefore been completed, so the trusteeship council now consists of the five permanent members of the Security coUNCIL.
Flaws with the League of Nations
There was no clear division of responsibility between the main executive committee ( league council) and the league assembly ( which included all member states). They both could ONLY make recommendations and not binding resolutions and these recommendations had to be unanimous. There was no mechanism for coordinating military or economic actions against miscreant states, which further contributed to the League's witnesses.
Country Strategy nOTES
These were statements about needs of individual countries. They were written on the basis of discussions between the Specialized Agencies, Programmes and Funds, donors, and the host country, and described the plans of the various institutions and donors in a particular country, clearly setting out roles and priorities.
Millennium Summit
Un--- heads of state committed themselves to a series of measurable goals and targets. e.g. achieving universal primary education for citizens...
Trusteeship couNCIL
Was initially established to provide international supervision for eleven Trust Territories administered by 7 member states, and to ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the territories for self-government or independence. United Nations trust territories were the successors of the remaining League of Nations mandates, and came into being when the League of Nations ceased to exist in 1946.
It was founded
by fifty-one countries. Member states agreed to accept the obligations of the United Nations Charter
The Secretariat
carries out substantive and administrative work of the UN as directed by the GA, the Security COuncil, and other organs. It is lead by the secretary-general who provides overall administrative guidance. On the recommendation of other bodies, the Secretariat also carries out a number of research functions and some quasi-management functions. The role of the Secretariat remains primarily bureaucratic, and it lacks the political power and the right initiative of, for instance, the Commission of the European Union.
Peace enforcement
emerged after the end of the cold war. These missions were more likely to use force to achieve humanitarian ends. Used when order has collapsed within states, and therefore address civil war as well as international conflict.
Reform of ECOSOC
ensures that GA politics were appropriately implemented on a system-wide basis. It was given the power to make final decisions on the activities of its subsidiary bodies. One of the responsibilities is to review common themes in the work of the nine functional commissions ( commission on narcotic drugs, on sustainable development, commission on the status of women)
Security Council
given the main responsibility for maintaining international peace and security. Five permanent members: USA, Britain, France, Russia, China The decisions made by the Security Council are binding, and must be passed by a majority of nine out of the fifteen members, including each of the five permanent members. The permanent countries have veto power ( recognition of power politics)
Global Governance and internal Justice
increasing readiness by the UN to intervene within states to promote internal justice for individuals would indicate a movement towards global governance and away from unconditional sovereignty. Still there can be no intervention within a state without the express consent of the government of that state.. exception in 2003 the United States went behind the UN's back and intervened in Iraq
United Nations Charter
international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has 4 purposes: A) to maintain international peace and security B) to develop friendly relations among nations C) to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights d) to be a centre for harmonzing the actions of nations
Classical Peace-keeping
involves the establishment of a UN force, under UN command, to be placed between the parties to a dispute after a ceasefire. It only uses its weapons in self-defence and is established with the consent of the host state and does not include forces from the major powers.
What is the UN
is made up of a group international institutions, which include the central system located in New York, the specialized agencies ( such as the WHO, International Labour organization, and the International Labour Organization and the Programmes) and the Programmes and Funds (UNICE and UNDP).
International court of Justice
main judicial organ of the UN. Consisting of judges elected jointly by the general assembly and security council. 15 judges. it decides disputes between countries. Participation by states in a proceeding is voluntary but if a state agrees to participate, it is obligated to comply with the coURT'S DECISION. The court also provides advisory opinions to other Un organs and specialized Agencies on request.
Boutros-Ghali
outlined a new ambitious UN agenda for peace and security in a report called an agenda for peace
A new message brought by the UN:
pursuing justice for individuals, or ensuring human security, was an aspect of the NATIONAL INTEREST.
