HOW THE UN WORKS

The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 192 countries.

When States become Members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes: to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights; and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.

The United Nations is not a world government and it does not make laws. It does, however, provide the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies on matters affecting all of us. At the UN, all the Member States — large and small, rich and poor, with differing political views and social systems — have a voice and a vote in this process.

The United Nations has six main organs. Five of them — the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat — are based at UN Headquarters in New York. The sixth, the International Court of Justice, is located at The Hague in the Netherlands

WHAT THE UN DOES FOR PEACE

Preserving world peace is a central purpose of the United Nations. Under the Charter, Member States agree to settle disputes by peaceful means and refrain from threatening or using force against other States.

Over the years, the UN has played a major role in helping defuse international crises and in resolving protracted conflicts. It has undertaken complex operations involving peacemaking, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance. It has worked to prevent conflicts from breaking out. And after a conflict, it has increasingly undertaken action to address the root causes of war and lay the foundation for durable peace.

UN efforts have produced dramatic results. The UN helped defuse the Cuban missile crisis in 1962 and the Middle East crisis in 1973. In 1988, a UN-sponsored peace settlement ended the Iran-Iraq war, and the following year UN-sponsored negotiations led to the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. In the 1990s, the UN was instrumental in restoring sovereignty to Kuwait and played a major role in ending civil wars in Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Mozambique, and resolving or containing conflict in various other countries.

When, in September 1999, a campaign of violence forced some 200,000 East Timorese to flee their homes following a vote on self-determination, the UN authorized the dispatch of an international security force, which helped restore order. Subsequently, a UN Transitional Administration oversaw the territory’s transition to independence on 20 May 2002 as Timor-Leste. And when terrorists attacked the United States on 11 September 2001, the Security Council acted quickly – adopting a wide-ranging resolution which obligates States to ensure that any person who participates in financing, planning, preparing, perpetrating or supporting terrorist acts is brought to justice.

WHAT THE UN DOES FOR JUSTICE, HUMAN RIGHTS AND INTERNATIONAL LAW

Through UN efforts, governments have concluded many multilateral agreements that make the world a safer, healthier place with greater opportunity and justice for all of us. This comprehensive body of international law, including human rights law, is one of the UN's great achievements.

WHAT THE UN DOES FOR DEVELOPMENT

One of the UN's central mandates is the promotion of higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development. As much as 70 per cent of the work of the UN system is devoted to accomplishing this mandate. Guiding the work is the belief that eradicating poverty and improving the well-being of people everywhere are necessary steps in creating conditions for lasting world peace.

The UN has unique strengths in promoting development. Its presence is global and its comprehensive mandate spans social, economic and emergency needs. The UN does not represent any particular national or commercial interest. When major policy decisions are taken, all countries, rich and poor, have a voice

The UN is working to make the world a better place

The UN formulated the historic Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948), as well as some 80 conventions and treaties that help protect and promote specific human rights.

UN peacekeeping is a vital instrument for peace. Currently, nearly 67,000 UN military and civilian personnel, provided by 103 countries, are engaged in 16 operations around the world.

UN environmental conventions have helped reduce acid rain in Europe and North America, cut marine pollution worldwide, and phase out production of gases destroying the Earth's ozone layer.

The UN and its agencies, including the World Bank and the UN Development Programme, are the premier vehicle for furthering development in poorer countries, providing assistance worth $30 billion a year.

More international law has been developed through the UN in the past six decades than in all previous history.

With support from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization – a joint effort of UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank Group, private foundations, the pharmaceutical industry and governments – over 670,000 deaths were averted among children born between 2001 and 2003.

In 2003, the WFP reached 110 million people with food aid – a record in its 40-year history.

Air traffic the world over is safer, thanks to rules and regulations agreed on trough the International Civil Aviation Organization.

UN appeals raised nearly $3.4 billion during 2003 alone for emergency assistance to victims of war and natural disaster.

Smallpox was eradicated from the world through a global campaign coordinated by WHO.

Five million people who would have been paralyzed are walking today because of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, launched in 1988 by WHO, UNICEF, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Rotary International - reducing the incidence of polio worldwide by more than 99 per cent.

Expenditures of the UN System for economic and social programmes to help the world's poorest countries - through UNICEF, WFP, UNDP and others - amount to $7.3 billion a year. That's les than 0.8 per cent of the world military expenditures, estimated at $956 billion.

Controversy and criticism
It has been suggested that some of the information in this article's Criticism or Controversy section(s) be merged into other sections to achieve a more neutral presentation.

There has been controversy and criticism of the UN organization and its activities since at least the 1950s. In the United States, an early opponent of the UN was the John Birch Society, which began a "get US out of the UN" campaign in 1959, charging that the UN's aim was to establish a "One World Government." In 1967, Richard Nixon, while running for President of the United States, criticized the UN as "obsolete and inadequate" for dealing with then-present crises like the Cold War.[43] Jeane Kirkpatrick, who was appointed by Ronald Reagan to be United States Ambassador to the United Nations, wrote in a 1983 opinion piece in The New York Times that the process of discussions at the Security Council "more closely resembles a mugging" of the United States "than either a political debate or an effort at problem solving."[44] In a February 2003 speech, soon before the United States invasion of Iraq (for which he had been unable to get UN approval), George W. Bush said, "free nations will not allow the United Nations to fade into history as an ineffective, irrelevant debating society."[45] In 2005, Bush appointed John R. Bolton to the position of Acting U.S. Ambassador to the UN; Bolton had made several statements critical of the UN, including saying, in 1994, "There is no such thing as the United Nations. There is only the international community, which can only be led by the only remaining superpower, which is the United States."[46]


Security Council criticism
Main article: Reform of the United Nations Security Council
The Security Council has been criticized for being unable to act in a clear and decisive way when confronted with a crisis. The veto power of the five permanent members has often been cited as the cause of this problem.[47] However, according to UN Charter interpretations that were made law by the General Assembly's 'Uniting for Peace' resolution, adopted 3 November 1950, the Assembly may make any recommendations necessary to restore international peace and security, in cases where the Security Council, because of lack of unanimity between its permanent members, fails to act in situations where there appears to be a threat to international peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression. Given this, the position that reform of the Security Council veto power is a necessary prerequisite to ensuring the effectiveness of the UN Organization, has been questioned.[48]

The makeup of the Security Council dates back to the end of World War II, and this division of powers is often said to no longer represent the current power realities in the world. Critics question the effectiveness and relevance of the Security Council, because responsibility for the enforcement of its resolutions lies primarily with the Council members themselves, and there are often no consequences for violating a Security Council resolution.[citation needed]

Inaction on genocide and human rights
See also: United Nations Commission on Human Rights#Criticism
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights, which existed from 1946 to 2006, was criticized for producing a disproportionate number of resolutions blaming Israel for its treatment of the Palestinian people while ignoring other human rights violators.[49] It was also criticized for letting countries accused of violating human rights, such as Cuba and Sudan, become members of the commission. The commission was dissolved in 2006, as part of a reform of the United Nations.

The commission's successor, the United Nations Human Rights Council was soon accused of perpetuating the UNHCR's anti-Israel bias[50][51][52] while ignoring the plight of other oppressed people, for example in Darfur.[53] Similar criticism has been echoed by Secretaries-General Kofi Annan[54] and Ban Ki-moon[55] and U.S. President George W. Bush.[56] Doru Costea, the current UNHCR President admitted an anti-Israel bias and hoped for reform of the Council.[57] This "mea culpa" was contradicted by accusations from the Canadian delegation of personal interference by Costea.[58]


Accusations of bias in the Arab-Israeli conflict
Main article: Israel, Palestinians, and the United Nations
Issues relating to the state of Israel, the Palestinian people and other aspects of the Arab-Israeli conflict occupy a large amount of debate time, resolutions and resources at the United Nations.

The partition of Palestine by the UNSCOP in 1947 was one of the earliest decision of the UN. Since then, it maintained a central role in this region, especially by providing support for Palestinian refugees via the UNRWA and by providing a platform for Palestinian political revendications via the CEIRPP, the UNDPR, the SCIIP, the UNISPAL and the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. The UN has sponsored several peace negotiations between the parties, the latest being the 2002 Road map for peace.

In recent years, the Middle East, which represents 2% of its member states and 0.5% of the world's population, was the subject of 76% of country-specific UNGA resolutions, 100% of the Human Rights Council resolutions, 100% of the Commission on the Status of Women resolutions, 50% of reports from the World Food Program, 6% of Security Council resolutions and 6 of the 10 Emergency sessions. Of note is Resolution 3379 (1975) stating that "zionism is racism"; it was rescinded in 1991. These decisions, passed with the support of the OIC countries, invariably criticize Israel for her treatment of Palestinians. Many have qualified this degree of criticism as excessive. In particular, the UNHRC was widely criticized in 2007 for failing to condemn other human rights abusers besides Israel.

The United States has been criticized as well as supported for vetoing most UNSC decisions critical of Israel on the basis of their biased language, the so-called Negroponte doctrine.

Since 1961, Israel has been barred from the Asia regional group. In 2000, she was accepted within the WEOG group. The UNRWA has been accused of perpetuating the plight of Palestinian refugees. Although the UN condemns antisemitism, it has be accused of tolerating antisemitic remarks within its walls. Some argue that disproportional criticism of Israel constitutes a new form of antisemitism. UN personnel have been accused of participating directly in the armed conflict on several occasions.


Oil-for-Food Programme

The Oil-for-Food Programme was established by the UN in 1996 to allow Iraq to sell oil on the world market in exchange for food, medicine, and other humanitarian needs of ordinary Iraqi citizens who were affected by international economic sanctions, without allowing the Iraqi government to rebuild its military in the wake of the first Gulf War. Over $65 billion worth of Iraqi oil was sold on the world market. Officially, about $46 billion was used for humanitarian needs. Additional revenue paid for Gulf War reparations through a Compensation Fund, UN administrative and operational costs for the Programme (2.2%), and the weapons inspection programme (0.8%).[citation needed]

The programme was discontinued in late 2003 amidst allegations of widespread abuse and corruption. Benon Sevan, the former director, was suspended and then resigned from the UN, as an interim progress report of a UN-sponsored investigation concluded that Sevan had accepted bribes from the Iraqi regime, and recommended that his UN immunity be lifted to allow for a criminal investigation.[59] Beyond Sevan, Kojo Annan was alleged to have illegally procured Oil-for-Food contracts on behalf of the Swiss company Cotecna. India's foreign minister, K. Natwar Singh, was removed from office because of his role in the scandal. And the Cole Inquiry investigated whether the Australian Wheat Board breached any laws with its contracts with Iraq.[60]


Other controversies
There have been other controversies involving the United Nations. Examples include:

Iranian officials have been accused by the UN of antisemitism by its stance towards Israel, and by ignoring Holocaust denial.[61][62][63][64][65][66]
A UN ambulance was videotaped transporting Palestinian armed forces in 2004.[67][68]
UN peacekeepers have been accused of sexual abuse or soliciting prostitutes during various peacekeeping missions in Congo,[69] Haiti,[70][71] Liberia[72] and Sudan.[73]

P.S: The above observations are taken from the main article in wikipedia on United Nations

THE SPECIALIZED AGENCIES

Autonomous organizations linked to the UN through special agreements:

FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN)
Works to improve agricultural productivity and food security, and to better the living standards of rural populations.

IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)
An autonomous intergovernmental organization under the aegis of the UN, it works for the safe and peaceful uses of atomic energy.

ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization)
Sets international standards for the safety, security and efficiency of air transport, and serves as the coordinator for international cooperation in all areas of civil aviation.

IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)
Mobilizes financial resources to raise food production and nutrition levels among the poor in developing countries.

ILO (International Labour Organization)
Formulates policies and programmes to improve working conditions and employment opportunities, and sets labour standards used by countries around the world.

IMF (International Monetary Fund)
Facilitates international monetary cooperation and financial stability and provides a permanent forum for consultation, advice and assistance on financial issues.

IMO (International Maritime Organization)
Works to improve international shipping procedures, raise standards in marine safety and reduce marine pollution by ships.

ITU (International Telecommunication Union)
Fosters international cooperation to improve telecommunications of all kinds, coordinates usage of radio and TV frequencies, promotes safety measures and conducts research.

UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
Promotes education for all, cultural development, protection of the world's natural and cultural heritage, international cooperation in science, press freedom and communication.

UNIDO (UN Industrial Development Organization)
Promotes the industrial advancement of developing countries through technical assistance, advisory services and training.

UPU (Universal Postal Union)
Establishes international regulations for postal services, provides technical assistance and promotes cooperation in postal matters.

WHO (World Health Organization)
Coordinates programmes aimed at solving health problems and the attainment by all people of the highest possible level of health. It works in such areas as immunization, health education and the provision of essential drugs.

WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization)
Promotes international protection of intellectual property and fosters cooperation on copyrights, trademarks, industrial designs and patents.

World Bank Group
Provides loans and technical assistance to developing countries to reduce poverty and advance sustainable economic growth.

WMO (World Meteorological Organization)
Promotes scientific research on the Earth's atmosphere and on climate change, and facilitates the global exchange of meteorological data.

WTO (World Tourism Organization)
Serves as a global forum for tourism policy issues and a practical source of tourism know-how.

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Engr.Aftab