The United Nations
In Today’s Class, We Will
 Learn about the UN’s history and structure
Discussion Questions
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What do you think of when you think of the UN?
How do you think most people feel about the UN?
Do you think the UN is important?
What are some of the positive aspects of the UN?
What are some of the negative aspects of the UN?
History
 The UN has its roots in WWII
 It was intended to unite the countries against Nazi Germany
 The organisation as we know it today started in 1945 with 51
member states
 That means it has existed for about 72 years
Original purpose
 The first leaders of the UN hoped to prevent conflict and make future wars
impossible.
 It has also been prominent in the following areas:
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Fostering human rights
Economic development
Decolonization
Health
Education
Refugees
Trade
Agencies, Programs, Related
Organsiations, etc…
 Food and Agriculture Organisation
(FAO)
 United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO)
 International Monetary Fund (IMF)
 International Labour Organisation
(ILO)
 World Health Organisation
(WHO)
 United Nations Children’s
Fund (UNICEF)
 World Trade Organisation
(WTO)
Discussion
 What do you know about these organisations?
 Do you know of any other UN programs/agencies?
Organs of the UN
 The General Assembly
 The Security Council
 The Economic and Social
Council
 The Trusteeship Council
 The International Court of
Justice
 The Secretariat
The General Assembly
 All member nations take
part
 The headquarters are in
New York
 Each country has one vote
The Security Council
 There are five permanent
members:
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US
Russia
UK
France
China
 These countries have veto power
 There are ten nonpermanent members
 They each have a two year
term
UN Peacekeeping
 When a peace treaty has
been negotiated, the
countries involved can ask
the UN to send a
peacekeeping force to make
sure the plan runs well.
Economic and Social Council
 Made up of 54 member nations
that serve a 3 year term.
 There are no permanent
members
 But countries of major
economic importance are
usually re-elected
Trusteeship Council
 This council helped countries who were colonies
 The countries on this council are the five permanent members
of the security council
 Since 2010, there are no trusteeship territories left
International Court of Justice
 There are 15 judges
 Each one serves a 9 year
term
 They settle disputes
between nations
 They advise the UN
The Secretariat
 The secretary-general in in
charge of the secretariat
 They handle administrative
affairs
 The secretary-general may
bring any matter to the
Security Council that
endangers international peace