The United Nations (UN) and Its System
1.
An Overview
The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51
countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among
nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights. Due to its unique
international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on
a wide range of issues, and provide a forum for its 192 Member States to express their views, through the
General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees.
The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for
peacekeeping, peacebuilding, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways
the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make
the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable
development, environment and refugees protection, disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and
non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, governance, economic and social development
and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production, and more, in order to achieve its
goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations.
2.
Structure and Organization
The Charter established 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 agencies and several
programmes and bodies.
2.1 General Assembly
The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the UN and is composed of representatives
of all Member States. The work of the United Nations year-round derives largely from the mandates given
by the General Assembly. A revitalization of the Assembly is under way to enhance its role, authority,
effectiveness and efficiency.
The following Bodies report directly to the General Assembly:

Subsidiary Bodies: Committees, Commissions, Boards, Councils and Panel, Working Groups and other.

Advisory Subsidiary Body: United Nations Peacebuilding Commission.

Programmes and Funds: International Trade Centre (ITC), Office of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM), United Nations Volunteers (UNV), United Nations Drug Control
Programme (UNDCP), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Human
Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT),United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Relief
and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), United Nations World Food
Programme (WFP).

Research and Training Institutions: United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR),
United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), United Nations Interregional Crime and
Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women (UN-INSTRAW), United Nations Research Institute for Social
Development (UNRISD).

Other UN Entities: International Computing Centre (ICC), Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), United Nations System Staff
College (UNSSC), United Nations University (UNU)
The General Assembly has 192 members
2.2 Economic and Social Council
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), established by the UN Charter, is the principal organ to
coordinate the economic, social and related work of the United Nations and the specialized agencies and
institutions. Voting in the Council is by simple majority; each member has one vote.
The following bodies report directly to Economic and Social Council.

Functional Commissions: Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Commission on
Narcotic Drugs, Commission on Population and Development, Commission on Science and Technology
for Development, Commission for Social Development, Commission on the Status of Women,
Commission on Sustainable Development, Statistical Commission,United Nations Forum on Forests.

Regional Commissions: Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE),
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC),Economic and Social Commission
for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP),Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).

Standing Committees: Committee on Negotiations with Intergovernmental Agencies, Committee on
Non-Governmental Organizations, Committee for Programme and Coordination

Ad hoc bodies: Ad hoc Open-ended Working Group on Informatics

Expert Bodies composed of governmental experts: Committee of Experts on the Transport of
Dangerous Goods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals,
United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts
on International Standards of Accounting and Reporting

Expert Bodies composed of members serving in their personal capacity: Committee for Development
Policy, Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Committee of Experts on International
Cooperation in Tax Matters, Committee of Experts on Public Administration, Permanent Forum on
Indigenous Issues

Other related Bodies: Executive Board of the International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women, International Narcotics Control Board, Committee for the United Nations
Population Award, Programme Coordinating Board of the Joint United Nations Programme on
HIV/AIDS.
The Economic and Social Council has 54 member Governments that are elected by the General
Assembly for overlapping three-year terms. Seats on the Council are allotted based on geographical
representation with fourteen allocated to African States, eleven to Asian States, six to Eastern European
States, ten to Latin American and Caribbean States, and thirteen to Western European and other States.
2.3 International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice, located at the Hague in the Netherlands, is the principal judicial
organ of the United Nations. It settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions to the UN
and its specialized agencies. Its Statute is an integral part of the United Nations Charter.
The International Court of Justice is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms of office by
the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. These organs vote simultaneously but
separately. In order to be elected, a candidate must receive an absolute majority of the votes in both
bodies. This sometimes makes it necessary for a number of rounds of voting to be carried out.
2.4 Security Council
The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of
international peace and security. A reform of the Security Council, including its membership is under
consideration.
The following bodies report directly to the Security Council:

Subsidiary Bodies: 1540 Committee, Counter-Terrorism Committee, International Criminal Tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), Military Staff
Committee, Peacekeeping Operations and Missions, Sanctions Committees, Standing Committees and
Ad Hoc Committees, UN Compensation Commission, Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict,
Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions

Advisory Subsidiary Bodies: United Nations Peacebuilding Commission
The Council is composed of five permanent members : China, France, Russian Federation, the United
Kingdom and the United States ; and ten non-permanent members (with year of term's end). See Table
N°1.
Table N° 1 Security Council Non Permanent Members
1. Austria (2010)
5. Japan (2010)
9. Uganda (2010)
2. Burkina Faso (2009)
6. Libyan Arab Jamahiriya (2009)
10. Viet Nam (2009)
3. Costa Rica (2009)
7. Mexico (2010)
4. Croatia (2009)
8. Turkey (2010)
Source: http://www.un.org/sc/members.asp (2009)
2.5 Trusteeship Council
The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN Charter to provide international
supervision for 11 Trust Territories placed under the administration of 7 Member States, and ensure that
adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence. By 1994, all
Trust Territories had attained self-government or independence. Its work completed, the Council has
amended its rules of procedure to meet as and where occasion may require.
2.6 Secretariat
The Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the Organization. It services the other principal
organs of the United Nations and administers the programmes and policies laid down by them. At its head
is the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the
Security Council for a five-year, renewable term.
The duties carried out by the Secretariat are as varied as the problems dealt with by the United
Nations. These range from administering peacekeeping operations to mediating international disputes,
from surveying economic and social trends and problems to preparing studies on human rights and
sustainable development. Secretariat staff also inform the world's communications media about the work
of the United Nations; organize international conferences on issues of worldwide concern; and interpret
speeches and translate documents into the Organization's official languages.
2.7 Specialized Agencies, Related Organizations, Funds, and other UN Entities
The UN Specialized Agencies, Related Organizations, Funds, and other UN Entities are listed below:
Specialized Agencies:















Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Universal Postal Union (UPU)
World Bank Group
o International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
o International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID)
o International Development Association (IDA)
o International Finance Corporation (IFC)
o Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
Related Organizations




International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) (3)
Preparatory Commission for the Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO) (4)
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) (4)
World Trade Organization (WTO)
Secretariats of Conventions



Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
UN Trust Funds


United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) (5)
United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP)