UN Lecture Notes
United Nations Overview
World History – Neilson
Forerunner
• Post WWI League of Nations
• 1919: Treaty of Versailles
• Woodrow Wilson’s vision to
“Promote cooperation and achieve
peace and security.”
• 3 reasons it failed
1.
2.
3.
No U.S.
USSR Non-Committal
No “teeth”
United Nations Founding
• 1944: US, UK, China, Soviet
Union – early proposals
• 1945, San Francisco: 51
countries create charter
• UN Day: October 24
Membership
• Member? Accept obligations of UN Charter
• 1945: 50 members sign + Poland
• 1949: 59 (Israel)
• 1956: 80 (Japan)
• 1960: 99 (16 in Africa)
• 1971: 132 (5 in Middle East)
• 1977: 149 (Viet Nam)
• 1992: 179 (former Soviet states)
• 2006: 192 (Montenegro)
• Who’s not in the United Nations?
United Nations Purpose
1. The UN was created to maintain international peace and security.
2. It also works to maintain friendly relationships between countries.
3. Lastly, it works to promote economic development of member nations.
• 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights
•
What did it say?
UN Principles
• Sovereign equality of all
members.
• Fulfill obligations of charter –
assistance.
• Settle disputes peacefully.
• Refrain from threat or use of
force.
• No domestic interference.
UN World Headquarters:
New York City
General Assembly
• All members: one seat, one
vote
• Sept-Dec
• Decision Making
• Want Consensus
• Settle for vote (majority or 2/3)
Security Council
• Anytime peace threatened
• 15 members
• 5 Permanent
• 10: 2-year terms
• 9/15 vote
• “Permanent” Veto
• Why?
The “UN System”
• 6 main committees
• 30 affiliated organizations (IMF,
World Bank, WHO)
• 9000 employees
• Secretariat
• Secretary General Ban Kimoon, Republic of Korea
World Health Organization
• Coordinating authority on world
public health.
• Monitors outbreaks of infectious
disease.
• Supports development,
distribution of drugs, vaccines,
diagnostics.
• Smallpox gone; polio soon?
• Current: AIDS, malaria.
Unicef – UN Children’s Fund
• Research, Advocacy
• Shelter, Healthcare, Education
• Protection from abuse, violence,
exploitation
• 1989 Convention on the Rights
of the Child
UNESCO –UN Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization
• Dialogue: relationships  peace.
• Education: K-5 for all, gender
equity.
• Science: water for all,
sustainable development,
alleviate poverty.
• Culture: respect diversity, access
to information, freedom of
expression.
UNHCR –UN Refugee Agency
• Refugee – Driven from country
for economic or political
reasons.
• Internally Displaced Person
• Emergency Response
• Protection
• Asylum
• Advocacy – Resolve economic,
political issues so refugees can
return home.
IAEA – Atomic Energy Agency
• Safety/Security – Help nations
upgrade, address emergencies.
• Science/Technology – Develop
peaceful applications.
• Safeguards/ Verification –
Inspectors verify no nuclear
weapons.
WTO – World Trade Organization
• Promotes free trade
• Mediates trade fights
• 150 in; 32 want in.
• Criticisms
• Developing nations need
protections.
• Big economies dominate
agreements.
• Labor and environment standards
suffer.
IMF – International Monetary Fund
• Stable exchange rates
• Emergency loans to nations to
pay bills.
• Financial reforms to fix deficits,
inflation, etc.
• Criticisms
• Reforms fail.
• “Loan Addicts”
• Reactive, not Proactive
World Bank
• Development loans for
infrastructure, health,
education, agriculture.
• Low loan rates, terms.
• Technical Assistance.
• Criticisms
• Tool of U.S. 85/16
• Multinational corporations
benefit?
• Past loans to dictators.
Carrots• Ceasefire and/or truce.
•
•
•
•
Peacekeepers to separate warring parties.
Mediation: Negotiate peace plans.
“Safe areas” and humanitarian relief.
Financial Assistance.
Sticks• Political Sanctions:
No participation.
• Economic Sanctions:
Restricted trade,
loans.
• Military Sanctions:
Investigations and
criminal tribunals.
“No Fly” Zone.
Endorse military
intervention.