Lecturer: Erika Chávez
E-mail: kekis83@hotmail.com
The United Nations
 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
 Promoting social progress
 Better living standards and
 Human rights.
 Due to its unique international character, the Organization
can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide a
forum for its 192 Member States to express their views.
The UN Structure
 The Charter formerly established 6 principal organs of the
United Nations:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
UN General Assembly
UN Security Council
UN Economic and Social Council
UN Secretariat
International Court of Justice
Trusteeship Council (suspended operations in 1994)
In addition separate organizations, often subordinate to
the principal organs, have been created to solve specialized
tasks.
The UN Main Bodies
1.
UN General Assembly
Is the main deliberative organ of the UN and is composed of representatives of all
Member States
2.
UN Security Council
It has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and
security.
3.
UN Economic and Social Council
Is the principal organ to coordinate the economic, social and related work of the
UN and the specialized agencies and institutions
4.
UN Secretariat
It carries out the day-to-day work of the Organization. It services the other
principal organs and carries out tasks as varied as the issues dealt with by the UN:
administering peacekeeping operations, surveying economic and social trends,
preparing studies on human rights, among others.
5.
International Court of Justice
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 UN System
 The United Nations family, however, is much larger,
encompassing 15 agencies and several programmes
and bodies
 The United Nations System is the whole network of:
 International organizations
 Treaties and
 Conventions
that were created by the United Nations
The UN System