UNITED NATIONS The 6 main Organs of the United Nations
– an international organization created in
1945, shortly after the end of World War II THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
– was formed by 51 countries in order to It is the main deliberative organ of the
encourage resolution of international United Nations.
conflicts without war and to form policies on All UN Member States are represented
international issues. in the General Assembly.
– the UN system, also known unofficially as Each Member State has one vote in
the “UN Family,” is made up of the UN itself the decisions the council will carry out.
and many affiliated programs, funds, and Decisions on such key issues as
specialized agencies, all with their own international peace and security,
membership, leadership, and budget admitting new members and the UN
– the programs and funds are financed budget are decided by a two-thirds
through voluntary rather than assessed majority of those members who vote
contributions for a certain agreement to be carried.
– the specialized agencies are independent Under the UN Charter, the functions
international organizations funded by both and powers of the General Assembly
voluntary and assessed contributions (GA) include:
To discuss any question relating to
United Nations Organization international peace and security
The United Nations (UN) has six main (except when a dispute or situation
organs. Five of them are the (1) is being discussed by the Security
General Assembly, (2) the Security Council);
Council, (3) the Economic and Social To make recommendations for the
Council, (4) the Trusteeship Council peaceful settlement of any
and (5) the Secretariat — are based at situation which might harm the
UN Headquarters in New York. The friendly relations among nations;
sixth, the International Court of Justice, To discuss and make
is located at The Hague in the recommendations on the powers
Netherlands. and functions of any organ of the
The United Nations is neither a supra- United Nations;
State nor a government of To request studies and make
governments, meaning it does not recommendations to promote
have its own government like any international cooperation, the
other country does. It has the function development of international law,
to make treaties or agreements the protection of human rights, and
between and among the member international collaboration on
states but it cannot be immediately economic,social, cultural,
bound to be followed by everyone. It educational and health issues;
does not have an army and it To receive and discuss reports
imposes no taxes in the services it from the Security Council and
offers. It depends on the political will of other UN organs;
its Member States to have its decisions To discuss and approve the UN
put into action and relies on the budget;
contributions of its Members to carry To elect non-permanent members
out its activities. of the Security Council, the
members of the Economic and
General purpose [cause and object of the Social Council (ECOSOC) and
Charter] The United Nations in an additional members of the
international organization tasked to: Trusteeship Council (when
1. Prevent of war necessary);
2. Maintain international peace and security to elect the judges of the
3. Develop friendly relations among the International Court of Justice
members of the international community (jointly with the Security Council);
4. Attain international cooperation, and on the recommendation of the
harmony in the actions of nations Security Council, to appoint the
Secretary-General.
THE SECURITY COUNCIL United Nations Trust Territories once
It has primary responsibility for the the UN Charter came into force in late
maintenance of international peace 1945.
and security.
It has 15 Members, and each Member THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF
has one vote in the decision the JUSTICE
council is making. It is the principal judicial organ of the
Under the Charter, all Member States United Nations.
are obligated to comply with Council The Court is charged with settling legal
decisions. disputes between States and giving
The Charter of the United Nations – an advisory opinions to the United Nations
international treaty – obligates member and its specialized agencies.
states to settle their disputes by It is composed of 15 judges elected to
peaceful means, in such a manner that 9-year terms of office by the United
international peace and security and Nations General Assembly and the
justice are not endangered. Security Council.
They are to refrain from the threat or
use of force against any state, and may THE SECRETARIAT
bring the dispute before the Security The UN Secretariat, consisting of staff
Council. representing all nationalities working in
The UN Charter gives the Security duty stations all over the world, carries
Council primary responsibility for out the day to day work of the
maintaining international peace and Organization.
security. The Secretariat services the other
The Council may convene at any time, principal organs of the United Nations
whenever peace is threatened. and administers the programs and
In contrast to the decisions made by policies established by them.
the General Assembly, all Member
States are obligated under the UN MAIN FUNCTION of UN: to maintain peace
Charter to carry out the Security and security for all of its member-states.
Council’s decisions. UN doesn’t have its own military but
has peace keeping force which are
THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL supplied by the member states.
A founding UN Charter body On approval of UN Security Council,
established in 1946, the Economic and these peace makers are often sent to
Social Council (ECOSOC) is the place regions where armed conflict has
where the world’s economic, social and recently ended to discourage
environmental challenges are combatants from resuming fighting.
discussed and debated, and policy
recommendations issued. Other Functions:
UN also aims to protect human rights
THE TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL and provide humanitarian assistance
The Trusteeship Council was when needed.
established to provide international The General Assembly adopted the
supervision for 11 Trust Territories Universal Declaration of Human Rights
and to make sure that adequate steps as a standard for its human rights
were taken to prepare the Territories operations. Member States who had
for self-government or been violative of the said declaration
independence. may be summon to face the United
Western Samoa, Tanganyika, Rwanda- Nations when cases on Human Rights
Urundi, Cameroons under British and violation are rampant in member
French administration, Togoland under countries of the UN.
British and French administration, New UN currently provides technical
Guinea, Nauru, Strategic Trust assistance in elections, helps to
Territory/ Trust territory of the Pacific improve judicial structures and draft
Islands and Italian Somaliland are constitutions, trains human rights
some of the Trust Territories of the officials, and provides food, drinking
United Nations. water, and other humanitarian
These territories, referred to as League services to peoples displaced by
of Nations Mandates, were renamed famine, war and natural disaster.
At present, the Holy See and
Palestine are the only observer
states at the United Nations.
Generally, they have limited ability to
participate in the Organizations day to
day functioning, and also, they lack the
ability to vote or propose resolutions
within the organization.
June 10, 1942 - Philippines gained its
membership to the United Nations
Organization.
ROLES OF UNITED NATIONS TODAY
AND IN THE FUTURE
United Nations established what it calls
its Millennium Development Goals
1. Reduce poverty and social exclusion
2. Achieve universal primary education
3. Promote gender equality and empower
women
4. Reduce child mortality
5. Improve maternal health
6. Combat HIV/Aids and tuberculosis
7. Ensure environmental sustainability
8. Partnership for development
