Key Points
Key Points: Why International Organisations?
- Provide a platform for dialogue, helping countries resolve disputes peacefully.
- Help prevent wars by encouraging discussion.
- Promote international cooperation on global problems.
- They assist countries in sharing costs and benefits.
- They offer rules, information, and mechanisms.
- They are not super-states but are created by countries.
- They help manage a globalised world.
Key Points: Founding of the United Nations
- 1941 (August): Atlantic Charter signed by Roosevelt and Churchill, laying the foundation of the UN.
- 1942 (January): 26 Allied nations sign the Declaration of United Nations against Axis Powers.
- 1943 (December): Tehran Conference—US, UK, and USSR support the idea of a new world organisation.
- 1945 (February): Yalta Conference—Big Three decide to organise a UN conference.
- 1945 (April–June): UN Conference held at San Francisco to draft the UN Charter.
- 1945 (June 26): UN Charter signed by 50 countries.
- 1945 (October 24): United Nations officially comes into existence
Key Points: Evolution of the United Nations
- The failure of the League of Nations after World War I highlighted the need for a stronger international body.
- United Nations was founded in 1945, after World War II, as the successor to the League of Nations.
- The UN aims to prevent wars, promote peace, and encourage cooperation.
- Key organs like the General Assembly, Security Council, and the Secretary-General.
- Expanded its role to include development, human rights, health, education, and refugee support.
Key Points: Reform of the UN after the Cold War
- UN needs reform to meet new global challenges after the Cold War
- Broad agreement on reform, but no consensus on how or when to do it.
- Major focus is on reforming the UN Security Council.
- Demand to increase permanent and non-permanent members, especially from Asia, Africa and South America.
- Some countries want the UN to focus more on peace and security, others on development and humanitarian work.
- UN structures still reflect post-Second World War power realities, which have changed.
- New global challenges like terrorism, climate change, civil wars and pandemics make reform urgent.
Key Points: UN Secretaries-General
- Trygve Lie (1946–52): First UN Secretary-General; mediation efforts in Kashmir and Korea; resigned early.
- Dag Hammarskjöld (1953–61): Strengthened UN peacekeeping; Nobel Peace Prize (posthumous); died in Congo crisis.
- U Thant (1961–71): Managed Cuban Missile Crisis; expanded UN peacekeeping; criticised US actions in Vietnam.
- Kurt Waldheim (1972–81): Focused on Middle East and Bangladesh relief; later controversies affected his legacy.
- Javier Pérez de Cuéllar (1982–91): Mediated conflicts in Afghanistan, El Salvador; role in Falklands aftermath.
- Boutros Boutros-Ghali (1992–96): Agenda for Peace; UN roles in Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda; one term only.
- Kofi Annan (1997–2006): Emphasised human rights, peacebuilding; UN reforms; Nobel Peace Prize (2001).
- Ban Ki-moon (2007–16): Focus on climate change, MDGs/SDGs, women’s empowerment.
- António Guterres (2017– ): Focus on refugees, conflict prevention, climate action; current Secretary-General.
Key Points: Reform of Structures and Processes
- UN needs reform because it no longer reflects current global political realities.
- Security Council is criticised for Western dominance and lack of fair representation.
- Demand to expand permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council.
- Proposals suggest new members should be major economic or military powers.
- Respect for democracy, human rights, and UN contributions are suggested criteria.
- Debate exists over equitable geographical and cultural representation.
- Veto power of permanent members is widely criticised as undemocratic.
- Despite criticism, veto continues as big powers are unlikely to give it up.
Key Points: Jurisdiction of the UN
- Peacebuilding Commission was created to help countries recover after conflict and prevent relapse into violence
- Responsibility to Protect (R2P) accepts that the international community
- Human Rights Council (2006) was set up to monitor, promote, and protect human rights globally.
- The UN works for global goals like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and now Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
- The UN condemns terrorism, genocide, and atrocities, and uses peacekeeping missions to maintain peace.
Key Points: India and UN Reforms
- India supports reform of the UN to make it stronger, more representative, and effective.
- India believes the UN Security Council does not reflect current global realities.
- India demands expansion of both permanent and non-permanent members of the Security Council.
- India argues that developing countries should have greater representation in UN decision-making.
- India seeks permanent membership of the Security Council.
Key Points: The UN in a Unipolar World
- USA emerged as the sole superpower.
- US military and economic strength allows it to ignore or influence the UN at times.
- The USA has major influence in the UN due to funding, veto power, and location of UN HQ.
- The veto power enables the USA to block decisions against its interests.
- The UN cannot fully balance US dominance in a unipolar world.
- Despite limitations, the UN provides a forum for dialogue and cooperation.
- The UN remains important for human rights, development, peacekeeping, and global discussion.
Important Questions [17]
- Describe any two functions of the UNICEF.
- Name any four agencies of the United Nations.
- The main objective of United Nations is to ______.
- Name any four organs of United Nations.
- Which of the following is not an organ of the United Nations Organisation?
- On which basis does India claim permanent membership of the UN Security Council?
- For how many years are the non-permanent members of UN Security Council elected?
- Explain, any four criteria proposed for new permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council.
- Which one of the following is not a principal organ of the United Nations?
- Which one of the following statements does not justify India's claim to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council?
- Assertion (A): The United Nations is expected to cope better with the Unipollar World. Reason (R): After the disintegration of Soviet Union many new countries joined the United Nations.
- State Any One Important Objective of the United Nation.
- Mention Any Two Functions of the World Bank?
- How does it function with the help of its structures and agencies?
- Name one country each from the continents of America, Africa, Asia and Europe, wherein the U. N. 'Peacekeeping Operations' were administered.
- Explain any two functions of International Labour Organisation (ILO).
- What is the Main Function of Amnesty International?
Concepts [13]
- Introduction to International Organisations
- Why International Organisations?
- Evolution of the UN
- Reform of the UN After the Cold War
- Reform of Structures and Processes
- Jurisdiction of the UN
- India and the UN Reforms
- The UN in a Unipolar World
- Restructuring and the Future of the UN
- India'S Position in the Restructured UN
- Rise of New International Actors - New International Economic Organisations, Ngos
- How Democratic and Accountable Are the New Institutions of Global Governance
- Overview of International Organizations
