There are few organizations as globally recognized and influential as The United Nations (UN). That being said, most people don’t know the story of how it was created or how it functions.
The roots of the United Nations are anchored in the devastation of the Second World War. It was from the ashes of this conflict, in an era brimming with loss and a desperate yearning for peace, that the United Nations was born. It’s predecessor, The League of Nations failed after being unable to secure a lasting peace after WWI. The headquarters of the league were located in Geneva, Switzerland. On 20 April 1946, the League of Nations handed over all of its assets to the United Nations, and granted the new UN Secretariat full control of its library and archives. Today, the building known as Palais Des Nations is the second largest United Nations center and the UN Library in Geneva was made possible by none other than John D. Rockefeller, Jr. When the League disbanded and the new headquarters was to be created in New York, there was talk of moving the contents of the Library there as well. Considering how devastated most of Europe had become by the end of WWII and how many libraries had either been destroyed or not kept up, it was decided that these important documents which serve as the memory of both The League of Nations and the United Nations would remain in Geneva.
Discussions to create a new peace keeping organization
As early as 1941, discussions began to establish a new peacekeeping body. Many of the components of The Atlantic Charter helped to establish the framework for what would become the united nations. FDR and Churchill met in August of 1941 aboard a yacht off the coast of Newfoundland. The two met in secrecy. The document that came from these meetings became known as The Atlantic Charter. It was not a formal treaty but instead was considered as a statement of shared ethics and intent. The document made 8 major points. For example, both the US and Great Britain agreed not to seek any territorial gains from the war, they voiced support for Self-Determination for people whose country had been taken over by hostile powers, freedom of the seas and to work to establish a lasting peace for the world. This document, along with later discussions at Yalta where Stalin agreed to join the United Nations only after it was agreed upon that permanent members of The Security Council would have veto power. A 1945 Conference in San Francisco called the United Nations Conference on International Organization and was held from April 25 – June 26, 1945. Delegates from 50 nations met, discussed and debated the structure of the newly created United Nations. By the end of the Conference, The Charter of the United Nations, together with the Statute of the International Court of Justice were adopted unanimously. With 850 delegates plus staff which totaled into the thousands, it was the largest international gathering to ever take place. It was agreed upon that the Charter would not go into force until the Governments of China, France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union and the United States and a majority of the other signatory states had ratified it and notified the US State Department. On 24 October 1945 these requirements were met and the United Nations came into existence. October 24th is celebrated as United Nations Day.
Over the years, the UN has grown in size, today it includes 193 nations. Each member nation remains resolutely bound to the original goals articulated on that historic day in 1945.
Think of the UN not as a singular entity, but as a network of six main components, each fulfilling a unique function within the organization. I’ll start with the General Assembly. This is the epicenter of global conversation, where all 193 member countries have a seat and a voice. Every country has one vote. It's essentially the world's largest roundtable, and it’s here where nations come together to discuss and coordinate on international issues. Since 1952, the permanent headquarters of The General Assembly has been in NYC. The current site of the UN in NYC was once home to slaughterhouses, tenements and factories. The UN had a number of homes before the 18 acres of land where its footprint now stands in NYC could be ready. The first session met in London, Paris and in Queens at Flushing Meadows Park which was the site of the World’s Fair when it took place in New York. Other cities vied to be the host city of the UN. San Francisco was strongly considered as was Philadelphia. Some wanted it back in Geneva where the League of Nations had been located. It wasn’t until John D. Rockefeller Jr. agreed to purchase the land and donate that NYC was chosen.
In addition to the General Assembly, the UN also consists of the Security Council. With five permanent members and ten members elected for two-year terms, this council holds the authority to make decisions that member nations are obliged to follow. The five permanent members are the US, Great Britain, France, China & Russia. The Security Council is responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. When disputes between member states occur, it calls for an end to the dispute by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement. In some cases, the Security Council can impose sanctions, send special envoys into a region to collect information or deal with a specific issue or even authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security. The Security Council has used sanctions to support peaceful transitions of power, constrain terrorism, protect human rights and promote non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. In some cases they were successful, in some cases they weren’t.
Next in line is the Economic and Social Council, an essential piece of the UN structure that coordinates the economic, social, and related work of 14 UN specialized agencies. Its task? To promote better living standards in various parts of the world. The most well known of these agencies are the IMF – International Monetary Fund, WBG – World Bank Group, WHO – World Health Organization, UNESCO – United Nations Education Scientific Cultural Organization just to name a few.
The Trusteeship Council, although currently inactive, played a crucial role in overseeing trust territories on their journey towards self-governance. Trust territories were areas governed by the United Nations. An example would be an area of South Africa in the western part of the country. Once it gained its independence it became known as Namibia. All former trust territories are now either self-governed or have gained their independence.
The International Court of Justice is another branch of the UN and is seated in The Hague, Netherlands, acts as the UN's judicial arm. It settles disputes between countries in accordance with international law and gives advisory opinions on legal questions.
Lastly, the Secretariat carries out the day-to-day work of the UN. It's led by the Secretary-General who is in charge of thousands of staff members who help to fulfill the mission of the UN world wide. TheSecretary General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a five-year, renewable term. Former Secretary Generals come from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures. Some precedents have served as the basis of qualifications on who can be the Secretary General. No appointee can be a citizen of one of the 5 permanent members on the Security Council. No Secretary General has served more than 2 terms, most have been career diplomats and so far, all have been men. The Security Council votes in a series of secret straw polls in order to select a candidate. Think of the Secretary-General as the United Nations' conductor, leading the symphony of this grand global organization. Often dubbed as the "world's diplomat," the Secretary-General dons many hats and carries out an array of critical responsibilities. One of the primary responsibilities of the Secretary-General is to uphold the values and ethical standards of the organization. Imagine being the torchbearer for the principles that bind 193 nations together. It's not just a role, it's a responsibility of global proportions, one that requires diplomatic prowess, unflinching integrity, and an unwavering commitment to the collective good.
The Secretary-General also holds the significant power to alert the Security Council about any brewing storm that might disrupt the calm of international peace and security. They are the UN's watchful eyes and ears, keeping a pulse on global developments and ringing alarm bells when necessary.
The role of the Secretary-General, however, is not just about maintaining the status quo. It's about taking the UN's mission forward, catalyzing change, and ushering in an era where peace, justice, and human rights are not just ideals but a living reality for all. Remember, every resolution passed, every agreement forged, and every step towards a better world has the Secretary-General's handprint on it. The first Secretary General of the UN was from Norway. The current Secretary General is Antonio Guterres from Portugal.
Voting rules are not the same across the board in The UN. What's interesting to note is the distinction in voting based on the gravity of the matter. For issues of significant consequence - such as those concerning international peace and security, or the admission of new members into the UN's fold - the General Assembly doesn't settle for a simple majority. Instead, it seeks consensus, requiring a substantial two-thirds majority for approval.
On the flip side, for other matters of international concern that aren't as critical, a simple majority vote suffices. It's not about quantity, but the quality of agreement among nations. This distinct process ensures that monumental decisions have the backing of a substantial proportion of the world's nations, while other significant but less critical issues can be resolved more swiftly.
So, the next time you hear about a resolution passed by the United Nations, remember the meticulous democratic process behind it.
Recent Issues the UN has gotten involved in:
When Russia invaded Ukraine in Feb of 2022, the UN responded a few days later with a resolution that was vetoed by Russia which would have demanded that Russia remove its troops from Ukraine. When a vote of no is made by any one of the 5 permanent members of the security council, it stops any measure put before the council. This was preceded by repeated calls for de-escalation by speaker after speaker in the general assembly.
In Feb of 2023 – The UN passed a resolution that demanded that Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine and called for a cessation of hostilities”.
The United Nations is also actively working to bring aid to the people living in Gaza. After Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct 7th and then continued military operation, the United Nations has called for unhindered assistance in bringing in aid to the civilians of Gaza. The United Nations has been calling for the release of Israeli hostages, to allow humanitarian access and to avoid a policy of collective punishment. The UN response to the Oct 7th attacks has been criticized heavily. Especially the UN Women organization not immediately condemning the reports of sexual violence against Israeli women and girls. A statement wasn’t made for 55 days. Stories of rape and sexual mutilation against Israeli women during the Oct. 7th were being covered significantly in the news and stories are still coming to light. Most recently in September of 2024, the UN passed a resolution for Israel to follow international law and withdraw its forces from the Palestinian territory.
Today, the UN is currently involved in 11 Peace keeping missions worldwide. Many have been on the ground in the location for decades. In Kosovo for example, the UN Peace keeping mission has been there since 1999. The role has changed over the years as the needs of the people and the crisis itself have evolved.
