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of State. United Nations Day is celebrated on 24 Oct. each year. The headquarters of the UNO is in New York.Objects: To maintain international peace and security.
in between them in world map) on a light blue background. Official Languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish. | |||
| Structure | |||
| The United Nations has six principal organs according to the Charter which are indicated as below : | |||
| The General Assembly | |||
| It consists of all 192 member nations and functions as the main deliberative body. It meets once a year on the third Tuesday of the month of September and session lasts for two weeks. It has the under mentioned aspects : (i) At each session the Assembly elects a new President, 21 Vice-Presidents and Chairmen of the six main committees. For proper geographical representation, the Presidency of the Assembly rotates every year among the five geographical groups–Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and Caribbean, and Western Europe and other stares. Special session can be called by the Secretary General at the request of the Security Council by the majority of members or of by one member of majority of the members approve of the same. (ii) Decisions on the important questions are taken by the two-third majority. The issues are of the nature of peace and security, new membership and budget. (iii) Decisions on other issues are taken by a simple majority. (iv) The work of the meeting is divided into six main committees as given below :
(vi) There is a general committee which is responsible for the proceedings of the General Assembly and also its committees as well as Credential Committee. (vii) The General Committee is made of 28 members, the President and 21 Vice-Presidents of the General Assembly and Chairmen of six main committees. (viii) The Credential Committee is composed of nine members appointed by the General Assembly on the proposal of the President of each session. (ix) The General. Assembly has two standing Committees as mentioned below :
matters. These include the following subject-issues :
(xii) Excepting those disputes which are on the agenda of the Security Council, the General Assembly has the power to make recommendations over all other issues. (xiii) Recommendations of the General Assembly have no compulsion power on the member state, but the same has the weightage of world opinion. (xiv) The General Assembly receives reports from the other organs, admits new members, directs activities of development, sets policies and determines programmers for the Secretariat, appoints the Secretary General who submits annual reports on the work of the Assembly and approves the UN Budget. (xiii) Under the resolution 'Uniting for Peace' adopted by the General Assembly in Nov. 1950 the same is empowered to take action in the following cases:
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| The Economic and Social Council (ECO-SOC) |
| It is responsible under the General Assembly for co-ordinating the functions of the UN or the issues of economic, social, cultural, educational, health and other related matters. Round the year the work of the Council is carried out by related organisations, specialised agencies and subsidiary bodies, com- missions and committees. The features of the Council are furnished below : (i) The Council consists of 54 member states which are elected by two-third majority of the General Assembly for a three year term. (ii) Members elected represent the under-mentioned geographical representation :
(iv) Decisions are taken by a Majority of members present and Vote. (v) The Council holds one four week substantive session in a year alternating between New York and Geneva. (vi) One organisational session is held in New York. (vii) The substantative session is a high level session attended by the Ministers to discuss the following matters : Major economic and social issues (viii) Special session of the Council may also be held, if requisite. (ix) President of the Council is elected for one year and can also seek immediate re-election. (x) ECO-SOC has the under-mentioned subsidiary machinery.
Latin America and the Caribbean, Santiago, Chile (ECLAC), Economic Commission for Western Asia, Beirut and Lebanon (ESCWA). (xii) Nine Standing Committees and subsidiary expert bodies: Committee for Programme and Co-ordination, Commission on Human Settlements, Committee on Non-Government Organizations, Committee on Natural Resources, Committee for Development Planning, Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development, Ad-hoc Group of Experts on International Co- operation in Tax Matters, Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. (xiii) Other related operational programmes, Funds and Special Bodies are :
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| The Trusteeship Council |
| It was formed with the purpose that governments responsible for administering trust territories take necessary and sufficient measures so as to prepare them for self- government or independence. Other aspects are given below :
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| The International Court of Justice |
It is the principal judicial organ of the UN. It has the final roles :
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| Secretary General of the UN |
| Ban Ki-Moon of South Korea Since January 1, 2006 – Biography |
| Kofi A. Annan of Ghana 1997–December 31, 2006 |
| Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt (1992–1996) |
| Javier Perez de Cuellar of Peru (1982–1991) |
| Kurt Waldheim of Austria (1972–1981) |
| U. Thant of Myanmar (1961–1971) |
| Dag Hammarskjöld of Sweden (April 7, 1953–1961), who worked till his death on September 17, 1961. |
| Trygve Lie (Norway) of Norway, who worked since 1946 till 1952, was the first Secretary General. |
| Specialised Agencies of the UN |
| 1. International Labour Organisation (ILO) : Established in 1919 and became the first specialised agency of the UN in 1946. It is composed of : (1) International Labour Conference; (2) the Governing Body; and (3) the International Labour Office. It has 177 members. Headquarters-Geneva Functions : (1) To adopt international conventions for the welfare of the labour; (2) to watch the progress of their implementation; (3) to undertake extensive research work and advisory activities in the field of labour welfare; and (4) to extend technical assistance to governments. 2. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) : FAO was founded at a conference in Quebec city on October 16, 1945, a date observed annually as World Food Day. Its members are 187 countries. Headquarters-Rome Functions : (1) To continuously review food and agriculture position of the world; (2) to undertake research with a view to devise new techniques and methods to improve the production of food; (3) to eradicate animal diseases and to control pests. 3. International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) : Established in 1947 and headquarters are at Montreal. Its assembly composed of delegates from 185 member countries. It assists international civil aviation by encouraging : (1) use of safety measures; (2) uniform regulations for operation; and (3) simpler procedures at borders of two countries. 4. Universal Postal Union (UPU) : Established in 1875, possesses 190 member countries and itsheadquarters at Berne. Functions : To ensure smooth organisation and perfection of the various postal services and to promote the development of international cooperation in the field of postal communications. 5. International Monetary Fund (lMF) : Established in 1945, possesses 184 member countries and theheadquarters are at Washington. Functions : (1) To stabilise internal exchange; (2) to remove artificial barriers hindering international trade;(3) provide short-term foreign exchange assistance to member- States. 6. International Bank for Construction and Development (IBRD)- The World Bank : It began operations in June 1946. It has 184 members and headquarters at Washington. Functions : Its purpose is to provide funds, policy guidance and technical assistance to facilitate economic development in its poorer member countries. 7. International Development Association (IDA) : Established in 1960 and administrated by the IBRD to provide assistance on concessional terms to the poorest developing countries, officers and staff of the lBRD serve concurrently as officers and staff of the IDA at the World Bank headquarters. It has 143 members. 8. International Finance Corporation (lFC) : Established in July 1956. It has 177 members andheadquarters at Washington. Functions : It helps to finance new ventures and assist established enterprises to expand, improve or diversify and provides a variety of advisory services to public and private sector. 9. World Trade Organisation (WTO) : It is the third pillar of the world's economic system along with IMF and World Bank, with powers to settle disputes between nations and widen the principle of free trade to sectors such as Services and Agriculture. It has 150 members. It came into existence on January 1, 1995. 10. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) : It came into existence in Nov., 1946, possesses 190 member countries and the headquarters at Paris. Functions : It encourages universal respect for justice, rule of law, fundamental freedom and human rights. 11. World Health Organisation (WHO) : It came into existence in 7 April, 1948, possesses 192 members. Its headquarters at Geneva. Function : Its purpose is to raise health standard, eradicate epidemical diseases. 12. The United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) : Established in 1946, it originally sent postwar relief to children. Now it works for the improvement of quality of life for children and mothers in developing countries. Its headquarters at New York. 13. International Telecommunication Union (lTU) : It became a specialised agency of UNO in 1947. It has 189 member countries and headquarters at Geneva. Function : To improve the efficiency of telecommunication service and their availability to the public. 14. International Maritime Consulting Organisation (IMCO) : IMCO established in 1958. It provides the machinery to governments to cooperate in formulating regulations and practices relating to technical matters affecting international shipping. IMCO has 157 members countries and itsheadquarters are at London. 15. World Meterological Organisation (WMO) : It established in 1947. It develops weather-forecasting services, including seasonal forecasting, and through international collaboration contributes to tracking of global weather conditions. It has 181 members. Headquarters-Geneva. 16. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) : Established in 1957, IAEA accelerates the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and as the international inspectorate for the application of nuclear safeguards and verification measures covering civilian nuclear programmers. It has 138 member states and headquarters at Vienna. 17. United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) : Established in 1966, it help to the living conditions of people and promote global prosperity by offering tailor made solutions for the sustainable industrial development. It has 171 member states and headquarters at Vienna. 18. International Fund for Agricultural Development (lFAD) : Established in Nov. 1977, it mobilizes resources for improved food production and better nutrition among the poor in developing countries, focusing on the needs of the poorest developing countries. This body has 163 member countries and the headquarters at Rome. 19. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) : It became a UN specialized agency in 1974. It has 182 member states and headquarters at Geneva. Functions : To promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world, and to ensure administrative co-operation among the intellectual property. |
| Important Years Observed by UNO | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Contemporary United Nations International Decade | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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