Question

“After the end of the Cold War, the United Nation is working in accordance with the changed realities of the world.” Justify the statement with six arguments.

Answer 1

The UN was established in 1945, immediately after the Second World War. After the Cold War, some of the changes that have occurred are:

1. The Soviet Union has collapsed. The US is the strongest power.
2. China is fast emerging as a great power, and India is also growing rapidly.
3. The economies of Asia are growing at an unprecedented rate.
4. Many new countries have joined the UN.
5. A whole new set of challenges confronts the world (genocide, civil war, ethnict, terrorism, nuclear proliferation, climate change, environmental degradation, epidemics).
6. In accordance with these changes, the UN has considered reforms of structure and processes, especially of the Security Council.

After 60 years of its formation, it was decided to take steps to make the UN more relevant in the changing context.

• Creation of a Peace building Commission Acceptance of the responsibility of the international community in case of failures of national governments to protect their own citizens from atrocities Establishment of a Human Rights Council (operational since 19 June 2006).
• Agreements to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
• Condemnation of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations Creation of a Democracy Fund.
• An agreement to wind up the Trusteeship Council.
• In recent years, the UN has also worked on SDGs.