Question

Assess the structure and activities of the UN.

Answer 1

The United Nations came into existence in the year 1945 to achieve lasting peace among all nations which were inter-dependent. It functions like any government, through its principal organs which are similar to the legislative, executive and judicial wings of a state.

1. The General Assembly is the body in which each member state is represented. It meets once a year and issues of interest and points of conflict are discussed in the Assembly.
2. The Security Council has fifteen members, five of them (the USA, Britain, France, Russia, and China) are permanent members. The other ten temporary members are elected in rotation from different parts of the world. Each of the permanent members has the right to veto any decision by the other members of the Security Council.
3. The UN Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, who is elected by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council.
4. The International Court of Justice is the Judicial wing of the United Nations. Its headquarter is at The Hague.
5. The fifth organ of the UN is the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It is responsible for coordinating all the economic and social work of the United Nations.

Activities of the United Nations

Human rights, the problems of refugees, climate change, gender equality are all within the ambit of the activities of the United Nations. The UN Peace-keeping force has acted in many areas of conflict all over the world.