Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority. Decisions on other questions are by simple majority. There are various subsidiary organs within the General Assembly.
For details of the functions and powers of the General Assembly, when it meets, and the ways in which decisions are taken, click here. The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It is so organised as to be able to function continuously, and a representative of each of its members must be present at all times at United Nations Headquarters.
The Presidency of the Council rotates monthly, according to the English alphabetical listing of its member States. There are ten non-permanent members who serve two-year terms and are elected by the General Assembly in regional groups, to ensure that each region is represented. Click here to see the current non-permanent members. There is much criticism that the permanent five members represent the most powerful countries from , rather than today, and that they do not represent the world geographically.
For more information about the Security Council, click here. Equal parts diplomat and advocate, civil servant and CEO, the Secretary-General is a symbol of United Nations ideals and a spokesman for the interests of the world's peoples, in particular the poor and vulnerable among them. The Charter describes the Secretary-General as "chief administrative officer" of the Organization, who shall act in that capacity and perform "such other functions as are entrusted" to him or her by the Security Council, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council and other United Nations organs.
The Charter also empowers the Secretary-General to "bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security". These guidelines both define the powers of the office and grant it considerable scope for action.
The Secretary-General would fail if he did not take careful account of the concerns of Member States, but he must also uphold the values and moral authority of the United Nations, and speak and act for peace, even at the risk, from time to time, of challenging or disagreeing with those same Member States.
Each year, the Secretary-General issues a report on the work of the United Nations that appraises its activities and outlines future priorities. The Secretary-General is also Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination ACC , which brings together the Executive Heads of all UN funds, programmes and specialised agencies twice a year in order to further coordination and cooperation in the entire range of substantive and management issues facing the United Nations System.
One of the most vital roles played by the Secretary-General is the use of his "good offices" - steps taken publicly and in private, drawing upon his independence, impartiality and integrity, to prevent international disputes from arising, escalating or spreading.
The Secretary-General's selection is therefore subject to the veto of any of the five permanent members of the Security Council. This is an international staff working in duty stations around the world that carry out the diverse day-to-day work of the Organization. It services the other principal organs of the United Nations and administers the programmes and policies laid down by them.
The duties carried out by the Secretariat are as varied as the problems dealt with by the United Nations. These range from administering peacekeeping operations to mediating international disputes, from surveying economic and social trends and problems to preparing studies on human rights and sustainable development.
Secretariat staff also inform the world's communications media about the work of the United Nations; organise international conferences on issues of worldwide concern; and interpret speeches and translate documents into the Organisation's official languages.
As of 30 June , the Secretariat had some 44, staff members around the world. For information on the departments of the Secretariat, click here. The Economic and Social Council is the principal body coordinating the economic and social work of the United Nations and its operational arms. It is serviced by the Department for Economic and Social Affairs. Trusteeship Council : The Trusteeship Council was originally created to supervise the 11 Trust Territories that were placed under the management of seven member states.
By , all the territories had gained self-government or independence, and the body was suspended. But that same year, the Council decided to continue meeting occasionally, instead of annually.
International Court of Justice : This branch is responsible for settling legal disputes submitted by the states and answering questions in accordance with international law.
Its members carry out the daily duties of the U. What started as a group of 51 states has grown increasingly over the years. War, independence movements and decolonization have all helped boost membership in the U. Since its inception, the United Nations has performed numerous humanitarian, environmental and peace-keeping undertakings, including:.
Over the years, the role of the U. Today, the U. Though many support including these extended responsibilities, others believe the organization may be overstepping its boundaries. The Rwanda Mission : During this undertaking, the U. Cholera in Haiti : After the earthquake, U. More than 10, people died from the outbreak. But, accusations surfaced that much of the money was funneled to the Iraqi government and to U.
Sexual abuse allegations : In early , U. Similar allegations of sexual misconduct were also reported in Cambodia, Haiti and other countries. UN Card. Sustainable Development Goals. Useful Links. A few autonomous states lack UN membership despite exercising de facto sovereignty.
In some cases, this is because most of the international community does not recognize them as independent e. Tibet, Somaliland, Abkhazia. In other cases, it is because one or more powerful member states have blocked their admittance e. Taiwan, Kosovo.
There are five permanent UN members: the U. When a new state applies to join the U. A sixth, the UN Trusteeship Council, has been inactive since This is the UN's main deliberative body, where all members have equal representation.
It is headquartered in New York City, and its responsibilities include setting the UN's budget, appointing rotating members to the Security Council, and passing non-binding resolutions that express the opinions of the international community.
The UN Secretariat is the executive wing of the UN, charged with implementing policies set by its deliberative bodies. Its head, the Secretary-General, is the UN's top official. The Secretariat, which is based in New York City, includes the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, which dispatches UN soldiers—known as "blue helmets"—on missions authorized by the Security Council.
The International Court of Justice is based in The Hague and has two main functions: to settle disputes submitted by member states according to international law and to issue advisory opinions on legal questions submitted by UN agencies. There are 15 judges and the court's official languages are French and English. Appeals are not allowed, making the judgements final. The UN Security Council is charged with maintaining international security.
It authorizes peacekeeping missions, accepts new UN members, and approves changes to the UN charter. These include the Food and Agriculture Organization, which leads efforts to improve food security; the International Labour Organization, which promotes workers' interests; and the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund , two of the Bretton Woods institutions, which were founded to shore up international financial stability.
United Nations Office at Geneva.
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