The United Nations is an organization that was formed on October 24, 1945 and is comprised of about 191 nations. The goal of the organization is to keep peace between nations and to promote cooperation between them. All members of the United Nations must to agree to accept the UN Charter, which is an international treaty that has four main purposes:
- To maintain international peace and security.
- To develop friendly relations among nations.
- To cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights.
- To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
The organization is divided into six additional parts, with the main headquarters located in New York and the International Court of Justice is located in The Hague, Netherlands. The annual session meetings are held from September to December each year. Since the United Nation’s primary purpose is to preserve world peace, all members must agree to settle disputes peacefully, and control themselves from using force against another country or member. Over the years of this organization, there have been numerous incidents where they have worked consistently to restore peace and control the given situations. Proudly, they have made major impacts in humanitarian assistance.
HELPING AFRICA
The Congo war has killed more lives since World War II compared to any other war, reaching nearly four million this year. The war involved nine African nations and impacted 50 million Congolese beginning 1998, forcing many to find refuge in Ituri, a region in the Congo. On July 12 of 2006, the United Nations Food Program distributed 495 tons of food aid to the 55,000 people who were impacted by the war. On the other hand, The United Nations Children’s Fund is focusing more on giving aid to children under the age of five who are the most vulnerable. They are supplying each family with children one kilogram of high-energy biscuits. In addition, they are also providing aid in form of water, sanitation lavatories, non-food items and emergency education to the people settling in Ituri.
United Nations, "The UN In Brief." Nov 2002. United Nations Department of Public Information. 5 Jul 2006 <http://www.un.org/Overview/brief.html>.
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