United Nations(UN)

Purpose: To protect human rights; promote the protection of the environment; help the advancement of women and the rights of children; fight epidemics, famine, poverty. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees and help improve telecommunication; deliver food aid and protect consumers; combat disease and help expand food production; make loans to developing countries and help stabilize financial markets

Date of Origin: October 24, 1945

Original Membership: 51 Countries

Current Membership: 185 countries are represented in the General Assembly

Director: Kofi Annan(Secretaries-General)

Staff: 53,300 people

Location: All six parts of the UN are based at UN Headquarters in New York, except the International Court of Justice, which is located at The Hague, Netherlands.

Structure: The United Nations is an organization of sovereign nations. It provides the means to help find solutions to international problems or disputes, and to deal with pressing concerns that face people everywhere. The UN is comprised of six primary parts( The General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat).

The General Assembly: The General Assembly is similar to a world parliament. 185 nations are represented in it, and each has one vote. Decisions on ordinary matters are taken by simple majority. Important questions require a two-thirds majority. The Assembly has the right to discuss and make recommendations on all matters within the scope of the UN Charter but it has no power to compel action by any Government, but its recommendations carry the weight of world opinion. The Assembly also sets policies and determines programs for the UN Secretariat, directs activities for development, and approves the UN budget, including peacekeeping operations. Occupying a central position in the UN, the Assembly receives reports from other organs, admits new Members and appoints the UN Secretary-General.

The Security Council: The UN's founding document, the UN charter obligates countries to settle their disputes by peaceful means. They are to refrain from the threat or use of force against other countries and may bring any dispute before the Security Council. The Security Council is the part of the UN to which the Charter gives primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security. It can be convened at any time, whenever peace is threatened. Member States are obligated to carry out its decisions. The Council has 15 members. Five of these - China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States - are permanent members. The other 10 are elected by the Assembly for two-year terms. Decisions require nine votes; except in votes on procedural questions, a decision cannot be taken if there is a negative vote (veto) by a permanent member. The Council may take actions to enforce its decisions by imposing sanctions on countries or parties that threaten the peace or send peacekeeping missions to troubled areas, to keep opposing forces apart or to put a peace agreement into effect.

The Economic and Social Council: The Council oversees UN activities and policies promoting economic growth in developing countries, administering development projects, promoting the observance of human rights, and fostering international cooperation in areas such as housing, family planning, environmental protection and crime prevention. The Trusteeship Council The Trusteeship Council was established to ensure that Governments responsible for administering Trust Territories(colonies) take adequate steps to prepare them for self-government or independence. The task of the Trusteeship System was completed in 1994, when the Security Council terminated the Trusteeship Agreement for the last of the original 11 UN Trusteeships, the Trust Territory of Palau, administered by the United States. All Trust Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as separate States or by joining neighboring independent countries. The Trusteeship Council will now meet as and where circumstances so demand. The International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (also known as the World Court) is the main judicial organ of the UN, settling legal disputes between Member States. To find out more go to our page on the world court. The Secretariat The Secretariat works for the other five organs of the UN and administers their programs. With a staff of some 8,900 under the regular budget, working at Headquarters and all over the world, it carries out the day-to-day work of the UN and is headed by the Secretary-General.

Peace Keeping Missions:

AFRICA
1.ANGOLA - UNAVEM I
United Nations Angola Verification Mission I
January 1989 - June 1991

2.ANGOLA - UNAVEM II
United Nations Angola Verification Mission II
June 1991 - February 1995

3.ANGOLA - UNAVEM III
United Nations Angola Verification Mission III
February 1995 - June 1997

4.CHAD/LIBYA - UNASOG
United Nations Aouzou Strip Observer Group
May - June 1994

5.CONGO - ONUC
United Nations Operation in the Congo
July 1960 - June 1964

6.LIBERIA - UNOMIL
United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia
September 1993 - September 1997

7.MOZAMBIQUE - ONUMOZ
United Nations Operation in Mozambique
December 1992 - December 1994

8.NAMIBIA - UNTAG
United Nations Transition Assistance Group
April 1989 - March 1990

9.RWANDA - UNAMIR
United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda October
1993 - March 1996

10.RWANDA/UGANDA - UNOMUR
United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda
June 1993 - September 1994

11.SOMALIA - UNOSOM I
United Nations Operation in Somalia I
April 1992 - March 1993

12.SOMALIA - UNOSOM II
United Nations Operation in Somalia II
March 1993 - March 1995

AMERICAS
13.CENTRAL AMERICA - ONUCA
United Nations Observer Group in Central America
November 1989 - January 1992

14.DOMINICAN REPUBLIC - DOMREP
Mission of the Representative of the Secretary-General in the Dominican Republic
May 1965 - October 1966

15.EL SALVADOR - ONUSAL
United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador
July 1991 - April 1995

16.GUATEMALA - MINUGUA
United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala
January- May 1997

17.HAITI - UNMIH
United Nations Mission in Haiti
September 1993 - June 1996

18.HAITI - UNSMIH
United Nations Support Mission in Haiti
July 1996 - July 1997

19.HAITI - UNTMIH
United Nations Transition Mission in Haiti
August-November 1997

ASIA
20.AFGHANISTAN/PAKISTAN - UNGOMAP
United Nations Good Offices Mission in Afghanistan and Pakistan
April 1988 - March 1990

21.CAMBODIA - UNAMIC
United Nations Advance Mission in Cambodia
October 1991 - March 1992

22.CAMBODIA - UNTAC
United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia
March 1992 - September 1993

23.INDIA/PAKISTAN - UNIPOM
United Nations India-Pakistan Observation Mission
September 1965 - March 1966

24.WEST NEW GUINEA - UNSF
United Nations Security Force in West New Guinea (West Irian)
October 1962 - April 1963

EUROPE
25.CROATIA - UNCRO
United Nations Confidence Restoration Organization in Croatia
March 1995 - January 1996

26.CROATIA - UNTAES
United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium
January 1996 - January 1998

27.FORMER YUGOSLAVIA - UNPROFOR
United Nations Protection Force
March 1992 - December 1995

MIDEAST
28.IRAN/IRAQ - UNIIMOG
United Nations Iran-Iraq Military Observer Group
August 1988 - February 1991

29.LEBANON - UNOGIL
United Nations Observation Group in Lebanon
June - December 1958

30.MIDDLE EAST - UNEFI
First United Nations Emergency Force
November 1956 - June 1967

31.MIDDLE EAST - UNEF II
Second United Nations Emergency Force
October 1973 - July 1979

32.YEMEN - UNYOM
United Nations Yemen Observation Mission
July 1963 - September 1964

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