THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION (UNO)
After the First World War the League of Nations was established in 1920, but it
failed to prevent Second World War. The Second World War once again
compelled the nations of the world to endeavour to establish an International
Organisation which could prevent future war and maintain peace and security in
the world. During the second world war itself the great powers had started making
efforts in this direction. Their efforts led to the holding of the Sanfrancisco
Conference, 1945 in which the U.N Charter was adopted and signed by 51 nations
of the world. The charter came into force on Oct 24, 1945 after it was ratified by
the prescribed number of states.
The UN is considered to be an association or organisation of states. It has a
distinct legal personality of its own apart from those of its members. The ICJ in
the case Reparation for the Injuries Suffered in the Service of the U.N. held that
U.N is a legal person and a subject of international law. It has rights and duties
under International law. It can claim compensation for injuries suffered by the
persons in its services. The U.N has at present 193 member states. Some more
member states are likely to join in the future.
OBJECTIVES OF THE UNITED NATIONS (in preamble of UN Charter)
• To save future generations from the devastation of war.
• To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights.
• To uphold the dignity and worth of every human being.
• To ensure equality of rights between men and women.
• To promote equal rights of all nations, whether large or small.
• To establish justice and respect for international law and treaties.
• To promote social progress and improve standards of living.
• To encourage peaceful coexistence and tolerance among nations.
• To maintain international peace and security through collective efforts.
, • To ensure that force is used only for the common interest.
• To promote economic and social development of all people through
international cooperation.
PRINCIPLES OF THE UN
The UNO acts in accordance with the following principles as envisaged in Article
2 of the Charter of the UNO in order to fulfil the purposes for which the UNO
was established:
1) The organisation is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all
its Members.
2) All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits
resulting from membership, shall fulfil in good faith the obligations
assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.
3) All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in
such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not
endangered.
4) All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or
use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any
State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the UN.
5) All Members shall give the UN, every assistance in any action it takes in
accordance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving
assistance to any State against which the UN is taking preventive or
enforcement action.
6) The Organisation shall ensure that States which are not Members of the
UN act in accordance with these principles so far as may be necessary for
the maintenance of international peace and security.
7) Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorise the UN to
intervene in matters which are essentially with the domestic jurisdiction of
any State or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement
, under the present Charter, but this principle shall not prejudice the
application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.
MEMBERSHIP
There are two kinds of membership: original and new. According to Article 3 of
the Charter, the Original Members of the UN shall be the States which having
participated in the UN Conference on International Organisation at San Francisco
or having previously signed the Declaration by UN of January 1, 1942, sign the
present Charter and ratify it in accordance with Article 110. In all 51 seats are
regarded as Original Members.
Article 4 of the Charter states that membership in the UN is open to all other
peace-loving States (besides 51 signatories) which accept the obligations
contained in the present Charter and in the judgment of the Organisation, are able
and willing to carry out these obligations. The admission of any such State to
membership in the UN will be affected by a decision of the General Assembly
upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
Any prospective country desiring to become Member must submit an application
including a declaration on that it accepts the obligations envisaged in the Charter.
New Members are admitted by two thirds vote of the General Assembly on the
recommendation of the Security Council. Membership becomes effective on the
date the Assembly accepts the application. At present 193 States have
Membership in the UNO (in 2011).
No express provision is inserted in the Charter regarding the withdrawal
Suspension and Expulsion of Membership
According to Article 5 of the Charter, a Member of the UN against which
preventive enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be
suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the
, General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The
exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council.
Article 6 of the Charter states that a Member of the United Nations which has
persistently violated the principles contained in the present Charter may be
expelled from the organisation by the General Assembly upon the
recommendation of the Security Council. The Security Council recommends the
admission of a State and the General Assembly decides to admit or refuse and
also suspend or expel the Members.
PRINCIPAL ORGANS OF THE UNITED NATIONS
There are six principal organs of the United Nations, established by the UN
Charter in 1945:
General Assembly
Security Council
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Trusteeship Council
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal
organs of the United Nations and is regarded as the most powerful body.
• It is often described as the “Enforcement Wing” of the UN due to its
responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
• Its decisions are binding on all member states under Article 25 of the UN
Charter.
After the First World War the League of Nations was established in 1920, but it
failed to prevent Second World War. The Second World War once again
compelled the nations of the world to endeavour to establish an International
Organisation which could prevent future war and maintain peace and security in
the world. During the second world war itself the great powers had started making
efforts in this direction. Their efforts led to the holding of the Sanfrancisco
Conference, 1945 in which the U.N Charter was adopted and signed by 51 nations
of the world. The charter came into force on Oct 24, 1945 after it was ratified by
the prescribed number of states.
The UN is considered to be an association or organisation of states. It has a
distinct legal personality of its own apart from those of its members. The ICJ in
the case Reparation for the Injuries Suffered in the Service of the U.N. held that
U.N is a legal person and a subject of international law. It has rights and duties
under International law. It can claim compensation for injuries suffered by the
persons in its services. The U.N has at present 193 member states. Some more
member states are likely to join in the future.
OBJECTIVES OF THE UNITED NATIONS (in preamble of UN Charter)
• To save future generations from the devastation of war.
• To reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights.
• To uphold the dignity and worth of every human being.
• To ensure equality of rights between men and women.
• To promote equal rights of all nations, whether large or small.
• To establish justice and respect for international law and treaties.
• To promote social progress and improve standards of living.
• To encourage peaceful coexistence and tolerance among nations.
• To maintain international peace and security through collective efforts.
, • To ensure that force is used only for the common interest.
• To promote economic and social development of all people through
international cooperation.
PRINCIPLES OF THE UN
The UNO acts in accordance with the following principles as envisaged in Article
2 of the Charter of the UNO in order to fulfil the purposes for which the UNO
was established:
1) The organisation is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all
its Members.
2) All Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits
resulting from membership, shall fulfil in good faith the obligations
assumed by them in accordance with the present Charter.
3) All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in
such a manner that international peace and security, and justice, are not
endangered.
4) All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or
use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any
State, or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the UN.
5) All Members shall give the UN, every assistance in any action it takes in
accordance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving
assistance to any State against which the UN is taking preventive or
enforcement action.
6) The Organisation shall ensure that States which are not Members of the
UN act in accordance with these principles so far as may be necessary for
the maintenance of international peace and security.
7) Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorise the UN to
intervene in matters which are essentially with the domestic jurisdiction of
any State or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement
, under the present Charter, but this principle shall not prejudice the
application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.
MEMBERSHIP
There are two kinds of membership: original and new. According to Article 3 of
the Charter, the Original Members of the UN shall be the States which having
participated in the UN Conference on International Organisation at San Francisco
or having previously signed the Declaration by UN of January 1, 1942, sign the
present Charter and ratify it in accordance with Article 110. In all 51 seats are
regarded as Original Members.
Article 4 of the Charter states that membership in the UN is open to all other
peace-loving States (besides 51 signatories) which accept the obligations
contained in the present Charter and in the judgment of the Organisation, are able
and willing to carry out these obligations. The admission of any such State to
membership in the UN will be affected by a decision of the General Assembly
upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
Any prospective country desiring to become Member must submit an application
including a declaration on that it accepts the obligations envisaged in the Charter.
New Members are admitted by two thirds vote of the General Assembly on the
recommendation of the Security Council. Membership becomes effective on the
date the Assembly accepts the application. At present 193 States have
Membership in the UNO (in 2011).
No express provision is inserted in the Charter regarding the withdrawal
Suspension and Expulsion of Membership
According to Article 5 of the Charter, a Member of the UN against which
preventive enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be
suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the
, General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. The
exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the Security Council.
Article 6 of the Charter states that a Member of the United Nations which has
persistently violated the principles contained in the present Charter may be
expelled from the organisation by the General Assembly upon the
recommendation of the Security Council. The Security Council recommends the
admission of a State and the General Assembly decides to admit or refuse and
also suspend or expel the Members.
PRINCIPAL ORGANS OF THE UNITED NATIONS
There are six principal organs of the United Nations, established by the UN
Charter in 1945:
General Assembly
Security Council
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
Trusteeship Council
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL
• The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the six principal
organs of the United Nations and is regarded as the most powerful body.
• It is often described as the “Enforcement Wing” of the UN due to its
responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
• Its decisions are binding on all member states under Article 25 of the UN
Charter.
