Watching a video: The UN – History and Functions Take notes on the following: History Structure Purpose Achievements

The League of Nations - Predecessor to the UN an international organization created after the First World War to provide a forum for resolving international disputes founded in January 1920 as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War GOALS prevent wars through COLLECTIVE SECURITY and DISARMAMENT settle international disputes through NEGOTIATION and ARBITRATION WEAKNESSES - it had no army; it had to rely on member countries declaring war on countries that broke the Covenant (Italy broke the Covenant in 1923 when Mussolini occupied Corfu, which was owned by Greece; was forced to back down but no sanctions were applied - a Permanent Council Member had been allowed to escape when it had broken the Covenant) - soon came to be seen as a club for the victors of the First World War and was mostly European - failed to prevent aggression by the Axis powers in the 1930s

The United Nations an international organizations whose mission and work are guided by the purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter January the name "United Nations“ is coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt (first used in the Declaration by United Nations of 1 January 1942, during the Second World War when representatives of 26 nations pledged their Governments to continue fighting together against the Axis Powers. June The Charter of the United Nations was signed by 50 countries October The United Nations officially comes into existence (when the Charter was ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States and by a majority of other signatories) currently made up of 193 Member States

Areas of interest peace and security, climate change, sustainable development, human rights, disarmament, terrorism, humanitarian and health emergencies, gender equality, governance, food production, and more.

The main organs of the UN General Assembly Security Council Economic and Social Council Trusteeship Council International Court of Justice Secretariat

Genaral Assembly the main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ of the UN all 193 Member States of the UN are represented in the General Assembly - the only UN body with universal representation each year, in September, the full UN membership meets in the General Assembly Hall in New York for the annual General Assembly session, and general debate, which many heads of state attend and address decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and security, admission of new members and budgetary matters, require a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly. decisions on other questions are by simple majority each year elects a GA President to serve a one-year term of office

Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security 15 Members (5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members); each Member has one vote all Member States are obligated to comply with Council decisions it takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle it by peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustment or terms of settlement Can also - approve peacekeeping missions, - impose sanctions, or - authorize the use of force when there is a threat to international peace and security (to maintain or restore international peace and security)

Economic and Social Council the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals serves as the central mechanism for activities of the UN system and its specialized agencies in the economic, social and environmental fields, supervising subsidiary and expert bodies has 54 Members, elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms the United Nations’ central platform for reflection, debate, and innovative thinking on sustainable development

Trusteeship Council established in 1945 by the UN Charter, under Chapter XIII, to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed under the administration of seven Member States, and ensure that adequate steps were taken to prepare the Territories for self-government and independence – 5 permanent members of the Council by 1994, all Trust Territories had attained self-government or independence it suspended operation on 1 November 1994 by a resolution adopted on 25 May 1994, the Council amended its rules of procedure to drop the obligation to meet annually and agreed to meet as occasion required

The International Court of Justice the principal judicial organ of the United Nations its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague (Netherlands) (the only one of the six principal organs of the United Nations not located in New York) its role is - to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and - to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies

Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and tens of thousands of international UN staff members who carry out the day-to- day work of the UN Secretary-General is chief administrative officer of the Organization, appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a five-year, renewable term (since 2007 Mr. Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea) UN staff members are recruited internationally and locally, and work in duty stations and on peacekeeping missions all around the world

Supply the terms that fit the definitions: s____________________ - agreement reached after an argument or discussion s____________________ - agreement reached after an argument or discussion to r__________________- decide not to do something to r__________________- decide not to do something to b________________ - to cause something to happen to b________________ - to cause something to happen s________________ - the right to be independent s________________ - the right to be independent to e___________________ - to put someone or something in a dangerous situation to e___________________ - to put someone or something in a dangerous situation a___________________ - the act of changing something to fit new conditions a___________________ - the act of changing something to fit new conditions (check your answers in the textbook, p. 122) (check your answers in the textbook, p. 122)

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDR) (Opća deklaracija o ljudskim pravima) a milestone document in the history of human rights proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected; arose directly from the experience of the Second World War consists of 30 articles which outline the standards of the United Nations on the human rights guaranteed to all people

UNDR - Structure and legal implications laid out in the civil law tradition non-binding but has proved influential since its passage; the wording of several of its articles have been adopted into important international treaties as well as constitutions of nations forms part of customary international law and is a powerful tool in applying diplomatic, political, and moral pressure on governments that violate any of its articles an important source in the development of the European Union's standards for human rights legislation a PREAMBLE followed by 30 ARTICLES Articles 3-21 deal with civil and political rights Articles outline economic, social, and cultural rights

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights It GUARANTEES many important and fundamental human rights such as - freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion - the rule of law - the right to leave one's country - the right to receive an education - the right to participate in government - the right to work - the right to a decent standard of living and health care It PROHIBITS - slavery - gender inequality - racial discrimination - exploitation It STIPULATES that - these rights must be exercised according to the "just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.”

The International Bill of Human Rights - the name given to two international treaties and one General Assembly resolution established by the United Nations It consists of: 1. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted in 1948) 2. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966) with its two Optional Protocols 3. The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)