Civics 9

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Civics 9 Unit FourteenThe United Nations
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History of the United Nations

• In 1918 after 20 million people died in the First
  World War the League of Nations died to encourage
  peace and cooperation
• The league had no standing army to ensure its
  decisions were enforced
• Powerful nations did not cooperate so it failed
• Read about the League of Nations here
• After the Second World War the United Nations was
  founded in 1945 at the San Francisco Conference

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The United Nations Charter

• The charter is like the constitution of a country
• The charter lists a set of aims and principles
• Maintain international peace and security
• Develop friendly relations between nations
• Encourage international cooperation
• Promote respect for human rights
• Fight ignorance, poverty, hunger, and disease
• Every member state must
• Regard all other member nations as equal
• Fulfil the aims of the Charter
• Settle disputes peacefully
• Not interfere with internal affairs of another
  country
• Read about the United Nations here

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Membership

• Membership in the United Nations is open to all
  peace-loving, self-governing nations
• New members are admitted to the General Assembly
  on the recommendation of the Security Council
• If a country disobeys the charter it can be
  suspended or expelled
• On the right is the flag of the United Nations

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General Assembly

• Acts as a parliament where debates, discussions,
  and recommendations are made
• Meets once a year
• Each country has one vote and can send only five
  delegates
• The General Assembly
• Elects new members
• Acts as a world diplomatic centre
• Control the UN budget
• Supervise the work of UN agencies
• On the right is a picture of the General Assembly

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Security Council

• The Security Council has 5 permanent members (UK,
  USA, France, Russia, and China) and 10 elected
  members
• The permanent members have a veto. If one
  permanent member disagrees with a decision it
  does not pass.
• The Security Council
• Investigates disputes which may threaten peace
• Recommend how disputes should be settled
• Apply economic sanctions against uncooperative
  nations
• Dispatch UN peace keeping forces to conflict areas

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The Secretariat

• This is the civil service of the UN
• Employs 25,000 civil servants in 150 countries
• Is headed by the Secretary General
• The Secretary General is appointed by the General
  Assembly for a term of five years, but can be
  asked to serve for more than one term
• Other jobs include
• Informing the Security Council on threats to
  international peace
• Preparing United Nations reports
• Keeping financial accounts of the UN
• Providing personnel to translate into six
  official languages (English, French, Arabic,
  Chinese, Spanish, and Russian)
• Advising the Security Council on world problems

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Secretary Generals

• The current Secretary-General is Ban Ki Moon,
  from South Korea (picture on the right)
• Other secretary generals have been
• Kofi Annan (1997-2006)
• Boutros Boutros Ghali (1992-1996)
• Javier Perez de Cuellar (1982-1991)
• Kurt Waldheim (1972-1981)
• U Thant (1961-1971)
• Dag Hammerskjold (1953-1961)
• Trygve Lie (1946-1952)

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Other UN Bodies

• Economic and Social Council
• Coordinates the work of specialized agencies
• Promotes international cooperation and helps poor
  nations
• Promotes human rights and fundamental freedoms
• Prepares draft conventions
• Discusses social and economic issues
• Trusteeship Council
• Mainly established to protect countries that were
  not yet independent
• International Court of Justice
• Sits in The Hague, Netherlands
• Fifteen judges elected by the General Assembly
  and the Security Council
• Settles disputes among member states
• Also advises the UN on legal matters

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Questions

• Why did the League of Nations fail?
• When was the UN formed?
• What are the aims and principles of the UN?
• Give two conditions to join the UN.
• What are the functions of the
• General Assembly
• Economic and Social Council
• Secretariat
• International Court of Justice

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Answers

• The League of Nations failed because powerful
  nations did not cooperate with it and it had no
  standing army to enforce its decisions.
• The UN was formed in 1945, after the Second World
  War.
• The aims and principles of the UN are to maintain
  international peace and security, develop
  friendly relations between nations, encourage
  international cooperation, promote respect for
  human rights, and to fight ignorance, poverty,
  hunger, and disease.
• To be a member of the United Nations, a member
  must be peace loving and self-governing.
• The General Assembly acts as a parliament where
  debates, discussions, and recommendations are
  made.
• The Economic and Social Council coordinates the
  work of specialized agencies, promotes
  international cooperation, helps poor nations,
  promotes human rights and fundamental freedoms,
  prepares draft conventions and discusses social
  and economic issues.
• The Secretariat is the civil service of the UN.
  It carries out UN policy, manages the UN budget,
  provides translation services, and informing the
  Security Council on international issues.
• The International Court of Justice rules on
  disputes between member nations and provides
  legal advice to the UN.