International Organizations – United Nations: Founding, Principles & Structure

These vocabulary flashcards cover the United Nations’ historical origins, foundational documents, core principles, institutional structure, main organs, key procedures and notable developments, providing a comprehensive review of Topic 3: UN Founding, Principles & Structure from POLI 487.

United Nations (UN)

An intergovernmental organization with 193 member states (+2 observers) serving as the ‘centerpiece of global governance’ whose primary purpose is to maintain international peace and security.

UN Charter

The 1945 constituent treaty of the United Nations; a binding legal document containing 19 chapters and 111 articles that establishes the Organization’s principles, membership rules and institutional structure.

Article 1 (UN Charter)

Sets out the UN’s purposes, foremost the maintenance of international peace and security through collective measures.

Article 2 (UN Charter)

Lays down core principles such as sovereign equality, good-faith obligations, peaceful dispute settlement, the prohibition on the threat or use of force, and the duty not to assist states in non-compliance.

Sovereign Equality

Charter principle stipulating that all UN member states possess equal legal status.

Collective Security

The UN system whereby aggression against one state is treated as aggression against all, allowing the Security Council to authorize collective action.

League of Nations

The predecessor IGO (1919-46) created by the Treaty of Versailles; ultimately deemed ineffective due to non-participation of great powers, unanimity rules, the Great Depression and WWII.

Covenant of the League of Nations

Founding document of the League, outlining its Assembly, Council and Permanent Secretariat.

P-5 (Permanent Five)

The United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia and China—permanent Security Council members each wielding veto power.

UN General Assembly (UNGA)

The ‘legislative branch’ and debate hub of the UN where each member has one vote; issues non-binding resolutions and oversees the budget.

1-State, 1-Vote Principle

Voting rule in the UNGA granting equal voting power to every member state regardless of size or power.

UN Security Council (UNSC)

Core body of the global security system empowered to issue binding decisions, authorize force, impose sanctions, create tribunals and elect the Secretary-General.

Veto Power

Right of any P-5 member to block substantive Security Council resolutions regardless of majority support.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

UN organ of 54 elected members that coordinates economic, social and development work and connects the UN with specialized agencies and NGOs.

Secretariat

The international civil service (~36,000 staff) that administers the UN, headquartered in New York with offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.

Secretary-General

Head of the Secretariat, chief administrative officer and moral spokesperson of the UN, appointed for renewable five-year terms by the UNGA on recommendation of the UNSC.

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

The UN’s principal judicial organ (‘World Court’) of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms to settle state disputes and issue advisory opinions.

Trusteeship Council

Originally supervised non-self-governing territories; suspended operations in 1994 after Palau’s independence.

Specialized Agencies

Autonomous, self-governing entities (e.g., WHO, IMF, UNESCO) linked to the UN via ECOSOC; funded by assessed contributions.

UN Funds and Programmes

Non-autonomous bodies (e.g., UNDP, UNICEF, WFP) reporting to UNGA & ECOSOC and financed mainly through voluntary contributions.

‘Uniting for Peace’ Resolution

Mechanism allowing the UNGA to recommend collective measures, including use of force, when the UNSC is deadlocked.

Atlantic Charter (1941)

Joint Roosevelt–Churchill statement outlining post-war goals that inspired the creation of the UN.

Declaration of St. James’ Palace (1941)

First wartime declaration by Allied powers affirming the need for a post-war international organization.

Declaration by the United Nations (1942)

Formalized the term ‘United Nations’ as 26 states pledged to uphold the Atlantic Charter and fight the Axis.

San Francisco Conference (1945)

Officially the UN Conference on International Organization where 51 states drafted and signed the UN Charter.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

Landmark non-binding UNGA resolution affirming fundamental human rights; major achievement of the ‘Cold War UN’.

Peacekeeping

Deployment of UN forces to monitor ceasefires; the first mission (UNEF) was launched in 1956 during the Suez Crisis.

Non-Intervention Principle

Charter norm prohibiting interference in the domestic affairs of states except under UNSC authorization or self-defense.

Right of Self-Defense

Charter-based right allowing states to use force unilaterally when subjected to armed attack until the UNSC acts.

Regional Groups (UNGA)

Five geographic caucuses—Africa, Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Latin America & Caribbean, Western Europe & Others—used for elections and diplomacy.

Group of 77 (G-77)

Coalition of developing states in the UNGA representing Global South interests on economic and development issues.

Ad Hoc Criminal Tribunals

UNSC-created courts (e.g., ICTY, ICTR) to prosecute war crimes and crimes against humanity in specific conflicts.

Cold War UN

Period (1945-1989) marked by East-West rivalry that limited UNSC action but saw key achievements like decolonization and early peacekeeping.

Post-Cold War UN

Era since 1990 characterized by a surge in UNSC resolutions, peacekeeping, humanitarian interventions and tribunal creation.

Collective Measures

Actions authorized by the UN (usually the UNSC) to address threats to peace, including sanctions, peacekeeping and military force.

Subsidiary Bodies

Committees, commissions and councils created under principal UN organs to handle specialized tasks, e.g., Disarmament Commission, Peacebuilding Commission.

Concert of Europe

19th-century great-power mechanism (1815–1914) for managing European security; an early multilateral precursor to the UN.

Reasons for League Failure

Lack of major-power participation, unanimity rule, economic upheaval (Great Depression) and escalation to WWII.

Permanent Observer States

The Holy See and the State of Palestine, which participate in UNGA deliberations without voting rights.