UN Case Study => Promote Growth and Stability

What is the UN?

An international organisation created after world war 2 to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations and promote social progress. better living standards and human rights

When was the UN founded?

1954

How many members?

15 in total

- 5 Permanent

- 10 Non-permanent

Which member nations can declare veto?

The 5 permanent

- US

- Russia

- UK

- France

- China

Reasons for veto

Prevents permanent notations (such as UK, US and Russia) from going to war against each other, while creating a necessary balance when taking decisions on security issues that would be collectively enforced. This illustrates how the constellation itself was based on peace and security

Why is veto controversial?

Veto is the most undemocratic element of the UN, as well as the main cause of inaction on war crimes and crimes against humanity, as it effectively prevents UN action against the permanent members and their allies.

What are the 6 main organs that make up the UN?

1. General Assembly

2. Security Council

3. The Economic and Security Council

4. The Trusteeship Council

5. Secretariat

6. International Court of Justice

1-5 located in HQ in NZ

6 located in the Netherlands

The General Assembly

- All UN member States are represented in the GA

- make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might cause harm to friendly relations => Expression of world opinion

- Approves and oversees the peacekeeping budget=> how field operations are funded and equipped based on instructions from the Security General

- Monitors performance of UN Peacekeeping through its Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations

Security Council

- Charter of UN obligates member stated to settle disputes by the peaceful means (not endangering international peace and security)

- Disputes are bought before the Security Council

- All Member States are obligated under the UN to carry out the Security Council's decisions

- Lead in determining the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression

- Security Council can resort to imposing sanctions or authorize the use of force to maintain or restore international peace and security

- Control Peacekeeping operations

The International Court of Justice

- Settles legal disputes submitted by States and answer legal questions from UN organs

- If a State agrees to participate in a proceeding, it is obligated to comply with the Court's decision

Name the 4 pillars

1. Peace and Security

2. Peacebuilding

3. Human Rights

4. Development

Organizations within the UN that promote DEVELOPMENT

1. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

2. International Monetary Fund (IMF)

3. United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS)

4. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

Organizations within the UN that can help to promote PEACE and SECURITY

1. The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)

2. United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)

The Economic and Social Council

(ECOSOC)

DEVELOPMENT

- responsible for promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and economic and social progress

- identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems; facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms

- consults with NGO's maintaining a vital link between the United Nations and civil society

- promote rural development in places like Madagascar

- advocacy role for African countries emerging from conflict

International Monetary Fund (IMF)

DEVELOPMENT

- economic growth is the way to improve standards of living achieved through globalisation

- provides loans and help countries design programs to pay debts, and development assistance

- maintain engagement with world's poorest countries=> investing in the development of transport infrastructure helping with trade, encouraging globalisation by transport of goods

United Nations Office for Projects Services (UNOPS)

DEVELOPMENT

- service provider, a technical advisor and an implementer of projects

- New roads to rural areas of Afghanistan have improved access to food, education and health services. Temporary employment for over 8,000 locals

- Helped to sustainably deal with the issue of landmines in Nepal remaining from conflict that ended in 2006. Advised the Nepalese government instead of taking a direct implementation role => builds experience

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

DEVELOPMENT

- aim to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG's) by focussing on poverty reduction and HIV/AIDS

- works with local governments to meet development challenged and develop local capacity

The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA)

PEACE AND SECURITY

- plays a central role in United Nations efforts to prevent and resolve deadly conflict around the world.

- Ensuring sound analysis and early warning

- Preventing conflict and engaging in peacemaking

- Managing political crises and violent conflicts

- Sustaining peace

- Enhancing partnerships

- monitors and assesses global political developments with an eye to detecting potential crises before they erupt and devising effective responses.

United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR)

PEACE AND SECUIRTY

- Protect people from arms-related violence

- Arms control advances progress towards achieving SDG 3 on good health and well-being, since armed violence is the leading cause of premature death and a key source of injuries, disability, psychological distress and disease.

- SDG 5 focuses on gender equality, and gender-responsive disarmament and arms control plays a role in eliminating violence against women and girls.

World Health Organisation (WHO)

-Responsible for international public health

- providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed

- shaping the research agenda

- providing technical support

- monitoring health situation and health trends

- Improving health of a country gives the population the ability to work (increasing productivity), earn money, pay tax and strengthen overall economy and presence within the global market => leads to development and more equal flows of capita, labour, technology ect... (increased stability)

UN Environment Program (UNEP)

- Deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change, the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economic development.

- Developed the IPCC

- Rising seas pose threat to many communities while the economies of these developing nations are fragile and often ill-equipped to deal with the aftermath of increasingly frequent extreme weather events => e.g. Tonga

- Research done by UN and UNEP showed increasing trade in renewable energy, waste and water management technologies can play an important role in supporting climate action and resilience building

- trade in clean technologies can offer triple-win opportunities by promoting economic development, job creation and innovation, while also boosting resilience.

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

- Leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.

- In promoting sustainable agricultural development, FAO gives practical help to developing countries through a wide range of technical assistance projects.

- By encouraging people's participation, FAO aims to draw on local expertise and ensure a cooperative approach to development. In doing so, it brings new skills, ideas, and technologies to rural communities.

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

- climate change is imposing economic and social costs on developing countries

- increased risk of investments from climate vulnerability causes debt repayments to increase over time.

- UNFCCC helps provide technology for low emission, climate-resilient development

- In Ghana => 'Integrated Climate Monitoring and Early Warning System' allows for an early warning on drought so agriculture can adapt to climate => increase productivity all year round

What has disrupted peace and security?

- Globalisation runs on economic power of nations which has led to the richer nations benefitting disproportionately

- Generates unequal flows of capital, people, ideas, technology ect => some countries are 'switched off' from globalisation

- Globalisation can cause homogenisation of countries whose identity is built on language, culture, ethnicity and heritage => created conflicts within states (e.g. between locals and TNC's)

Failures of UN => MDG's

- Successes were not experienced equally across the globe

- Extreme poverty 50% reduction experienced at completely different rates =>Sub-Saharan Africa was far from reaching its goals, and not one country achieved the goal set for maternal mortality rate reduction.

- gender inequality persists in spite of more representation of women in parliament and more girls going to school.

- Women continue to face discrimination in access to work, economic assets, and participation in private and public decision-making.

- 50 percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions and water scarcity affects more than 40 percent of the world in comparison to 1990 statistics.