ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND HUMAN RIGHTS
United Nations
In 1945, nations were in ruins. World War II was over, and the world wanted peace.
What is the UN?
The United Nations is an international organization founded in
1945. It is currently made up of 193 Member States. The
mission and work of the United Nations are guided by the
purposes and principles contained in its founding Charter.
Member States 51 countries gathered in San Francisco that
Each of the 193 Member States of the United Nations is a year to sign a document
member of the General Assembly. States are admitted to
membership in the UN by a decision of the General Assembly
upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
Main Organs of the UN
The main organs of the UN are the General Assembly, the
Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the
Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the
UN Secretariat. All were established in 1945 when the UN was
founded.
The document was a Charter, creating a new
organization, the United Nations.
What is the UN?
Leadership
The Secretary General of the United Nations is a symbol of the
Organization's ideals and a spokesman for the interests of the
world's peoples, in particular the poor and vulnerable. The current
Secretary General of the UN, and the ninth occupant of the post, 70 years later, the United Nations is maintaining
is Mr. António Guterres of Portugal, who took office on 1 January international peace and security.
2017. The UN Charter describes the Secretary General as "chief
administrative officer" of the Organization.
Secretariat
The Secretariat, one of the main organs of the UN, is organized
along departmental lines, with each department or office having a
distinct area of action and responsibility. Offices and departments
coordinate with each other to ensure cohesion as they carry out
the day to day work of the Organization in offices and duty
stations around the world. At the head of the United Nations
Secretariat is the Secretary-General.
UN is promoting development and giving
humanitarian assistance to those in need.
What is the UN?
Funds, Programmes, Specialized Agencies and Others
The UN system is made up of the UN itself and many affiliated
programmes, funds, and specialized agencies, all with their own
membership, leadership, and budget. The programmes and
funds are financed through voluntary rather than assessed It is upholding international law, protecting
contributions. human rights, and promoting democracy.
The Specialized Agencies are independent international
organizations funded by both voluntary and assessed
contributions.
And now, its Member States are working
together to fight climate change.
Human Rights Coordination Within UN System
The United Nations Charter sets forth the inherent dignity' and the
'equal and inalienable rights' of all members of the human family.
These human rights principles are the foundation of freedom, justice,
and peace in the world. This is fundamental to every undertaking of
the United Nations, which is an inter governmental organisation.
UN Charter and Human Rights
The Charter of the United Nations (UN Charter) of 1945 is the
foundational treaty of the United Nations. The UN Charter (Article
103) states that the obligations to the United Nations stands much
above all other treaty organisations. The Charter of the UN was
signed on 26th June, 1945, in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the
United Nation Conference on international organisations. It came into
force 24th October, 1945.
The United Nations was established after Second World War in an
attempt to maintain international peace and security and to achieve
cooperation among nations. The Charter of the United Nations
represents a significant advancement as to human right is concerned.
Human Rights Coordination Within UN System
This signing of the United Nation Charter incorporates several
provisions concerning human rights. The provision concerning
human rights run throughout the UN Charter like a 'golden thread'.
Objectives of UN Charter
1. Maintaining world wide peace and security
2. Developing relations among nations
3. Fostering cooperation between nations in order to solve
economic, social, cultural or humanitarian problems
Organs of United Nation
The main organs of UN are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council, The Trusteeship Council, the International
Court of Justice and the UN secretariat. All were established in 1945 when
the UN was founded.
1. The UN General Assembly
The United Nations currently comprises of 193 member states, all of
which belong to the General Assembly. The General Assembly controls
the UN's finances, makes non-binding recommendations, and oversees
and elects members of other UN organs. It is the General Assembly that
ultimately votes to adopt human rights declarations and conventions,
which are also called treaties or covenants.
2. Security Council
The Security Council has primary responsibility, under the UN Charter, for
the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 Members
(5 permanent and 10 non-permanent members). Each Member has one
vote. Under the Charter, all Member States are obligated to comply with
Council decisions. The Security Council takes the lead in determining the
existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression.
Organs of United Nation
3. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
The Economic and Social Council is 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. It
serves as the central mechanism for activities of the UN system.
4. Trusteeship Council (currently inactive)
The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 by the UN
Charter. It provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories
that had been placed under the administration of seven Member
States. It takes adequate steps to prepare the Territories for
self-government and independence.
Organs of United Nation
5. International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the
United Nations. Its seat is at the Peace Palace in the Hague
(Netherlands). It is the only one of the six principal organs of the
United Nations not located in New York (United States of America).
The Court’s 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.
6. Secretariat
The Secretariat comprises the Secretary-General and very large
number of international UN staff members who carry out the
day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by the General Assembly
and the Organization's other principal organs. The
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.
Role of UN Secretariat António Guterres, the ninth
Secretary-General of the United Nations,
took office on 1st January 2017.
The United Nations' Secretariat is one of the six major organs of
the United Nations organisation. It is the executive arm of the
United Nations. The Secretariat has an important role in setting
the agenda of the different decision making bodies of the UN and
also for the implementation of the decisions of these bodies. The
decision making bodies are, the General Assembly, the Economic
and Social Council, and the Security Council. The head of the
secretariat is the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the
General Assembly.
Functions of UN Secretariat
The UN Secretariat works directly in those areas, where there are
severe human rights violations. It is brought effective through its
field officers. It is done as a part of the UN Peace Mission. The
role of the UN Secretariat are:
1. to prevent human rights violation
2. to secure respect for human rights
3. to promote international cooperation
4. to coordinate the human rights activities of the United Nations.
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is the organ of
United Nations' which is entrusted with the function of
coordinating the work of different specialised agencies of United
Nations. It is also entrusted with the duty of receiving reports from
different agencies and issuing policy recommendations to the UN
system and to Member
Functions of ECOSOC
As per the UN Charter, ECOSOC is entrusted with the following
roles:
1. Promoting higher standards of living.
2. Attempting to provide full employment
3. Striving for economic and social progress
4. Identifying solutions to international economic, social and
health problems
5. Facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation
6. Encouraging universal respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms.
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD)
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is the
body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the policy of
the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination by its member states.
The committee began its work in 1969 and is composed of 18 independent
experts.
All States are obliged to submit regular reports to the Committee on how
the rights are being implemented. States must report initially one year after
acceding to the convention and thereafter once in every two years. The
Committee examines each report and addresses its concerns and
recommendations to the State party in the form of "concluding
observations".
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against
Women (CEDAW) is an expert body established in 1982. It is composed of 23
experts on women's issues from around the world. A country becomes a State
party by ratifying or acceding to the Convention and thereby accepting a legal
obligation to counteract discrimination against women.
The role of Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women are:
1. Watching the progress made by women in those countries which are the
States parties to the 1979 convention on the elimination of all forms of
discrimination against women.
2. Making recommendations on any issue affecting women to which it believes
the States parties should devote more attention.
3. Eliminating discrimination to women in areas such as education,
employment, marriage and family relations, healthcare, politics, finance and
law.
4. Receiving national reports including statistical data on the incidence of
violence against women.
5. Providing legal recourse against violation of women's human rights.
6. Collecting information on the provision of services to women victims, and
legislative and other measures taken to protect women against violence in
their everyday lives, such as harassment at the workplace, abuse in the
family and sexual violence.
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR)
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
(CESCR) is a United Nations body of 18 experts that usually
meets twice per year in Geneva to consider reports submitted
by UN member states on Economic, Social and Cultural
Rights. Members are elected for a term of four years by
States parties.
All States parties are obliged to submit regular reports to the
Committee on how the rights are being implemented. States
must report initially within two years of accepting the
Covenant and thereafter every five years. The Committee
examines each report and addresses its concerns and
recommendations to the State party in the form of concluding
observations.
Audio/Video
Question
Part A
1. What do you mean by UN Charter?
2. What do you mean by ECOSOC?
3. What do you mean by CERD?
4. What do you mean by CEDAW?
5. What do you mean by CESCR?
6. What are the objectives of the UN Charter?
Part B
1. What are the main organs of UN?
2. Explain the role of UN Secretariat.
3. What are the functions of UN Secretariat?
4. What are the functions of ECOSOC?
5. What are the acts or functions of Security Council?
6. Explain the role of CEDAW.
