Module 5 - International Organizations

The League of Nations

The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1920
as the first worldwide intergovernmental organisation whose principal mission
was to maintain world peace. The League of Nations was headquartered in
Geneva, Switzerland.

The League was founded at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, following
the end of World War I. The Covenant of the League of Nations, which was part
of the Treaty of Versailles, outlined the organisation's main goals: to prevent
future wars, to protect human rights, and to promote international
cooperation.

The League of Nations had four main organs: the Assembly, the Council, the
Secretariat, and the Permanent Court of International Justice.

● The Assembly was the main legislative body of the League, and it was
made up of representatives from all member states.
● The Council was the executive body of the League, and it was made up
of representatives from the major powers.
● The Secretariat was the administrative body of the League, and it was
responsible for carrying out the day-to-day work of the organisation.
● The Permanent Court of International Justice was the judicial body
of the League, and it was responsible for resolving disputes between
member states.

The League of Nations had some successes in its early years. It helped to
resolve several international disputes, and it played a role in the creation of
the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health
Organization (WHO). However, the League was unable to prevent the
outbreak of World War II, and it was disbanded in 1946.

The League of Nations was a pioneering attempt to create a global organisation

dedicated to peace and cooperation. Although it ultimately failed to prevent
World War II, it laid the foundation for the United Nations, which was founded
in 1945.
Here are some of the achievements of the League of Nations:

● It helped to resolve several international disputes, including the Åland

Islands dispute between Finland and Sweden, the Greco-Turkish War, and
the Upper Silesia dispute between Germany and Poland.
● It played a role in the creation of the International Labour Organization
(ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
● It established the Permanent Court of International Justice, which was the
first international court of law.
● It promoted international cooperation in a variety of areas, including
economics, health, and social welfare.

However, the League of Nations also had some weaknesses:

● It was not given the power to enforce its decisions, which meant that it
was often powerless to prevent aggression.
● The United States, which was one of the most powerful countries in
the world, never joined the League.
● The League was unable to prevent the outbreak of World War II.

Despite its weaknesses, the League of Nations was a significant step forward in
the development of international cooperation. It laid the foundation for the
United Nations, which has been more successful in promoting peace and
security.
The United Nations (UN)
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organisation whose stated
aims are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations
among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a center for
harmonising the actions of nations. The UN was founded in 1945 after World
War II to prevent another such conflict. Currently, it has 193 Member
States.

The UN has six main organs:

● The General Assembly is the main deliberative body of the UN. It is

composed of all Member States and meets every year in New York City.
● The Security Council is the UN's primary organ for maintaining
international peace and security. It has five permanent members (China,
France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and ten
rotating members.
● The Economic and Social Council is responsible for promoting
economic and social development and human rights. It is composed of 54
Member States elected by the General Assembly.
● The Trusteeship Council was originally responsible for overseeing the
administration of territories that were placed under UN trusteeship after
World War II. However, the last trusteeship was terminated in 1994,
and the Council is now inactive.
● The International Court of Justice is the UN's principal judicial
organ. It is responsible for settling legal disputes between States and
providing advisory opinions on legal questions.
● The UN Secretariat is the administrative arm of the UN. It is headed by
the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly.

In addition to the six main organs, the UN also has a number of specialised
agencies, funds, and programs. These organisations are responsible for
carrying out specific tasks related to the UN's goals and objectives. Some of the
most well-known specialised agencies include the World Health Organization
(WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The UN has been criticised for its bureaucracy, inefficiency, and lack of
transparency. However, it has also been praised for its work in promoting
peace, security, and human rights. The UN has played a key role in resolving
conflicts, providing humanitarian assistance, and promoting development
around the world.

Here are some of the UN's most notable achievements:

● The UN helped to end the Korean War in 1953.

● The UN peacekeeping forces helped to bring peace to the Middle East in
the 1960s and 1970s.
● The UN played a key role in the negotiations that led to the Good Friday
Agreement in Northern Ireland in 1998.
● The UN has provided humanitarian assistance to millions of people
around the world, including during the Rwandan genocide, the Bosnian
War, and the Syrian Civil War.
● The UN has helped to promote development around the world, including
through the Millennium Development Goals and the Sustainable
Development Goals.

The UN is still a work in progress, but it has made significant progress in

achieving its goals. It is an essential forum for dialogue and cooperation
between countries, and it plays a vital role in making the world a more peaceful
and prosperous place.

Relevance of United Nations in Present time :_

The United Nations (UN) is still relevant in the recent context, especially since
the world has become interconnected and where current global problems, such
as hunger and climate change have emerged, thus the UN's collective efforts are
essential to tackle these modern challenges.
Here are some of the ways in which the UN is relevant in the recent
context:

● Peace and security: The UN is still the world's leading forum for
preventing and resolving conflicts. It has peacekeeping missions in
operation in some of the world's most volatile regions, and it has played a
role in resolving some of the world's most intractable conflicts, such as
 the conflict in Cyprus.
● Development: The UN is also a leading actor in the fight against poverty
and hunger. It has helped to reduce extreme poverty by half since 1990,
and it is working to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
● Human rights: The UN is the world's leading advocate for human rights.
It has helped to establish international human rights standards, and it has
worked to promote and protect human rights around the world.
● Climate change: The UN is also playing a leading role in the fight
against climate change. It has helped to negotiate the Paris Agreement,
and it is working to help countries adapt to the effects of climate change.

The UN is not without its challenges. It is a complex organisation with many

different actors, and it can be difficult to get agreement on difficult issues.
However, the UN remains the world's most important forum for addressing
global challenges, and it is essential to maintaining international peace and
security, promoting development, and protecting human rights.

Here are some of the specific challenges that the UN faces in the recent
context:

● Funding: The UN is chronically underfunded. It relies on voluntary

contributions from member states, and these contributions have been
declining in recent years.
● Geopolitics: The UN is often caught up in geopolitical rivalries. This can
make it difficult to reach agreement on difficult issues, and it can also
undermine the legitimacy of the organisation.
● Technological change: The UN is struggling to adapt to the pace of
technological change. This is making it difficult for the organisation to
keep up with the latest challenges, and it is also making it difficult to
communicate with the public.

Despite these challenges, the UN remains a vital organisation. It is the world's

only truly global forum for addressing global challenges, and it has a unique
ability to bring together different actors to find solutions. The UN is not perfect,
but it is still the best hope we have for a more peaceful, prosperous, and just
world.
India and the United Nations (UN)
India and the United Nations (UN) have a long and close relationship. India was
one of the founding members of the UN in 1945, and it has been a strong
supporter of the organisation ever since.

India has made significant contributions to the UN in a variety of areas,

including peacekeeping, development, and human rights. It is the largest
contributor of troops to UN peacekeeping missions, and it has also played a
leading role in the development of the UN's Millennium Development Goals
and Sustainable Development Goals.

India is also a strong advocate for UN reform, and it has called for the
expansion of the UN Security Council to include more permanent members
from the developing world.

The UN has played an important role in India's development. The organisation

has provided financial and technical assistance to India in a number of areas,
including agriculture, education, and health.

India and the UN have a strong and mutually beneficial relationship. The
organisation has helped to promote India's development, and India has made
significant contributions to the UN's work in peace, security, and development.

Here are some of the specific contributions that India has made to the UN:

● Peacekeeping: India is the largest contributor of troops to UN

peacekeeping missions. It has contributed more than 180,000 troops to
more than 43 missions, and 156 Indian peacekeepers have made the
supreme sacrifice while serving in UN missions.
● Development: India has played a leading role in the development of the
UN's Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development
Goals. It has also provided financial and technical assistance to
developing countries through UN agencies such as the United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme
(WFP).
 ● Human rights: India is a strong advocate for human rights. It has played
a leading role in the drafting of UN human rights conventions, and it has
contributed to the work of UN human rights bodies such as the Human
Rights Council and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights.

India's relationship with the UN is based on shared values and goals. Both India
and the UN are committed to the principles of peace, security, development, and
human rights. This shared commitment has helped to forge a strong and
mutually beneficial relationship between the two organisations.

Specialised agencies of the United Nations (UN)

Specialised agencies of the United Nations (UN) are autonomous international

organisations that work closely with the UN. They are independent from the
UN, but they have a formal relationship with the UN through a relationship
agreement. This agreement sets out the terms of their cooperation, including
their respective responsibilities and the ways in which they will work together.

The specialised agencies were created to address specific areas of global

concern, such as agriculture, labour, health, and education. They have a wide
range of functions, including setting international standards, providing technical
assistance, and conducting research.

The specialised agencies are funded by voluntary contributions from member

states. They also generate income from their own activities, such as the sale of
publications and the provision of training courses.

The specialised agencies play an important role in the work of the UN. They
provide technical expertise and support to the UN's work in the field, and they
help to implement the UN's policies and programs. They also work to raise
awareness of global issues and to promote international cooperation.
Here are some of the benefits of having specialised agencies of the UN:

● Expertise: The specialised agencies have a wealth of expertise in their

respective fields. This expertise is essential for addressing global
challenges, such as climate change and poverty.
● Collaboration: The specialised agencies work closely with each other
and with the UN. This collaboration allows them to pool their resources
and expertise to achieve common goals.
● Reach: The specialised agencies have a global reach. This means that
they can reach people in all parts of the world and help to raise awareness
of global issues.

The specialised agencies are an important part of the UN system. They work to
address global challenges, promote international cooperation, and improve the
lives of people around the world.

Here are some specialised agencies of the United Nations (UN):

Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) : FAO works to improve

agricultural productivity, raise living standards, and reduce hunger and
malnutrition.

International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) : ICAO sets international

standards for civil aviation and promotes safe, efficient, and sustainable air
transport.

International Labour Organization (ILO) : ILO promotes social justice and

decent work for all. It sets international labour standards and provides technical
assistance to member countries.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) : IMF provides financial assistance to

countries facing economic difficulties. It also works to promote international
monetary cooperation and stability.

International Maritime Organization (IMO) : IMO sets international

standards for shipping and promotes maritime safety and security.

International Telecommunication Union (ITU) : ITU is responsible for

coordinating international telecommunications. It sets standards for
telecommunications equipment and services, and it promotes the development
of telecommunications in developing countries.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO) : UNESCO promotes education, science, culture, and
communication for peace and development. It sets international standards in
these areas, and it provides technical assistance to member countries.

United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) : UNIDO

promotes industrial development in developing countries. It provides technical
assistance, investment promotion, and other services to help countries develop
their industrial sectors.

World Bank Group : The World Bank Group is a group of five international
organisations that work to promote economic development. The five
organisations are the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International
Finance Corporation (IFC), the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
(MIGA), and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
(ICSID).

World Health Organization (WHO) : WHO is the leading international

authority on public health. It sets global health standards, provides technical
assistance to countries, and monitors global health trends.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) : WIPO is the global

forum for intellectual property (IP). It works to promote the protection of IP
rights and to facilitate the use of IP for economic and social development.

World Meteorological Organization (WMO) : WMO is the international

organisation for meteorology. It sets global standards for meteorology, provides
technical assistance to countries, and monitors global climate trends.

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) : UNWTO is the United Nations

agency responsible for the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally
accessible tourism.