INTRODUCTION
The ineffective League of Nations was replaced by United Nations (UN), an international organization that was founded in 1945 after the Second World War as a means of better settling international conflict and negotiate peace so that the history would never happen again in the future. The founding members resolved that the world peace must never again be ruined by the will and wickedness of any man. The main purpose of UN was to maintain universal peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, improved living standards, to promote respects for human rights and fundamental freedoms. By using its special world-wide character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, this organization was able to concern and take action in solving international social, cultural, humanitarian and economic issues. A forum for its 192 Member States was provided through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees to come together to express their views and opinion and also to work out their disagreements. The UN Secretariat is now headed by the Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon which helped by a staff of international civil servants around the world. Information, studies and facilities needed by United Nations bodies are provided for their meetings. It also carries out tasks as directed by the Security Council, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council, and other UN bodies. The organization’s financial support was gained by assessed and voluntary contributions from its member states. No organization, nor our country, for that matter could function without its supporting pillars. In 2001, the organization won the Nobel Peace Prize, and also been awarded the prize, which a number of its officers and agencies. However, other judgements of the UN’s effectiveness have been mixed. Some commentators believe the organization to be an important force for peace and human development, while others have called the organization ineffective, corrupt, or biased.
The combination of UN members in 1945. In light blue, the founding members. In dark blue, protectorates and territories of the founding members.
i) History of United Nations
United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the name “United Nations” and was earliest used on 1 January 1942 in the declaration of UN during the World War II. As a formal act of opposition to Germany, Italy, and Japan, the Axis Powers, the representatives of 26 nations pledged their governments to stay fighting together. UN officially came into existence when the Charter had been confirm by China, France, the Soviet Union, United States, United Kingdom and by a majority of other signatories. On this day in 1945, the United Nations Charter, which was adopted and signed on June 26, is now effective and ready to be enforced. At its founding, the UN had 51 member states and now 193 states which the head office is in Manhattan, New York City and experiences diplomatic immunity. Further central offices are located in Geneva, Nairobi and Vienna.
The United Nations was born of perceived essential, as a means of better arbitrating international problem and conveying peace than was provided by the old League of Nations. Two other main objectives described in the Charter were respecting the principles of equal rights and self-determination of all peoples and international collaboration in solving worldwide economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian crisis.
ii) Role of Secretary-General
The eighth occupant of the post which was the current Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea, who took office on 1 January 2007. Secretary-General is a symbol of UN ideals and spokesperson for the people around the world, in particular the poor and vulnerable. The Secretary-General was describes by the Charter as “chief administrative officer” of the Organization, who should performance in that capacity and act “such other functions as are entrusted” to him or her by the Security Council, General Assembly, Economic and Social Council and other United Nations organs. According to the UN website, their roles are more defined as “diplomat and advocate, civil servant, and CEO”. If they did not concern of Member States, they would fail, but they also must maintain the moral and values of the United Nations, speak and act for peace even at the risk, continuously of challenging or conflicting with those same Member States.
Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the current Secretary-General
Secretaries-General of the United Nations[84]
No. Name Country of origin Took office Left office
1 Trygve Lie
Norway
2 February 1946 10 November 1952
2 Dag Hammarskjöld
Sweden
10 April 1953 18 September 1961
3 U Thant
Burma
30 November 1961 31 December 1971
4 Kurt Waldheim
Austria
1 January 1972 31 December 1981
5 Javier Pérez de Cuéllar
Peru
1 January 1982 31 December 1991
6 Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Egypt
1 January 1992 31 December 1996
7 Kofi Annan
Ghana
1 January 1997 31 December 2006
8 Ban Ki-moon
South Korea
1 January 2007 –
iii) Role of United Nations
(a) Maintain international peace and security
The United Nations came into being in 1945, following with one central mission which is to maintain international peace and security. UN does this by working to prevent and solve any conflict or issue, helping parties in struggle make peace, and creating the environment and conditions to ensure peace to hold and flourish. The UN Security Council has the important duty for international peace and security. The Secretary-General and the General Assembly play main, important, and complementary roles along with other UN offices and bodies.
(b) Promote sustainable development
From 1945, one of the main concern of UN was to achieve worldwide cooperation and collaboration in solving international difficulties of economic, social, cultural or humanitarian character which also promote and encourage respect for human rights and self-determination or freedom to all people around the world without differentiate the race, sex, language, religions or country. Better human’s well-being continues to be one of the main priorities of the UN. The global definition and understanding of development has changed over the years, and countries nowadays have agreed that sustainable development is the development that promotes prosperity and economic opportunity, greater social well-being, and protection of the environment, offers the best path forward for better lives everywhere.
(c) Defend human rights
The term “human rights” was bring up seven times in the UN’s founding Charter, making the promotion and defence of human rights a basic purpose and supervise principle of the Organization. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights brought human rights into the realm of international law in the year 1948. Since then, the organization has diligently secure human rights through legal instruments and on-the-ground actions.
(d) Uphold international law
An objective, “to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of glob1al law can be maintained”, had been set in the UN’s Charter. Ever since, the development of, and respect for universal law has been a key part of the effort of the organization. This work is carried out by courts, tribunals, multilateral treaties and by the Security Council, which can approve peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, or allow the use of force when there is a threat to universal peace and security when crucial. These powers are given to it by the UN Charter, which is considered an universal treaty. As such, it is an instrument of universal law, and UN Member States are bound by it.
(e) Deliver humanitarian aid
Under the same purpose of the UN as indicated in its Charter, is “to achieve international cooperation in solving global issues of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character”, the UN first did this in the result of the World War II on the devastated continent of Europe, which it helped to rebuild. Due to natural and man-made disasters in areas beyond the relief capacity of national authorities alone, the organization is now relied upon by the global community to synchronise humanitarian relief. For example, UN Development Program sends more multilateral aid dollars abroad than any other nations around the world during the World Food Program to feeds hungry people in Africa.
CHALLENGES
Global problem solving is never easy. One of the rationales for why the worldwide organizations are important is that these organizations can act as force multipliers. Well planned and coordinated action are required in solving problems that cross international borders. With all the hard work of the UN through various action and approaches that had been done to maintain global peace and defending human rights, yet, this organization still faces some problems and challenges nowadays. In the past year, it has added Ebola, terrorist recruitment, Ukraine, Gaza, and the new Sustainable Development Goals to the previous daunting list of issues. These are some of the problems faced by UN;
• Lack of financial support
Raising money is a constant problem with so many crises vying for the world’s attention. Many U.N. agencies and humanitarian operations are funded by voluntary contributions, and appeals aren’t getting enough donations. For example, in the case of the World Food Programme, food aid to almost two million Syrian refugees was on hold because of a lack of the financial support and after many donors failed to meet their commitments. Next, similar problems with the Ebola Multipartner Trust Fund, Volvo has contributed more as compared to New Zealand and Ireland. China and India, are the examples of the developing countries who are punching above their weight, helping and supporting more than many developed countries. Preferring to make its contributions bilaterally to the affected countries, United States has not made a contribution to this fund.
• Outdated structure
United States, Russia, China, Britain and France, the same five countries that have been the power players since 1945. They are the only permanent associates of the powerful, 15-seat Security Council. Each of them have veto power, which had lead to near-paralysis at the council on some big crisis such as Ukraine and Syria. Critics say the council simply doesn’t symbolize the world today. At its foundation, the UN had only 51 member states, but now its has 193 and many of them clamoring for more influence. All of the countries are represented in the General Assembly, but mostly that body can only pass nonbinding resolutions. Often mentioned as countries deserving of permanent Security Council seats are Germany, Japan, India, South Africa, Nigeria and Brazil. But there are no any sign the big five intend to share the influence with more countries or to give up any power.
• Increasing demands
The UN is almost frequently asking its member states to contribures troops for its wide-ranging peacekeeping missions. The number of peacekeepers increased from 11,000 at the end of the Cold War to 130,000 in this 21st century but the system is under severe stain. The world’s refugee population has a rising and growing list of humanitarian crises. Over 51 million people who were forced from their homes and country was been helped by the UN refugee agency, the highest figure since the UN began collecting those statistics in the early 1950s. The UN huminatarian office is tackling a record of major emergencies in Africa and the Mideast as well as Ebola.
• Unwidely organisation
The UN has become a sprawling system with 15 autonomous agencies, 11 semi-autonomous funds and programs, and various other bodies. There is no central entity to watch over them all. The secretary-general, presently Ban Ki-moon, can try to coordinate their actions but he has no right over many of them.
The cumbersome structure was been accused for the World Health Organization’s delay in recognizing the Ebola epidemic. The WHO’s country directors in Africa report to the Africa regional director, not WHO headquarters in Geneva and the WHO’s director in Geneva does not report to the secretary-general in New York.
21st Century Public Servant(Secretary General)
Conclusion
One of the rationales for why international organizations are necessary is that they act as force multipliers. Solving problems that cross international borders requires coordinated action, and international organizations like the UN orchestrate a global response.
The World Food Programme’s problems came about because many donor commitments were unfilled. In order to make progress, the UN needs to demonstrate to countries exactly how their individual contributions make a difference, and it needs to show the courage to single out those countries that are lagging.