Free Essays on United Nations

When thinking of international actors, states come to mind for many. However, international actors can be most simply defined as any person, organization, or territory that has any economic or political influence on international affairs. Many intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations are international actors. Founded in 1945, the United Nations is one of the best known of intergovernmental organizations and is most definitely an international actor. The composition of the United Nations is quite simple. There are 185 member countries in the United Nations and, in the General Assembly, each member has one vote. The Security Council is made up of five permanent members (United States, Russia, France, United Kingdom, and China) and ten members that serve two-year terms. The Economic and Social Council is composed of 54 members, serving three-year terms, each with one vote. The Trusteeship Council has five members, each with one vote. Fifteen judges head the International Court of Justice, each serving a nine-year term. Finally, there are many associated agencies, including the World Heath Organization, the World Bank, and the Food and Agricultural Organization. For the most part, the United Nations is very democratic; however in, for example, the Security Council, the five permanent members could overrule the majority with a simple veto. This organization is structured like governments in many countries and makes decisions affecting most of the world, therefore, the United Nations is an international actor. One of the United Nations’ foremost goals is to promote international cooperation, peace, and security. This effects many countries both politically and economically; it strives to prevent international conflict, limit the severity of the violence if it does occur, and restore peace in the aftermath. It is the belief of the United Nations that military force should be used only in self-defense, and is ... Free Essays on United Nations Free Essays on United Nations Thesis The United Nations is not the answer to all of the world's problems; however, there are too many acts against humanity to be ignored. No single state or alliance has the ability to prevent these acts from taking place without making the condition worst. Because of all this a world organization must be set up to protect mankind from ourselves. The United Nations is the largest organization trying to keep these heinous crimes from taking place on a global level. I plan to show why the United Nations is useful today through the diamond conflict in Sierra Leone, and also what could improve the United Nations. About the United Nations The United Nations was established in the aftermath of a devastating war to help stabilize international relations and â€Å"give peace a more secure foundation†. On 25 April 1945, representatives of 50 countries met in San Francisco at the United Nations Conference on International Organization to draw up the United Nations Charter. The charter committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN its membership totals  HYPERLINK "un.org/Overview/brief1.html" l "footnote#footnote" 191 countries united â€Å"to advance the cause of human rights in practice terms: the right of life, the right to equality before the law, the right of freedom of opinion and expression and of arbitrary arrest and detention, the right to education, the right to work, the right to health, freedom of hunger, and all other human rights and fundamental freedoms.† The United Nations consists of six principal bodies: General Assembly; Security Council; Economic and Social Council; the Trusteeship Council; the International Court of Justice; and the Secretariat. In addition, there are 14 specialized agencies working in areas as diverse as health, finance, agriculture, civil aviation and telecommunications, linked... Free Essays on United Nations When thinking of international actors, states come to mind for many. However, international actors can be most simply defined as any person, organization, or territory that has any economic or political influence on international affairs. Many intergovernmental and nongovernmental organizations are international actors. Founded in 1945, the United Nations is one of the best known of intergovernmental organizations and is most definitely an international actor. The composition of the United Nations is quite simple. There are 185 member countries in the United Nations and, in the General Assembly, each member has one vote. The Security Council is made up of five permanent members (United States, Russia, France, United Kingdom, and China) and ten members that serve two-year terms. The Economic and Social Council is composed of 54 members, serving three-year terms, each with one vote. The Trusteeship Council has five members, each with one vote. Fifteen judges head the International Court of Justice, each serving a nine-year term. Finally, there are many associated agencies, including the World Heath Organization, the World Bank, and the Food and Agricultural Organization. For the most part, the United Nations is very democratic; however in, for example, the Security Council, the five permanent members could overrule the majority with a simple veto. This organization is structured like governments in many countries and makes decisions affecting most of the world, therefore, the United Nations is an international actor. One of the United Nations’ foremost goals is to promote international cooperation, peace, and security. This effects many countries both politically and economically; it strives to prevent international conflict, limit the severity of the violence if it does occur, and restore peace in the aftermath. It is the belief of the United Nations that military force should be used only in self-defense, and is ...