The United Nations : Commission Essay

Thesis: The role of the United Nations has changed from being primarily an international peacekeeping force to primarily a humanitarian organization.

Even though, the original thought for the United Nations was to be a guarantee for the World’s peace, their role in today’s world seems to have changed. It is hard to believe that their founders had today’s United Nations on mind when discussed their creation sixty years ago.

The United Nations successfully ensure guaranteed safety through peacekeeping operations. In four continents, the UN implements 16 ongoing missions and inserts 100 troops and personals. (United Nations Foundation, n.d.) Although the peacekeeping missions do not perfectly accomplish their goals, they are making a constructive progress as praised in 2000 report. (Nossel, 2005) Thanks to their activity, a plenty of international organizations, NGOs and NPOs can intervene problematic areas much easier than without the UN.One of the successful operations taken place in Liberia embodies the UN’s capability to conduct peacekeeping activity.Due to an exertion of UNMIL, cooperative institutions were able to carry out their actions such as restoration of fundamental security throughout Liberia; UNMIL contributed to reduction of weapon among combats.

And is the success of Somaliland unique or can we draw general lessons for peace -and state-building from this example? Accordingly, this essay is structured into four sections. In the first part, the paper has presented the essay’s introduction. Part two will discuss the process and challenges of peacebuilding in Somaliland. The third part will present discussions on the state rebuilding efforts in Somaliland. The last part of the essay will present a brief lessons that can be drawn for peace-and state-building from

It is taken for granted that the pursuit of peace is a worthy pursuit. We, the human race, have dedicated enormous efforts to that noble pursuit. The United Nations, one of the most important and powerful organizations in the world was created just for that purpose. The first article of the UN charter reads, “The Purposes of the United Nations are: To maintain international peace and security, and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace”.

With a charter established in 1945, the United Nations began its mission to promote peace and security . International collaboration led to the ratification of the charter by five country representatives at the time: China, France, The Soviet-Union, The United Kingdom and The United States; the UN officially came into existence October 24 1945. Each year since the day of ratification, UN day’s celebration reminds the world of their objective to promote respect for human rights, gender equality; the advancement of women, protecting the environment, fighting disease and reducing poverty. The six main organs within the United Nations: The General Assembly, Security Council, Economics and Social Council, The Trusteeship Council, The

Views on the United Nations range from a great step forward in world peace to an abomination disgracing the name of peace, but the majority believes the former statement; since the day of its inauguration, April 25, 1945(“History of the United Nations”). The United Nations has been a force for peace and justice for all peoples around the world. The United Nations uses its power to help all people through all of the organizations that it has created for different problems that spring up around the world. There are naysayers to any achievement, but none can disagree that the United Nations has been a force for peace and justice ever since its creation in 1945.

According to Horgan, (2008), the United Nations Organization has seen many critical challenges and is facing several kinds of challenges at present times. The maintenance of internal peace and security is the biggest problem that the UN is facing right now. It is important that it should maintain peace and security not only by the resolution of military conflict but by the advancement and promotion of economic and social aspects (Horgan, 2008). Though there are a number of problems that the UN is currently facing, however the Un is making a great effort in tackling those, and is making progress, some of the key problems have been highlighted in the following sections-

According to the United Nations, “UN Peacekeeping helps countries torn by conflict create conditions for lasting peace” (United Nations ). Over the years, the United Nations has indeed laid the tools to promote peace and security in some of the world’s most vulnerable areas. Therefore, the United Nations is proud to have “built an impressive record of peacekeeping achievements over more than 60 years of our (their) existence, including winning the Nobel Peace Prize” (United Nations ).

The United Nations, as the world’s largest intergovernmental organization enables the cooperation of member states on a wide variety of issues. This makes it a major player in the economic, political and security status of the world. Its presence in an Encyclopedia is thus indisputable. If I wrote an article on the United Nations, I would break it down to its membership, structure, role, funding, history, challenges and achievements. I would place photographs of leaders of member states in meetings, its headquarters and pictures of projects being undertaken by the body. Potentially controversial parts may be those dealing with membership, voting and funding. Membership would stir controversy since some areas that claim autonomy like Taiwan and Palestine face opposition from China and Israel respectively. Voting may be controversial because the Security Council appears to hold sway even on matters that are within the jurisdiction of the General Assembly. Funding may stir controversy since the UN would appear as held under the whims of its huge funders. I would visit the UN website plus read through media articles relating to the UN. I would also check their books of account to verify their funding.

The United Nations, with its rigid moral and political limitations against force, has become a benchmark of peace and a social achievement of modern times. From war torn Europe, the United Nations developed from five major powers with an initial goal to prevent the spread of warfare through peaceful means and to establish and maintain fundamental human rights. Through the past fifty years, this organization has broadened its horizons with auxiliary organizations from peace keeping missions to humanitarian aid, to economic development. However, in a modern example of ethnic cleansing, the UN faces new a new role as a bystander as its power is bypassed by NATO forces. The UN, however, promises to be an

3. No concrete reforms have taken place to remedy the lack of transparency in the oil revenues of Chad.

Indigeneity is a concept that rose internationally as awareness of cultural and minority suppressions grew in the post-World War II sphere. The dissolution of European colonies left behind many unequal power structures and as nation-states defined borders, many local cultural groups became marginalized and disadvantaged as a result of political hegemony by majority populations. The formation of the United Nations (U.N.) and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights were created to link local and global communities, bypassing the actions of the nation-state, in an attempt to avoid repetition of the atrocities committed in the early part of the century (Niezen 2003, p.19). Communities involved in indigenous movements were recognized to differ from other movements, such as civil rights movement, due to their wish to remain distinct from the dominant population and have their territorial rights recognized and livelihood respected. This desire to continue cultural and linguistic practices separate from the norm, and continued residence in an area has been a commonality for groups seeking indigenous status such as the Maasai and the Ogiek in East Africa.

Concerning Paragraph 139 from the Responsibility to Protect, the United Nations Charter presents a possible solution that lies in Chapter VII. The United Nations has the authority to establish an international trusteeship which would place Syria under a provisional control of another nation. A trusteeship would assist the Syrian government in creating a peaceful order, foster social and economic growth, and pressure them to respect human rights. Powerful nations like Russia or the United States or another state mutually agreed upon could be shortlisted to help the Syrian government, moderate rebels, and the international community halt the vicious and ruthless threat that the Islamic State poses to the security of Syria.

In 2012 on September 19th the United Nations Security Council met for its 6838th meeting to address the issue of Children in Armed conflict around the world and the role that the United Nations would play in the event of a Country utilizing children soldiers. The Security Council voted in favor 11 to 0 with only 4 countries abstaining such as China, Pakistan, Russia and Azerbaijan and their abstainment only came from issues with the Resolutions text and not the resolution itself. The Security Council sought to address this issue reiterating “its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security and, in this connection, its commitment to address the widespread impact of armed conflict on children”.