UNO and its Organs

Synopsis

F Introduction,

F United Nations Organization,

F History & Development,

1. League of Nations &

2. UNO establishment

F Organs of UNO,

1. The general Assembly,

2. The Security Council,

3. The Economic and Social Council,

4. The Trusteeship Council,

5. The International Court of Justice, &

6. The Secretariat.

F UN Specialised agency and its function,

F Conclusion.

Introduction

The United Nations Organization (UNO) is an international body founded on October 24, 1945, after World War II, to promote global peace, security, and cooperation. It replaced the League of Nations, which failed to prevent the war. The UN currently has 193 member countries and is headquartered in New York City, USA.

The UN works to solve global problems like war, poverty, disease, human rights violations, and climate change. It operates through six main organs. The UNO continues to be the central platform for international cooperation, helping nations work together to build a more peaceful and just world.

United Nations Organization

UN is an international organization founded in Oct 24^th 1945 to maintain world security and peace. It’s headquarters located at New York, UK and UN is currently (2025) composed of 193 countries as its member. To maintain the world security and peace its has 6 major organs and various commission across the world, these UNO’s bodies work globally to address issues like health crises, education, poverty, climate change, human rights, and humanitarian emergencies.

History & Development

The UNO is remodel version of the failed League of Nations, which is formed to maintain the world peace and security before the World War II.

F League of Nations:

After the WWI under the Treaty of Versailles, League of Nation is established in 1919. Its headquarters is located at Geneva, Switzerland. The League of nations was formed by the President of USA, Woodrow Willson. The founding members of League of nations are 24 countries and the total and final member countries were 58.

The League of Nations failed mainly because the United States, which helped create it, never became a member due to political issues at home. Without the support of powerful countries like the USA, the League was too weak to stop wars. It finally failed completely when World War II began.

F UNO:

In the time of WWII (1942) Sir Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt were coined the term United Nations in their declaration. This declaration was formed to end the WWII and this declaration was signed by the 26 countries in 1942.

The UN charter was framed in various conference:

F Moscow conference (Oct 1943):

Held between the foreign ministers of the Allied powers, the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and China. It laid the groundwork for creating an international organization to maintain peace, which later became the United Nations.

F Tehran conference (Dec 1943):

A high-level meeting between Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA), Winston Churchill (UK), and Joseph Stalin (USSR). They discussed war strategy and agreed on the need to establish a post-war international peace organization.

F Dumbarton Oaks Conference (Aug-Oct 1944):

The Dumbarton Oaks Conference was a major meeting held during World War II where representatives from four major Allied, held to plan the structure of a new international organization that would later become the United Nations (UN).

F Yalta Conference (Feb 1945):

Agreed on the structure of the UN, especially the Security Council, which would have five permanent members (USA, UK, USSR, China, and France) with veto power and Voting procedure for the general assembly.

F San Francisco Conference (Apr-Jun 1945):

The conference was held to formally create the United Nations, based on earlier discussions at the Dumbarton Oaks and Yalta Conferences. Representatives of 50 countries came together to write and agree on the UN Charter, the main document that defines how the UN works.

The United Nations officially came into existence on October 24, 1945 and became as inter-Governmental organization.

UN Organs

1. The General Assembly,

2. The Security Council,

3. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC),

4. The International Court of Justice (ICJ),

5. The Trusteeship Council &

6. The Secretariat.

F The General Assembly:

The General Assembly is the main deliberative organ of the United Nations and includes all 193 member countries, each with one equal vote. It serves as a global platform where nations come together to discuss and address a wide range of international issues such as peace and security, climate change, development, and human rights.

The General Assembly meets annually, usually starting in September, but special and emergency sessions can also be called when needed. Although its resolutions are not legally binding, they carry significant moral and political weight. The Assembly is responsible for approving the UN budget, electing non-permanent members of the Security Council, members of the Economic and Social Council, judges of the International Court of Justice, and appointing the UN Secretary-General based on the Security Council’s recommendation.

As the only organ where every member state has an equal voice, the General Assembly plays a vital role in promoting international cooperation and diplomacy. There are 6 main committee under the general assembly, each member state represent each person for each main committee

The General Committee is a supporting body of the UN General Assembly. It helps in organizing and managing the work of the Assembly sessions.

F The Security Council:

The Security Council is one of the most powerful organs of the United Nations, responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It has 15 members, including 5 permanent members USA, UK, Russia, China, and France and 10 non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms.

The permanent members have veto power, which means any one of them can block a resolution, even if all others agree. The Security Council can take actions such as imposing sanctions, authorizing peacekeeping missions, and even approving the use of military force to maintain or restore peace. It meets regularly and can be called into session at any time when peace is threatened.

F The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC):

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is one of the six main organs of the United Nations, responsible for promoting international economic, social, and environmental cooperation and development. It has 54 member countries, elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms, with seats distributed based on geographical representation.

It discusses issues such as poverty, education, health, human rights, and sustainable development, and helps in setting global goals like the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). ECOSOC plays a key role in coordinating international efforts to improve living standards and protect human dignity worldwide. It coordinates 14 specialized agencies, 10 functional commissions, 5 regional commission and receives reports from 9 UN fund programs.

F The International Court of Justice (ICJ):

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It is located in The Hague, Netherlands, and was established to settle legal disputes between countries and give advisory opinions on legal questions referred by the UN. The Court is made up of 15 judges, elected by both the General Assembly and the Security Council, for nine-year terms.

Only countries (not individuals or organizations) can be parties in cases before the ICJ. Its decisions are binding, and member states are expected to follow them. The ICJ plays a vital role in promoting peaceful resolution of conflicts through international law.

The ICJ is the successor of the Permanent Court of International Justice which was established by the League of Nation in 1920.

F The Trusteeship Council:

The Trusteeship Council is one of the six main organs of the United Nations, established to supervise the administration of trust territories. The Council was made up of the five permanent members of the Security Council (USA, UK, Russia, China, and France).

Trust territories mean regions that were not yet self-governing after World War II. Its goal was to help these territories achieve self-government or independence.

Over time, as all trust territories gained independence, the Council’s work was completed. Since 1994, the Trusteeship Council has suspended its operations, but it still exists in the UN Charter and can be reactivated if needed.

F The Secretariat:

The Secretariat is the administrative organ of the United Nations. It is responsible for carrying out the day-to-day work of the UN and supporting the activities of other organs. The Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council for a five-year term (renewable).

The Secretariat includes thousands of international staff who work around the world in areas such as peacekeeping, human rights, humanitarian aid, environment, and development. It ensures that UN decisions are implemented and that global operations run smoothly.

UN Specialised agency and its function

No.	Agency	Full Name	Headquarters	Main Functions
1	FAO	Food and Agriculture Organization	Rome, Italy	Works to eliminate hunger, improve agriculture, and ensure food security.
2	ICAO	International Civil Aviation Organization	Montreal, Canada	Develops global standards for safe and efficient air travel.
3	IFAD	International Fund for Agricultural Development	Rome, Italy	Provides funding and support to rural farmers and promotes rural development.
4	ILO	International Labour Organization	Geneva, Switzerland	Promotes fair labor standards, employment rights, and decent working conditions.
5	IMF	International Monetary Fund	Washington D.C., USA	Ensures global financial stability, provides loans, and offers economic guidance.
6	IMO	International Maritime Organization	London, UK	Regulates shipping safety, security, and environmental impact.
7	ITU	International Telecommunication Union	Geneva, Switzerland	Develops global telecommunication standards and ensures equitable access to ICT.
8	UNESCO	United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization	Paris, France	Promotes education, science, culture, and protects world heritage sites.
9	UNIDO	United Nations Industrial Development Organization	Vienna, Austria	Supports industrial development in developing countries for sustainable growth.
10	UNWTO	World Tourism Organization	Madrid, Spain	Promotes responsible, sustainable, and universally accessible tourism.
11	UPU	Universal Postal Union	Bern, Switzerland	Coordinates international postal policies and improves global mail services.
12	WHO	World Health Organization	Geneva, Switzerland	Leads global efforts on public health, disease control, and health education.
13	WIPO	World Intellectual Property Organization	Geneva, Switzerland	Protects intellectual property like patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
14	WMO	World Meteorological Organization	Geneva, Switzerland	Coordinates global weather, climate, and hydrology activities.
15	World Bank Group	(IBRD & IDA are the two main arms)	Washington D.C., USA	Provides loans and technical support to developing countries to reduce poverty and build infrastructure.

Conclusion

The United Nations Organization (UNO) plays a key role in promoting global peace, security, development, and human rights. Its six main organs and specialized agencies work together to solve major international issues like conflict, poverty, health crises, and education. Despite some challenges, the UN remains an important platform for countries to cooperate and address global problems. It continues to be a symbol of international unity and shared responsibility for a better world.