United Nations

Main Mission: maintain international peace and security and promote

friendly relations between countries

Human Rights• The UN published the Universal Declaration

of Human Rights (“UDHR”)– More rights than in Constitution– Everyone in world is supposed to get these rights

when they are born

• Examples– Live free from violence– Freedom of speech/press– Freedom of religion/assembly– Right to complain against or criticize the government– Right to privacy– Right to an education

UN Budget

• Member contributions based on ability to pay– U.S. the largest payer with a $1.7 billion

contribution funding 26% of the UN’s budget– U.S. contribution is only .06% of the total

annual U.S. budget of $2.8 trillion

GeneralAssembly

Security Council

Permanent Members

U.S.

China

Russia

United Kingdom

France

Permanent members have veto authority in the Security Council

Susan Rice

Possible Security Council Actions

1. Resolution•Statement by the security council that is supposed to be followed by all UN members

Possible Security Council Actions2. Commission a Study

• Researchers & experts are sent to study a problem.– Global problem: Global Warming or diseases– Country specific: Weapons or genocide

Possible Security Council Actions

3. Humanitarian Aid

– Providing for the basic needs of groups of people who cannot provide for themselves.

– Food, Shelter, Clothing, Medicine

Hum. Aid often goes to Refugees

•Someone who has no home, either due to a natural or manmade disaster. •Someone who cannot return home for fear of an attack.

Possible Security Council Actions4. Sanctions

Penalties for disobedience

• Economic Sanctions: Usually involves, limiting trade of specific goods like weapons, but could involve all goods (an embargo)

• Military Sanctions– Disarmament: Halting the spread of weapons

• Collect weapons• Defuse/destroy weapons

– Even nuclear weapons

• Diplomatic Sanctions– Removal of UN personnel

5. Peacemaking

Diplomatic negotiation (no use of force)

6. Peacekeeping

Soldiers sent into an area in an attempt to stop the fighting.– Separate the sides– Note: A country must

consent to the present of peacekeepers

7. Offensive Military ActionSoldiers sent in to fight following the

orders of the UN (this is the last resort)

Possible Security Council Actions

Possible Security Council Actions2 Ways to Peace

• Peacekeeping: soldiers sent into an area in an attempt to stop the fighting.– Either to separate sides or actual military action.

• Boxing ref or aggressor

– A country must consent to the presence of peacekeepers.

• Peacemaking: diplomatic negotiation of peace (no use of force)

– Divorce mediator (wedding crashers)

World Court• Based in the Peace Palace in The Hague,

Netherlands.

• Main functions is to settle legal disputes submitted to it by states.– Ex. Crimes against humanity (genocide)

International Agencies

Work Closely with the UN

• International Monetary Fund (IMF)

• World Bank

• World Health Organization

UN Agencies

• International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is the nuclear watchdog of the UN

• UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) deals with children’s poverty, education

• UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) assists refugees

• World Food Program distributes food around the world

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

(from S. Korea)

SECURITY COUNCIL

15 countries5 permanent countries—US, UK, France, China and Russia with veto power10 rotating countries – 2 year term, geographically distributedPass resolutionsEconomic sanctions – trade restrictions used to get a country to change its behaviorPeacekeeping – sending in soldiers to keep an area calmUse force – used only as a last resort Peace making – negotiating a peace treatyStudying problemsSending humanitarian aid

GENERAL ASSEMBLYAll nations belongMeets in the fall

All nations vote – each has one vote

Main forum for debatePass resolutions – what they think

should be done, controversial ones need a 2/3 vote

Difficult to enforce resolutions

SECRETARIAT/ SECRETARY

GENERALSecretary General – Ban Ki-moonRuns the UN on day-to-day basis

Oversees 9,000 employeesFace of the UN

UN Terms - GovernmentsDemocracy

• Government controlled by the people who each have a say (through voting) in the policies of the nation.

• Examples: US, Israel, Palestine, India, Pakistan, S. Korea,

Dictatorship

• Government ruled by an individual or small group of powerful people who govern without consent of those being governed

• Examples: North Korea, China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Vietnam

UN terms - Economies

Capitalism

• Economic system in which individuals own property, control investments and seek to make a profit

• Prices and the number of goods produced are established by the free market, whatever people are willing to buy and sell

Communism

• Economic system in which the government controls all property and makes all investments

• Prices and the number of goods produced established by the government

Groups of Countries

OPEC (Organization of Petroleum

Exporting Countries)

• Countries that produce oil• They meet to coordinate &

unify petroleum policies and ensure the stabilization of oil markets.– Members: Algeria, Angola,

Ecuador, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela

NATO

(N. Atlantic Treaty Organization)

• Defensive military alliance of 28 countries (member states agree to defend each other in response to an attack)

– Sample Members: Canada, France, Italy, UK, US, Greece, Germany, Spain (most of both Eastern and Western Europe)

Groups of Countries G-20• Top leaders in the 20 largest

developed & developing countries come together to discuss key issues in the global economy.– Ex: S. Africa, US, Canada,

Brazil, Japan, China, Saudi Arabia, Russia, EU, Australia, Fr. UK, Germ., Italy

• Note: there is also a G-8 which brings together the leaders of the 8 largest and developing countries.

BRICS• Brazil, Russia, India, China,

S. Africa• Organization which

coordinates the policies of these five developing countries

Groups of Countries• European Union (EU): economic and political partnership

between 27 European countries. Fosters economic cooperation: countries that trade with one another are economically interdependent and will thus avoid conflict.

• African Union (AU): Group of 54 African countries that meet to discuss social, economic & political problems in Africa.

• Arab League: organization of Arab states in North and Northeast Africa, and Southwest Asia (Middle East).– Currently 22 members & 4 observers.

– Main goal: draw closer the relations between member States and co-ordinate collaboration b/w them, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to consider in a general way the affairs and interests of the Arab countries.