[Civics] Term 2: UN

Question 1

How many states are part of the Security Council?

Answer 1

15

Question 2

How many states have veto power? (permanent members of the Security Council)

Answer 2

5

Question 3

What are the names of the states that have veto power (permanent members of the Security Council)

Answer 3

US, UK, France, Russia, China

Question 4

Who are the elected members (non-permanent members) of the Council elected by?

Answer 4

General Assembly

Question 5

How long is the term of the elected members in the Security Council?

Answer 5

2 years

Question 6

How many countries are replaced every year in the Security Council?

Answer 6

5

Question 7

How many affirmative votes do you need to pass the UNSC Resolution, in the Security Council?

Answer 7

9/15 + no veto

Question 8

What year was the United Nations founded?

Answer 8

1945

Question 9

What is the mission for the United Nations?

Answer 9

Maintain world peace and prevent another World War

Question 10

How many member countries in the UN?

Answer 10

193

Question 11

Why are “US, UK, France, Russia, and China” permanent members?

Answer 11

The five victors of WW2

Question 12

What does the veto power of the Security Council’s permanent members do?

Answer 12

Authority to reject any UN resolution

Question 13

What is the organization that was created after WW1?

Answer 13

League of Nations

Question 14

What is the six official languages that are used in the UN?

Answer 14

Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish

Question 15

What is an abstention in the Security Council?

Answer 15

Does not vote (permanent member)

Question 16

What is the significance of an abstention in the Security Council?

Answer 16

Allows the resolution to be adopted if it obtains the required number of nine favorable votes + no veto

Question 17

What are the criticisms of the powers laid in the Security Council?

Answer 17

・Disproportionate power (bcz of the veto)
・The permanent members are all influential nuclear weapon states, contradictory to the UN’s principles of promoting peace, security, and disarmament –> Reinforcing an unequal system that privileges nuclear states over non-nuclear states
・The Security Council can make decisions and pass resolutions (like telling a country to stop fighting), but it doesn’t have its own army to enforce these decisions. It relies on member countries to voluntarily send soldiers or support peacekeeping missions –> not able to effectively enforce resolutions
・Sometimes results in enforcing resolutions in some situations but ignoring others, depending on what benefits the permanent members (biased)

Question 18

What are some reforms/suggestions received by the people about the Security Council? (to not have an uneven system)

Answer 18

Bcz its currently not so representative…
・Bring in new permanent members
or
・Expand the number of seats in the Security Council

Question 19

Some think that the Security Council should bring in new permanent members. What are the countries suggested?

Answer 19

Germany, Brazil, India, Japan

Question 20

What are the main bodies of the UN?

Answer 20

General Assembly, the Security Council, The Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, the UN Secretariat

Question 21

What is the main organ of the UN?

Answer 21

General Assembly

Question 22

Why is the General Assembly the representative organ of the UN?

Answer 22

All 193 member states of the UN are represented there

Question 23

How long does the General Assembly president serve?

Answer 23

1 year

Question 24

What is the most important organ of the UN?

Answer 24

The Security Council

Question 25

Who is the current Security General of the UN?

Answer 25

António Guterres

Question 26

How do you become a member of the UN?

Answer 26

Apply through the Security General —> Security Council makes a recommendation —> decision by the General Assembly

Question 27

Who is not part of the United Nations?

Answer 27

Taiwan, Kosovo (not considered sovereign)
Vatican City
Palestine

Question 28

Which structure of the UN does not exist anymore?

Answer 28

The Trusteeship Council (Bcz the last territory, Palau, gained independence in 1994)

Question 29

What is the main difference between the roles/powers of the Security Council and the General Assembly?

Answer 29

Both aim to maintain peace and security
・The Security Council makes binding resolutions (countries have to obey)
・The General Assembly passes non-binding resolutions (majority to agree/recommendations)

Question 30

What is a founding document created in 1945 outlining the purpose and principles of the UN?

Answer 30

United Nations Charter

Question 31

What does the UN peacekeeping operation focus on, and what is it held under?

Answer 31

The UN peacekeeping operation is under the UN Security Council supervision, and they focus on restoring peace and security in conflicted areas

Question 32

Where is its headquarters?

Answer 32

New York City

Question 33

Why was the veto power created?

Answer 33

To reassure these powerful nations that their sovereignty would not be threatened