International Organisations Flashcards
1
Q
Learning Objectives
A
- Awareness of the history of the United Nations
- Consideration of the constituent part & their functions
- Understanding of how the UN is funded
- Understanding of the role of WHO
- Awareness of the work of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement
2
Q
Briefly describe the United Nations (UN)
A
- Intergovernmental organisation
- Established 24 October 1945
- 193 states
- Headquarters in New York
- Offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Vienna
3
Q
Describe the history of the UN
A
- in WW1 they were known as a League of Nations
- UN founded 24 October 1945 to prevent another conflict like WW2 occurring
- 51 nations, now 193
- Lead to the United Nations being created after the Cold War
4
Q
What is the structure of the UN?
A
- 6 principal organs :
- General Assembly
- Security Council
- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- The Secretariat
- International Court of Justice (ICC)
- Trusteeship Council (inactive since 1994)
5
Q
What is the UN general assembly?
A
- Assembly of all 193 members states
- Excluding the Vatican
- Admits new members
- Adopts budget
- Elects UNSC, ICC judges, Secretary General
6
Q
What is the UN Security Council?
A
- Responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security
- 15 members
- 5 permanent with veto powers : USA, China, Russia, UK, France
- Have a role in Peacekeeping missions
7
Q
What does the UN : ECOSOC stand for?
What are they responsible for?
A
- UN Economic and Social Council
- Responsible for cooperation between states on economic & social matters
- Coordinates cooperations between the UN’s specialised agencies
- 54 members
8
Q
What is the UN secretariat?
A
- Supports other UN bodies administratively; conferences, reports, prepares budget
- Chairperson is the UN Secretary General, 5 year mandate.
9
Q
What is the role of the international court of justice?
A
- Decides disputes between states which recognise its jurisdiction
- Issues legal opinions
- The Hague
- 15 judges, 9 year terms
- Not the same as the International Criminal Court (ICC), which prosecutes individuals
10
Q
What is the UN Systems Agencies?
Give some examples
A
- Multiple programmes, funds & specialized agencies
- World Bank Group
- World Health Organisation
- World Food Programme
- UNESCO
- UNICEF
11
Q
How are the United Nations funded?
A
- Assessed and voluntary contributions from member states, based on GNI
- $5.5 billion spent in 2012/13
- UK pays 5%
- Peace & security $7.5 billion 13/14
- 82,000 troops in 15 missions globally
- UNICEF, WFP funded by individual voluntary donations
12
Q
Who are the OCHA?
What do they do?
A
- United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- Formed 1991
- Inter-agency body, serving UN Agencies and NGOs
- Coordination, Humanitarian financing, policy, advocacy, IT
- Headed by Martin Griffiths, Emergency Relief Coordinator
13
Q
Who are the UNDAC?
What do they do?
A
- United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination
- Created 1993
- Help for UN & SODs affected countries in 1st phase of disaster response
- Teams deploy within 12-48hrs
- Free
- Earthquakes: OSOCC, USAR Teams, INSARAG
14
Q
Who are the UNHCR?
What do they do?
A
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UN Refugee Agency
- Founded 1951
- Geneva HQ
- Provide protection for refugees and seek a solution for them
15
Q
What is UNICEF?
What do they do?
A
- United Nations Children’s Fund
- Created 1946, NYC based
- Contributions from govts & private donors
- Budget c $3 billion (2008)
- Convention on the Rights of the Child vs child mortality
16
Q
What is WFP?
What do they do?
A
- World Food Programme
- World’ s largest humanitarian organisation
- Hunger and food security
- 90 million people per year
- 2011 : $3.73 billion
- Voluntary payments from Govts, corps, private donors
17
Q
What is The World Health Organisation? (PART 1)
A
- Specialised agency of the UN
- Remit of international public health
- Founded 1948
- Geneva based
- Cost $4 billion
- From member states & outside donors
18
Q
What is The World Health Organisation? (PART 2)
A
- Leadership on health matters
- Shaping research agenda
- Setting norms & standards
- Articulating policy
- Monitoring health situation & trends
- Especially MDGs, infectious disease, maternal health, HIV / Aids, Malaria
19
Q
Describe the Red Cross & Red Crescent Movement
A
- IFRC, National Societies, ICRC
- International humanitarian movement
- 100 million volunteers
- Founded 1863 Geneva, Henry Dunant
20
Q
Describe the IFRC
A
- Interenational Federation of the Red Cross
- Coordinates & directs international assistance following natural & man-made disasters in non-conflict
- Work with national Red Cross / Crescent societies
- Coordination with civil relief
21
Q
Describe the ICRC
A
- Mandate under international law to carry out humanitarian actions in siutations of armed conflict
- Prison visits
- Monitoring adherence to intertnational conventions
- Relief operations
- Missing persons
- Family reunification
- War surgery & rehabilitation
