Purpose of UN and Australia's involvement Flashcards
List the 5 purposes of the United Nations:
Maintain international peace and prosperity
Develop friendly relations among nations
Achieve international cooperation in solving international problems
Promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction
Be a centre of harmonising the actions of nations.
The origins of UN:
officially came into existence on 24 October 1945, when the UN charter had been ratified by a majority of the original 51 Member States.
What is the UN?
an international organisation
How many members are there now?
192 members
How many members at the beginning?
51 members
Australia’s involvement in the UN?
Australia was one of its founding members. Doc Evatt, leader of Australia’s first delegation to UN, played a prominent role in negotiation of the UN Charter in 1945. One of eight nations involved in drafting the Universal declaration.
Doc Evatt contribution:
As leader of Australian delegation to the founding meeting of the UN, included a woman in the delegation.
The woman was Jessie Street - brave step as women in politics were not highly regarded
At San Fran conference, he became the champion of small powers
10 December 1948, he presided (position of authority) over the General assembly session at which members, without opposition passed the Universal declaration of human rights.
Where does Australia have key diplomatic missions and UN ambassadors?
In Geneva, New York and Vienna.
Australia contribute to the UN:
Mainly through the UN General Assembly in New York
through specialist UN bodies such as World Health Organisation(WHO), UNESCO.
Australia promotes its national concerns through UN discussion on:
aid programs disarmament and nuclear safeguards environmental protection global trade and finance health human rights international security refugee rights
What does Australia support ?
UN’s multilateral treaty system and contributes generally to encouraging international action on global issues affecting the Australian nation.
What did Australia signify by becoming a member of the UN?
a commitment to working to avoid military conflict among and within nations.
Australia’s military contribution have contributed to how many UN peacekeeping operations?
20
What responsibilities does Australia’s peacekeeping role include?
investigation of claims of human rights and violations
establishment of local police forces and the training of personnel to serve in them
monitoring of election processes and the verification of election results
establishment of local justice system
provision of humanitarian aid
When did Australia’s peacekeeping role begin?
1947, when Aus sent four military to act at observers at the UN commission for Indonesia during the period when Indonesia achieved its independence from Dutch rule.
