The UN

Question 1

What is the UN?

Answer 1

The UN was the first post-war IGO with the overall aim to maintain international peace and security.

Question 2

How many members does the UN have?

Answer 2

193

Question 3

How does the UN govern globally?

Answer 3

The UN has many smaller organisations that govern different individual issues on a global scale.

Question 4

What are some of the UNs sub-organisations?

Answer 4

General Assembly
Security council
International Court of Justice
UNESCO (UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation)
Department of Peacekeeping Operations

Many others including: WHO, World Food Programme and the World Bank

Question 5

General Assembly Basic info:

Answer 5

Created in 1945

All 193 members are part of the general assembly, making it an organisation of universal representation.

The aim of the general assembly is to discuss and debate issues of peace and security.

Question 6

Security council Basic info:

Answer 6

Created in 1945

Consists of 5 permanent members and 10 temporary members that are switched over time.

Solves threats to peace by having each member vote in each scenario.

Can deliver economic sanctions to resolve issues.

Question 7

International Court of Justice Basic info:

Answer 7

Created in 1945

Settles legal disputes and international law breaks that are submitted by member states.

Aims to maintain peace between states and offer legal advice.

Question 8

UNESCO Basic info:

Answer 8

Created in 1946

The aim of this organisation is to maintain peace through education, science, and culture.

Question 9

Department of Peacekeeping Operations Basic info:

Answer 9

Created in 1992

Aims to bring peace to places of disruption and post-conflict.

The UN’s peacekeeping forces are sent into areas of instability, with the aim to restore stability and order.

Question 10

Criticisms of the UN:

Answer 10

Accused of creating inequalities through bias of countries for example large bias against Israel in the Israel-Palestine conflict where human rights changes and general assembly resolutions targeted Israel.
2006-2016 68 out of the 135 human rights changes targeted Israel.

Accused of being slow or inactive, e.g. preventing the 1971 Bangladesh Genocide.

Peacekeeping forces have been accused of major crimes against the vulnerable population they are meant to be protecting.