Part 3 The United Nations: What it Does, 17 Improving Social Conditions

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Higgins Dame Rosalyn, DBE, QC ◽  
Webb Philippa ◽  
Akande Dapo ◽  
Sivakumaran Sandesh ◽  
Sloan James
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Social Action ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
International Peace ◽  
Social Council ◽  
The Social ◽  
The United Nations

The concern of the United Nations (UN) with improving social conditions is expressed in the various parts of the UN Charter. Improving social conditions is seen not only as a goal in its own right, but as related to the aim of achieving international peace. This chapter discusses the types of activities for the purpose of improving social conditions; the ‘social’ issues addressed by the UN; major summits and conferences; social issues in the work of the principal UN organs; the General Assembly and social issues; the Economic and Social Council; social issues in the work of the Security Council and UN Secretary-General; UN Departments, Programmes, and Offices involved in social issues; and institutional coordination of UN social action.

International Refugee Organization

1948 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-536
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Policy Decisions ◽  
Social Council ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
To Come

In accordance with a resolution adopted by the General Assembly November 17, 1947, and a resolution of the Economic and Social Council of March 1, 1948, the Secretary-General of the United Nations (Lie) requested Carl J. Hambro (Norway) and Pierce Williams (United States) to prepare a report on the progress and prospect of repatriation, resettlement and immigration of displaced per- sons and refugees, for submission to the seventh session of ECOSOC. In describing the work of the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization in the field of repatriation and resettlement, the report pointed to the difficulty which the commission faced in making policy decisions since its constitution had not been ratified by the necessary number of governments to enable the permanent organization to come into existence.

2. An impossible hybrid: the structure of the United Nations

2015 ◽  
pp. 26-49
Author(s):  
Jussi M. Hanhimäki
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
World Trade ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
The Other ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Social Council ◽  
Primary Responsibility ◽  
Peace And Security ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Central Organ

‘An impossible hybrid: the structure of the United Nations’ explains the various functions of the conglomeration of organizations, divisions, bodies, and secretariats that make up the UN. The Security Council is the central organ of the UN system and has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The General Assembly is the forum where the 193 member states can make their cases heard. The UN Secretariat serves the other principal organs of the UN and administers the programs and policies laid down by them, with the Secretary-General at its head. The roles of the Economic and Social Council, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and World Trade Organization are also described.

Improving the Operation and Functioning of the International Criminal Tribunals

2000 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 759-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daryl A. Mundis
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
International Criminal ◽  
International Criminal Tribunal ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Expert Group ◽  
International Criminal Tribunals ◽  
International Tribunals ◽  
The United Nations

Since the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, both International Tribunals have grown tremendously in terms of resources. Despite this growth, the International Tribunals have rendered judgments in only fifteen cases and conducted inordinately long trials—a fault for which, perhaps more than any other, they can be justly criticized. The Secretary- General of the United Nations recently appointed an expert group to review the efficiency of the operation of the International Tribunals and make recommendations for improvement. Following the release of the group's report, the General Assembly requested that the Secretary-General obtain comments from the International Tribunals on the experts’ recommendations. The ICTYjudges, for their part, considered these recommendations in a report to the United Nations setting forth a long-term strategy for improving the operation of the Tribunal.

The Significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: The record so far and future prospects

1966 ◽  
Vol 6 (63) ◽  
pp. 287-296
Author(s):  
Albert Verdoodt
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
United Nations ◽  
Universal Declaration ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Future Prospects ◽  
Social Council ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Condition Of Women

On the 10th December 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which had been drawn up by a series of meetings of the Commission of Human Rights and the Commission on the Condition of Women as well as major discussions which took place during the first seven sessions of the Economic and Social Council. The General Assembly presented this Declaration “as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education … and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance …”

Part 2 The United Nations: What it is, 14 The Financing of the United Nations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Higgins Dame Rosalyn, DBE, QC ◽  
Webb Philippa ◽  
Akande Dapo ◽  
Sivakumaran Sandesh ◽  
Sloan James
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Security Council ◽  
Early Years ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Working Capital ◽  
International Court Of Justice ◽  
Court Of Justice ◽  
Social Council ◽  
International Court ◽  
The United Nations

This chapter discusses the regular budget of the UN. The UN’s regular budget includes the expenses of its principal organs—the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice, the Trusteeship Council, and the Secretariat—as well as subsidiary bodies. From tens of millions in the early years of the organization, the regular budget has grown to billions of dollars. It is composed of various parts, sections, and programmes. No funds may be transferred between different appropriation sections without the authorization of the General Assembly. The remainder of the chapter covers the authorization of programmes; formulation and examination of estimates; approval and appropriation; implementation and the Contingency Fund; audit; the Working Capital Fund; financing of peacekeeping; international tribunals; voluntary contributions; self-support; apportionment of expenses of the organization; and administrative and budgetary coordination between the UN and specialized agencies.

Secretariat: Annual Report of the Secretary-General

1966 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 131-137 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Annual Report ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
Article 59 ◽  
Rules Of Procedure ◽  
History Of ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
Direct Concern

In his Introduction to the Annual Report of the Secretary-General on the Work of the Organization, 16 June 1964–15 June 1965 Secretary-General U Thant noted that the ten months under review had without doubt been difficult ones in the history of the United Nations. The opening date of the nineteenth session of the General Assembly had been postponed several times and, when it did meet, it had been unable to follow the normal rules of procedure due to the controversy over the applicability of Article 59 of the UN Charter. Another regrettable development of direct concern to the UN had been the announcement by Indonesia of its decision to withdraw from the Organization as from January 1, 1965.

The Moon Treaty Enters Into Force

1985 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 163-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl Q. Christol
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
United Nations ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Secretary General ◽  
General Assembly ◽  
The Moon ◽  
Celestial Bodies ◽  
The United Nations

On July 11, 1984, the 1979 Agreement Governing the Activities of States on the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies entered into force following the deposit with the Secretary-General of the United Nations of the fifth instrument of ratification. The Agreement, following its adoption by the General Assembly, was opened for signature on December 18, 1979. In the intervening years, it has been signed by Austria, Chile, France, Guatemala, India, Morocco, the Netherlands, Peru, the Philippines, Romania and Uruguay. The fifth state to deposit its ratification was Austria, which followed Chile, the Philippines, Uruguay and the Netherlands.

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