What Are the Six UN Organs, and What Does Each One Do?
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization established in 1945 to promote peace, security, social progress, and cooperation among countries. To achieve its goals, the UN is structured into six main organs, each with its own distinct responsibilities. These organs work together to address global issues such as peacekeeping, development, human rights, and international law. In this article, we will explore the six main organs of the UN and explain the specific roles and functions of each.
General Assembly
What is the General Assembly?
The General Assembly is the main deliberative body of the United Nations, where all 193 member states are represented. It meets annually to discuss and make decisions on a wide range of international issues, from global security to economic development, human rights, and environmental concerns. Each member state has one vote, regardless of its size or power, and decisions are usually made by a two-thirds majority on most issues.
Functions and Responsibilities:
- Discussion and Debate: The General Assembly provides a platform for all member states to express their views on global issues, discuss policy proposals, and offer recommendations to improve international relations.
- Budgetary Decisions: The Assembly approves the UN's annual budget and determines the financial contributions required from member states.
- Resolution Adoption: While the resolutions passed by the General Assembly are not legally binding, they represent the collective opinion of the international community on specific issues.
- Electing Members: The General Assembly elects non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, members of the Economic and Social Council, and judges of the International Court of Justice.
Security Council
What is the Security Council?
The Security Council is the UN body responsible for maintaining international peace and security. It is composed of 15 members: 5 permanent members (the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom), known as the P5, and 10 rotating non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. The permanent members hold veto power over substantive resolutions, meaning that any one of them can block decisions that they disagree with.
Functions and Responsibilities:
- Peacekeeping and Conflict Resolution: The Security Council can authorize peacekeeping missions, impose sanctions, or take military action to address threats to international peace, such as armed conflicts, terrorism, and violations of international law.
- Peace Talks: It works to mediate conflicts between states, often by organizing diplomatic efforts, facilitating negotiations, and deploying peacekeepers to prevent violence.
- Sanctions and Enforcement: The Council can impose economic and military sanctions on states or entities that threaten peace and security, such as through arms embargoes, travel bans, or asset freezes.
International Court of Justice (ICJ)
What is the International Court of Justice?
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial body of the UN, responsible for settling legal disputes between states and providing advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by the UN or other specialized agencies. The ICJ is based in The Hague, Netherlands, and is composed of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms. The Court's decisions are binding on the parties involved, but it has no enforcement powers, meaning compliance is based on voluntary adherence by states.
Functions and Responsibilities:
- Dispute Resolution: The ICJ settles disputes between states on matters such as territorial boundaries, the use of force, human rights, and environmental law.
- Advisory Opinions: The Court provides advisory opinions on legal matters requested by the UN General Assembly, Security Council, or other UN organs and agencies. These opinions are non-binding but carry significant weight in international law.
- Development of International Law: The ICJ plays a key role in developing and codifying international law by interpreting treaties, conventions, and customary international law.
Secretariat
What is the Secretariat?
The Secretariat is responsible for carrying out the day-to-day work of the United Nations, under the leadership of the UN Secretary-General. The Secretariat provides support to the other UN organs and coordinates the activities of UN agencies and programs. The Secretary-General is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the Security Council and serves a five-year term, with the possibility of re-election.
Functions and Responsibilities:
- Implementation of Policies: The Secretariat is responsible for implementing the decisions of the General Assembly, Security Council, and other UN organs, including organizing meetings, producing reports, and providing analysis on international issues.
- Coordination of UN Programs: The Secretariat works with various specialized agencies, funds, and programs to address global challenges, such as climate change, poverty, and humanitarian crises.
- Providing Support: The Secretariat also supports the work of peacekeeping missions, political and economic development programs, and human rights monitoring.
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
What is ECOSOC?
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is responsible for coordinating the economic, social, and related work of the 15 specialized agencies of the UN, such as the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). ECOSOC is composed of 54 member states, which are elected by the General Assembly for three-year terms. It meets annually to discuss global economic and social issues and to make recommendations for action.
Functions and Responsibilities:
- Policy Recommendations: ECOSOC makes recommendations on global economic and social issues, such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, gender equality, and human rights.
- Monitoring International Trends: It monitors and reports on progress in key areas of international development, such as education, health, and employment.
- Coordinating UN Agencies: ECOSOC serves as a platform for dialogue between the UN, governments, and civil society to address global challenges and coordinate efforts for sustainable development.
Trusteeship Council
What is the Trusteeship Council?
The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 to oversee the administration of trust territories and ensure that their inhabitants were provided with education, governance, and eventual self-rule. The Council’s work was largely focused on decolonization and the promotion of self-determination for territories that were under the administration of foreign powers.
Functions and Responsibilities:
- Supervision of Trust Territories: The Trusteeship Council was responsible for monitoring the conditions in trust territories and reporting to the UN General Assembly on their progress towards self-government.
- Decommissioning: The Trusteeship Council has effectively completed its mandate since most of the trust territories gained independence or became self-governing. As a result, the Trusteeship Council has not met since 1994, and its formal work has been suspended.
