The idea of establishing an international organization to monitor the processes of integration in the world community came up about 100 years ago (Mazower 5); however, the first half of the XX century was marked by two world wars, which greatly complicated the peaceful development of most countries. On October 24, 1945 51 countries, determined to keep the peace through international cooperation and collective security, ensured creation of the United Nations (United Nations Official Website). Currently, it is the most ambitious and comprehensive international organization which covers almost all spheres of human activities, from human rights to environmental issues. It includes 193 countries - nearly all countries of the world. The current stable developed system allows the UN to react on events in the world, and to include most of the components in its sphere of influence. The system consists of five main bodies and a large number of specialized agencies, either directly dependent on the UN or functioning independently. One of the most important tasks of the UN is to maintain peace and security (United Nations Official Website). Thanks to the efforts of the UN a huge number of international conflicts have already been resolved. Complex operations associated with the establishment and maintenance of peace and humanitarian aid prevented the looming conflicts. In addition, a number of documents on the reduction and non-proliferation of weapons, banning the creation of weapons of mass destruction and the testing of nuclear warheads were worked out. The UN peacekeeping also aims at fighting global terrorism. Another important task of the UN is to monitor the observance of human rights. In 1948, the General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which proclaimed equal rights of all men and women (United Nations Official Website). The UN efforts in this area are aimed at the eradication of violence and elimination of genocide. The UN also assists in the development of all countries, seeking to ensure higher standards of living, full employment and conditions of economic and social progress and development. From this position, the main bodies of the UN will be discussed
The Security Council
According to the Charter of the United Nations, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and may be convened at any time of the day or night when there is a threat to the world. This is a body composed of 15 members: five members are permanent (Russian Federation, USA, Great Britain, France, and China), and the other ten members are selected by the General Assembly for two-year term. The Council has wide powers in the peaceful settlement of international disputes, prevention of military conflicts between states, and suppression of acts of aggression. According to the UN Charter, the Security Council is the only body of the United Nations which has the right to make decisions about operations with the Armed Forces of the United Nations. The Security Council makes recommendations on the admission of states to the UN, the exclusion of UN members who systematically violate the principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and the suspension of the rights and privileges belonging to a member of the United Nations. The Council makes recommendations to the General Assembly concerning the appointment of the UN Secretary-General and chooses members of the International Court of Justice. The main form of recommendations and binding decisions taken by the Security Council are resolutions (United Nations Official Website).
The General Assembly
The General Assembly is an advisory body, represented by all Member States of the UN. The UN General Assembly is empowered to consider the general principles of cooperation in the maintenance of international peace and security, including the principles of disarmament and the regulation of armaments, and to offer recommendations regarding these principles. It also may discuss any questions relating to the maintenance of international peace and security brought before it by any countries. However, such questions on which the General Assembly wants to make decision are passed to the UN Security Council before and after the debate. The UN General Assembly initiates studies and makes recommendations to promote cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, educational, health spheres, promotes human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. The General Assembly receives and considers annual and special reports from the Security Council, as well as reports from other UN bodies, examines and approves the budget of the United Nations. It has the power to make only recommendations, which, with the exception of decisions on budget issues, are not binding for the members of the United Nations. The General Assembly appoints the Secretary-General on the recommendation of the Security Council, makes appointment of new members to the UN, and decides on the suspension of the rights and privileges of the Member States as well as their exclusion from the United Nations. The General Assembly conducts annual sessions, which are opened on the third Tuesday of September, as well as special and emergency sessions (United Nations Official Website).
The UN Secretariat
The UN Secretariat is the body of the UN, designed to serve the work of other UN bodies and carry out their decisions and recommendations. The UN Secretariat performs administrative and technical functions of the UN, in particular, prepares some of the materials, translates, prints and distributes reports, resumes and other documents The Secretariat conducts operational and administrative work of the United Nations in accordance with the instructions of the General Assembly, Security Council and other organs. It is headed by the Secretary-General, who recruits staff required for operation of the Organization, and provides overall administrative guidance. The Secretariat consists of nine departments, which employ nearly 8,700 people from 160 countries. In addition to the headquarters, there are branches of the United Nations located in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi (United Nations Official Website).
The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
ECOSOC has 54 members who are elected by the General Assembly for a term of three years, in accordance with the procedure established by the Charter (Article 61). Decisions in ECOSOC can be adopted by a simple majority of those present during the voting. ECOSOC hold one organizational and two regular sessions. Since 1992, the Council meets in a 4 - or 5-week regular session, alternately in New York and Geneva. The Economic and Social Council is one of the principal organs of the United Nations, which coordinates the economic and social work of the UN, UN specialized agencies, as well as numerous UN bodies under authority of the General Assembly of the UN. ECOSOC fulfills multiple functions of coordination and cooperation between countries in economic development, international trade, and industrialization. ECOSOC’s main functions are making researches, preparing reports, making recommendations on international, economic, social, and cultural cooperation between States. ECOSOC serves as a central forum for discussing international economic and social issues of global and cross-sectoral scale by making policy recommendations on these issues, monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the overall strategy set by the General Assembly in these areas (United Nations Official Website).
The Trusteeship Council
The Trusteeship Council is guided by the UN General Assembly and is authorized to review the reports provided by the authorities managing the relevant territory, to receive petitions and examine them in consultation with the administering authority. The Council develops questionnaires on the political, economic and social progress, as well as progress in the field of education, and the administering authorities for each trust territory within the competence of the General Assembly provide annual reports based on this survey. Of the original 11 Trust Territories in the course of Council’s work 10 gained independence (Ghana, Somalia, Cameroon, Togo, Rwanda, Burundi, the United Republic of Tanzania, Samoa, Nauru and Papua New Guinea). Now only Pacific Isles (Micronesia) are under the USA governing. The jurisdiction of the Trusteeship Council is still in the Republic of Palau. As the work of the Trusteeship Council is basically completed, its rules were amended accordingly, so that it could hold its meetings only in those cases where the circumstances require. The Trusteeship Council consists of 5 members (Russia, the U.S., Britain, France and China). The Council meets once a year in New York (United Nations Official Website).
The International Court of Justice
The International Court of Justice is composed of 15 independent judges, elected regardless of their citizenship, from among persons of high moral characteristics or lawyers with recognized authority in international law. The judges are elected by the General Assembly and by the Security Council for nine years with the right to be re-elected. The Court is located in Hague, Netherlands. The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. The body has a lot of specifics because, unlike other international courts, the only subject of law may only be the state. Appealing to the Court is optional, however, a number of states, including Russia, recognize the jurisdiction of the Court as compulsory according to some international treaties. The court resolves disputes submitted to it on the basis of international law, applying the international conventions, international customs, and general principles of law recognized by civilized nations. The court usually holds plenary meetings, but may also form smaller groups, called the cameras (United Nations Official Website).
CONCLUSION
The UN is an international organization which consists of several bodies, which cooperate in the sphere of security, peacekeeping, and inter-state relations. The existence of multiple bodies does not let any institution to concentrate too much power, which contributes to democratic structure of the UN. With the help of these bodies UN is able to cover almost all issues in international relations, starting with military prevention of conflicts and ending with economic, social, and legislative cooperation.
Works Cited
Mazower, Mark. No Enchanted Palace: The End of Empire and the Ideological Origins of the United Nations. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2009. Web. 14 Aug. 2013. <http://www.journal-iostudies.org/sites/journal-iostudies.org/files/JIOSfinal_9_0.pdf>.
United Nations Official Website. "United Nations Homepage." N.p., 15 Aug. 2013. Web. 16 Aug. 2013. <http://www.un.org/en/index.shtml>.
