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Functions of Un General Assembly
Functions of Un General Assembly
Functions of Un General Assembly
organised organisation achieves its ends without much difficulties. One of the
important cause for the failure of the League of Nations was its defective
through these organs that the manifold work of the United Nations is carried
out. The principal organs are: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice and the
Secretariat. The General Assembly, the Security Council and, the Economic
and Social Council are authorized to create subsidiary organs consistent with
The General Assembly is the largest of all the organs of the United
was only 50 and now it has raised to 191. Each member state is entitled to send
five representatives to participate in its deliberations, but each state enjoys only
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one vote. The matters relating to maintenance of peace and security, the
decided by the two-third majority of the members present and voting. All other
questions are decided by a simple majority vote. Normally the assembly has to
meet in regular sessions once every year in September but special sessions may
member states. The president is elected by the General Assembly for each
session. It also elects seven vice presidents and six working committees.
Functions:
discussion, study and recommendation. It has the right to discuss all questions
and matters within the scope of the Charter and within the activity of the
United Nations. The Assembly is competent to take up and discuss any issue
the choice of members for other organs. It elects the ten non-permanent
members to the Security Council, and all eighteen members of the Trusteeship
Council. The General Assembly also appoints the Secretary General on the
Security Council.
The General Assembly receives and considers reports from other organs.
approves the budget of the entire organisation and apportions the expenses
USSR, France and Russia) and six non-permanent members. In 1965 the
members for two years. The non-permanent members are not eligible for
Each member of the Council has one vote. Each of the permanent
members has the right of Veto on all substantive questions. Abstinence does
not constitute a negative vote nor does absence. A valid decision on all
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substantive questions require ten votes including the votes of the permanent
sufficient3.
plans for the establishment of a system for the control of armaments. The
to admit new members or suspend or expel the members. It supervises the trust
areas classified as 'strategic'. Any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, act of
Security Council and the General Assembly elect the Judges of International
Court of Justice4.
advise on all its military requirements including the employment and command
of the armed forces placed at the disposal of the Council and on the regulation
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of armaments and dis-armaments. The Security Council can urge the member-
economic and social work of the United Nations and the specialised agencies
and institutions, known as the "United Nations Family". The authors of the UN
Charter are quite aware of the economic and social mal adjustments, which
finally leads to violence and war. So in order to avoid such a situation, the
Economic and Social Council was made an important organ of the UN.
Assembly elects the members for a 3 years term. Every year 1/3 members (18
members) retires. Retiring members are eligible for re-election5. Each country
elected to the Council has one representative with one vote. All decisions are
taken by a simple majority of those present and voting. The Council elects its
own president for one year and meets at least thrice in a year at the seat of the
for promoting;
The Charter makes it obligatory on the part of the Economic and Social
economic, social, cultural, educational, health and other matters. The Economic
agencies of the UN. The Economic and Social Council also undertakes the
the supervision and guidance of the Economic and Social Council. It also sets
Security Council. At present there are only five members of the Trusteeship
Council viz, USA, the administering state and four other permanent members
of the Security Council - China, France, Russia and the United Kingdom7.
Nations.
second.
undertakes different steps. It treats the inhabitants justly and protect them
territories, visit trust territories regularly and take other measures in accordance
the principal Judicial organ of the United Nations, with its head quarters at the
Huage in Netherlands. All members of the UN are Ipso facto members of the
General Assembly and the Security Council. The Judges should be persons of
countries for the highest judicial offices or they should be juris consults of
of the same state. The normal term of judges is nine years. The judges elect
from among themselves the President of the Court for a term of three years.
quorum of nine judges is necessary to hear a case and all decision are by
majority of the Judges present. If the votes are equal, the President has a
casting vote. Where there is on the court, a Judge of the nationality of one party
to a dispute and more of the other, the other party is permitted to choose a
recognized by civilized nations; and judicial decisions and the teachings of the
the rules of law. The Court can decide the cases on the principle of equity if the
for wrongs suffered by a state. Several nations have signed the so-called
"optional clause” by which they have agreed that the Court may try all cases or
all cases relating to specified subjects, which may arise in future. But most
countries have specified a limited number of subjects. Once a case has been
brought before the Court, the parties to the dispute must abide by its obligation
THE SECRETARIAT
policies laid down by the organisation. The Secretary General, who is the Chief
under regulations framed by the General Assembly. The staff of the Secretariat
consist of over 2500 men and women drawn from over 150 countries. They are
International civil servants pledged to work for the United Nations. While
joining duty they have to take an oath not to seek or receive instructions from
their governments or any other outside authority. The member states have also
of the Secretary General and the staff and not to influence them in the
discharge of their duties. The Secretariat has nine departments. Each under an
documents and provides information about the United Nations to the World
Security Council any matter, which poses a threat to International peace and
security. He can also use his good offices to resolve International disputes8.
self governing territories, the registration of treaties and the election of Judges
notice of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion is a threat to the
establishment of peace and security in the world but also expected to promote
solutions for the International economic, social, health and related problems
and promoting universal respect for and observance of human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all without any distinction of race, sex, language and
agencies, which though not a part of the world body play an important role in
this regard.
Monitory Fund (IMF) etc. which are concerned with financial and
economic development.
All specialised agencies fall in one of the above noted categories, Some
of these agencies like Universal Postal Union have largest membership than the
United Nations. Almost all these agencies work through a Central Bureau. In
state can send up to five delegates but possess only one vote. The Executive
Executive Board are elected for three years. The Board meets at least twice in a
states in the preservation and protection of their cultural heritage and gives
Nations. In 1946 it became the first specialised agency of the United Nations. It
has three organs, viz., International Labour Conference, the Governing Body
the General Conference of the member states. Each member sends four
(2), Workers(l), and employers (1). The Governing Body of ILO consists of 56
Vice-Chairman for one year from amongst its members. The governing body
Main Functions:
employment.
associations.
all the members of the UNO. The states, which are not members of UNO can
operation.
the Executive Board, and the Secretariat. The World Health Assembly is
annual meetings and it is responsible for laying down general policies. The
Assembly appoints the Director General, who heads the secretariat. The
World Health Assembly from amongst person most qualified by their technical
competence in the field of health. These members are elected for three years.
Functions:
2. The WHO tries to cure the disease once it has spread, by imparting
prevention of diseases.
disease etc.
with a view to find out means for developing and maintaining an adequate food
supply by encouraging the use of modem tools and methods, serving existing
food supplies, searching new sources etc. The FAO like other agencies also
operates through three organs, viz., the Conference, the Council and the
each such state enjoying only one vote. The conference decides the policy of
the organisation. The Council consists of 49 members elected by the
Functions:
food production.
Executive Board and the Managing Director. The Board of Governors is the
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meets once a year. The daily business of the fund is conducted by the
Executive Board comprising Director. The Managing Director also acts as the
Chief of staff of more than 1700 international civil servants. It helps to promote
prosperity.
The necessary funds for the IMF are contributed by the members.
Actually in the IMF the states have been accorded weightage of voting in
countries like UK and USA. As a result of this, changes can be effected only
The IBRD came into existence in December 1945 and was accorded the
are vested in the Board of Governors, which meets annually and consists of one
Governor and one Alternate appointed by each member. The Board has
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delegated most of its powers to twenty Executive Directors, who meet at least
selected by the Executive Director and serves as their Chairman. Subject to the
the Bank is as its title indicates, to assist the reconstruction and development of
UN General Assembly with a view to help those countries with money, goods
and services, who are unable to meet the needs of their children out of their
members designated by the Economic and Social Council of the UN. It also has
consultation with the members of the Executive Board. The necessary funds for
government and the remainder from general public. The UNICEF renders
providing to them protective food like milk, meat, fish, fats, fish liver oil etc. It
The Universal Postal Union has established in 1874 by the Berne Treaty
with a view to overcome the difficulties which the states were facing with
regard to International mail. This union has to administer the services necessary
for uniting the world in a single postal territory for the reciprocal exchange of
correspondence. Most of the states are members of this Union despite their
office, the International Bureau, headed by the Director General. The Bureau is
directory of post offices etc. The Bureau also brings out a monthly journal in a
creation and maintenance of conditions for free flow of message among the
people of the world and they contributed to the promotion of world peace and
fraternity of nations.
INFERENCE
Because of the vast changes that have come about in the structure and
fifty years ago, it is widely acknowledged that the U.N. Charter and the
organisation it self are out dated in many ways. There is even a demand for a
revision of the Charter and for changes in the structure and functioning of the
matter is still being debated. So far we have had only five amendments largely
it has fulfilled the purpose for which it has set up. There is need for many more
changes in the Charter and in the structure and functioning of the organisation.
changes. As for the composition of the Security Council, member states of the
organisation, which are not permanent members of the Security Council are
were enlarged from six to the present ten. Since the strength of the United
Nations has steadily rises to 191 states. This has rendered the number of non
India is demanding for the inclusion of some African, Asian and Latin
the Security Council beyond that Germany and Japan might be considered for
now membering 115 and who comprise over two-thirds of the UN membership,
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are especially vocal about this subject. India criticised that the elevation of just
Germany and Japan would mean converting the Security Council into a club of
the last five decades centres round the use (or misuse) of the power of Veto by
significant benefit acquiring from the end of the cold war is the nonuse of that
power on a wider plane, as Krishna Menon once remarked, the power of Veto
exclusively in the hands of the Great Powers is only symptom of a disease, the
REFERENCES
War II), Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, New Delhi, 1997, p. 122.
5. Ibid, p. 383.
9. A.C. Roy, International Relations since -1919, the World Press Pvt. Ltd.,
10. V.D. Mahajan, International Relations since 1900, S.Chand & Company,
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