THE OBJECTIVES OF UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION

INTRODUCTION

One of the greatest developments after the Second World War was the formation of an
international organisation that came to be known as the United Nations Organisation (UNO).
It was formed in the year 1945 immediately after the devastating World War II. The big
powers were beginning to realise the irreparable dangers of power play in international
politics. The atomic bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasakhi became the foundation for
world’s quest for peace and durable avoidance of war. In 1945, 51 countries gathered at San
Francisco to give effect to the United Nations Charter. The distinctive objective was to garner
international peace and security. There were several attempts made towards international
peace and cooperation before the establishment of UN. In 1941, the American Prime Minister
Roosevelt and the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill jointly declared the Atlantic
Charter for pursuit of peace. The Dumbarton Oaks Proposal, 1944, laid down significant
suggestions for the establishment of United Nations. The parties that met at San Francisco
had specific objectives concerning international peace and security, socio-economic and
cultural developments, equality of nations and self-determination.

THE SIZE AND KEY OBJECTIVES OF UN

The UN Charter was approved and signed by delegates of 51 countries representing 80 per
cent of the world population on 26th June, 1945. The Charter, however, came into force on
24th October 1945 with the acceptance of the objectives and functions of the UN by a
majority of the members who attended the San Francisco Conference. Today, the UN
membership has grown upto 193 countries symbolizing mankind’s search for peace and
equitable development.

UN ORGANS AND ITS OBJECTIVES

The UN Charter is consisted of a Preamble, 111 articles and 19 Chapters. It has enlisted six
constituent organs dealing with varied issues. The key objectives of include achieving ‘higher
standards of living’. In addition, the organs work on distinctive field of maintaining
international peace and security.

The six organs with a brief introduction of its objectives are discussed as below;

1. The General Assembly: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is

headquartered at New York. It is representative of all the UN members. The objective
of UNGA is to deal with the overall issues concerning international law, security,
peace, etc.
2. The Security Council: The Security Council is consisted of five permanent members
and 10 non-permanent members. It deals with maintaining global peace and security.
3. The Economic and Social Council: It is also popularly known as ECOSOC.
ECOSOC considered to be largest UN body working international development while
 emphasising on economic, social and environmental concerns. 54 members duly
elected by the UNGA perform the activities of ECOSOC.
4. The Trusteeship Council: The Chapter XII of the UN Charter provides the provision
for the establishment of the Trusteeship Council. The main objective was to look after
the administrative supervision of Trust Territories as recognised by UN which were
spread over in 11 member countries. Though suspended in 1994, the Council made
significant contribution in the self-governance and independence of Trust territories.
5. The International Court of Justice (ICJ): It is also known as ‘world’s Court’. It is
one of the principal judicial bodies of the UNO. With a 15 judges panel who are
elected by UNGA and the Security Council handles disputes of international nature
and matters concerning human rights. It has made several distinctive judgements on
‘crime against humanity’.
6. The Secretariat: It works under the leadership of the Secretary-General. The
members subsequently appointed by the Secretary-General under the provisions of the
UNGA. The main objective is to handle the day to day activities of UN – reporting,
documentation and research, etc.

THE OVERALL OBJECTIVES OF UN

The objectives of UN can be best understood by discussing the principles and particulars
of its Charters that was constituted in 1945. In addition, the United Nations Declaration
on Human Rights (UNDHR) that was declared on 10 th December 1948 spelled out the
objectives concerning the protection of human rights. According to the Article 1 of the
Charter, the objective of the United Nations is to achieve a co-ordinated environment of
work and implementation on the ground with an adherence to act oneself binding upon
the Charter. The provisions of Article 1 aim at realising international peace and security;
friendly relations amongst the nations; ensuring cooperation on issues relating to social,
economic, cultural and humanitarian issues. According to Article 1, all member states are
to rely on peaceful and amicable means of settling disputes that has the potential to
jeopardise international tranquillity, safety and justice.

The Article 2 underscores the importance of treating every sovereign equal and provision
of equal representation. One of the main objectives is to ensure abandoning of use of
force over and against any state’s unity or sovereignty. The members are expected to
abide by the principles of Charter. The obligatory mandate of the Charter deepens the
relevance of international co-operation. Following are some of the select objectives of
UN;
(i) Sustain international peace and security based on the ethos of equality of human
rights and right to self-determination of peoples.
(ii) Ensure friendly political engagement among countries.
(iii) Collective redressal of economic, social, cultural or humanitarian challenges.
(iv) Harmonizing the policies and responses of member countries.
(v) Protect climate and environment and judicious use of natural resource.

In order to fulfil the above objectives, the UN pledges to work in accordance with a
framework to treat all member states equal and sovereign. The members are legally and
morally bound by the obligations of the Charter in good faith. The members commit itself
to settle all disputes by peaceful means and not to act in contrivance to the spirit of
protecting international peace and justice.
 THE PRINCIPLE OF ARBITRATION AND INTERNAL SOVEREIGNTY

To herald international peace and justice, the members are to refrain from resorting to use
of violence and force against any other member. While upholding the principle of
arbitration, in case of any violation, the UN organ like International Court of Justice takes
the charge of implementing international jurisprudence relating to arbitration. On matters
ratified and assented, the UN members are expected to provide assistance act in
accordance with the ethos of UN Charter. However, UN has often been crippled by its
own standards of non-interference in domestic affairs of a member State. For example, as
per the provision of Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter, the principle of non-intervention in
the internal affairs of States ensure that a State should not otherwise intervene in a
dictatorial way in the internal affairs of other States. In addition, the United Nations also
re-affirm itself to not intervene in matters which are essentially domestic ones of any state
except when it is acting to enforce international peace. Such a principle of ‘respecting
domestic independence’ was implemented by International Court of Justice while handing
over its judgement on Nicaragua case, 1986. While hearing the case, the Court ordered
‘the element of coercion, which defines, and indeed form the very essence of, prohibited
intervention’ (ICJ Reports 1986, p.108, para.205).

Article 2(7) of the UN Charter obliges the member States that,

‘nothing contained in the Present Charter shall authorise the United Nations to
intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any State
or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present
Charter; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures
under Chapter VII’.

The working modality of UN is based on the principle of reciprocity. The members are to
reciprocate to the UN standards by adhering to the principle of abstaining from encouraging
or assisting any state against the mandates and enforcement actions of the UN. The idea is to
prevent members from violating the UN norms while equally essentialising the need for
respecting non-members as well. The overall objective is to ensure consistent adherence from
both the members and non-members. Promoting such a principle of fairness, the Article 35(2)
enables the UN to involve itself to enforce its mandates on non-member entities. Similarly,
under the provisions of Article 35 (2) non-members are empowered to bring any matter of
dispute before the General Assembly or the Security Council. However, the UN has been
consistently committed to the non-interference principle in matters that is peculiarly of
domestic in nature. As noted above, ICJ verdict on Nicaragua Vs. the United States stands out
as one of the exemplary contributions of the UN on safeguarding two key aspects of one’s
sovereignty. The ICJ verdict held the US guilty of violating ‘internal sovereignty’ of
Nicaragua. The reason was the violation of the spirit of Article 2(4) of the UN Charter that
obliges States to ‘refrain from threat and use of force’ and the principle to uphold ‘customary
international obligations’.

The concept of ‘we the peoples of the United Nations’ as elaborated in the Preamble of the
United Nations, exemplify the international resolution to save humanity from the ‘scourge of
war’, have faith in fundamental freedoms, human rights, equality of genders and nations,
obligation to international treaties to promote higher standards of living. The Charter,
however, eloquently keeps a balance between avoidance of the use of force and the
prospective need for the use of force in self-defence. For example, the Chapter VII of the UN
Charter empowers the Security Council to ‘determine the existence of any threat to peace,
breach of peace, or act of aggression’ and whether to take military or non-military action to
avoid war. The fine balancing between peace and resorting to self-defence is objectively
established in the UN system.

While the Article 51 encourages the Security Council to prefer peaceful resolution of
conflicts, it also re-affirms the inalienable right of self-defence of a member State against any
form of aggression by another member or non-member. Defining aggression, the Article 1
provides that,

‘aggression is the use of armed force by a State against the sovereignty, territorial
integrity or political independence of another State, or in any other manner
inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations’

From Article 24-26 of the Charter elaborately deals with the objectives of Security Council.
The main objective of the Security Council is to make the UN members comply with the
norms by promptly reporting to the Security Council on the occurrence of any such incident
of aggression.

CONCLUSION

The objectives of UN are enormous and wholesome. The main Charter and subsequent
Conventions and Declaration have deepened its objectives towards international peace. One
such idea is reflected in UNDHR and numerous multilateral initiatives which mainly aim
global equity and sustainable development. UN Resolutions on various fields such as the
questions relating to refugees, stateless peoples, non-governing territories make the objectives
of UN extensively wide and relevant. Beginning from the promotion of peace, cooperation,
human rights, right to self-determination to well-meaning economic and cultural
development, etc., the UN has been playing an integral role in improving the standards of
lives around the world. Not only it handles political conflicts, but it has also worked as the
only ray of hope for cultural and economic empowerment of global community. The
seventeen sustainable development goals to be achieved by 2030, questions of climate change
and just fighting of a pandemic like Covid-19 shall continue to be the main concern in the
years to come.

GLOSSARY

The Dumbarton Oaks Proposal, 1944: It was a gathering of representatives of China, the
Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The representatives endorsed the
need for an international organisation which finally became the basis of United Nations
Organisation.

The General Assembly: The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is headquartered at
New York. It is representative of all the UN members. The objective of UNGA is to deal with
the overall issues concerning international law, security, peace, etc.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ): It is also known as ‘world’s Court’. It is one of
the principal judicial bodies of the UNO. With a 15 judges panel who are elected by UNGA
and the Security Council handles disputes of international nature and matters concerning
human rights.

The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR): The United Nations
Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR) that was declared on 10 th December 1948 spelled
out the objectives concerning the protection of human rights. It set out a universal standard
for human rights.

Nicaragua case: The principle of ‘respecting domestic independence’ was implemented by

International Court of Justice while handing over its judgement on Nicaragua case, 1986.
While hearing the case, the Court ordered ‘the element of coercion, which defines, and
indeed form the very essence of, prohibited intervention’.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQ)

Q.1. What are the significant contributions of UNO?

Ans. The objectives of UNO can be best understood by discussing the principles and
particulars of its Charters that was constituted in 1945. With its several founding liberal
principles, the UNO stood to secure equality of rights among nations, individual freedom,
rights of indigenous population and global peace. Subsequently, the United Nations
Declaration on Human Rights (UNDHR) which was declared on 10 th December 1948 spelled
out the objectives concerning the protection of human rights.

Q.2. Discuss the mandate of the approval of UN Charter?

Ans. The UN Charter was approved and signed by delegates of 51 countries representing 80
per cent of the world population on 26th June, 1945. The Charter came into force on 24 th
October 1945. Today, the mandate of UN has grown up to 193 members. It has become a
global forum for peaceful settle of conflicts and securing developmental parity.

Q.3. What are the main organs of UNO?

Ans. There are six organs of UNO. They are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice
(ICJ) and the Secretariat.

Q.4. Elaborate the functions of the UN Security Council.

Ans. The Security Council is consisted of five permanent members and 10 non-permanent
members. It deals with maintaining global peace and security. The Chapter VII of the UN
Charter empowers the Security Council to ‘determine the existence of any threat to the peace,
breach of peace, or act of aggression’ and whether to take military or non-military action to
avoid war. The fine balancing between peace and resorting to self-defence is objectively
established in the UN system.

Q.5. Examine the concept of ‘we the people’ as enshrined in the Preamble of UNO.
Ans. The concept of ‘we the peoples of the United Nations’ as elaborated in the Preamble of
the United Nations, exemplify the international resolution to save humanity from the ‘scourge
of war’, have faith in fundamental freedoms, human rights, equality of genders and nations,
obligation to international treaties to promote higher standards of living. The Charter,
however, eloquently keeps a balance between avoidance of the use of force and the
prospective need for the use of force in self-defence.

References

C.S.R. Murthy, India in the United Nations: Interplay of Interests and Principles, SAGE,
2020.

Ruchir Sharma, The Rise and Fall of Nations: Ten Rules of Change in the Post-Crisis World,
Penguin, 2017.

Rumki Basu, The United Nations: Structure and Functions of an International Organisation,
Sterling Publisher, 2008.

United Nations, Charter of the United Nations: And Statute of the International Court of
Justice, United Nations, 2015.

Vijay Verma, United Nations and Global Conflicts, Pinnacle, 2020.

Web links:

https://www.un.org/en/about-us/un-charter/full-text

https://www.unpeacekeeping.live/www.un.org/en/sections/un-charter/chapter-
i/index.html

http://www.justsecurity.org/70987/the-united-nations-charter-at-75-between-force-and-
self-defence-part-two/