The United Nations

and Contemporary
Global Governance
LESSON 4 –THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD
Bentham and Kant imagined the possibility of a
global government, but, nothing of a sort exists
today.

There is no single government, however, states

continue to adhere to certain global norms .
Global Governance
Refers that to the various
intersecting processes that create
order.
Sources of Global Governance
States sign treaties and form organizations.
International non-governmental organizations (NGOs)
can lobby individual states to behave in a certain way.
Powerful transnational corporations can have
tremendous effects on global labor laws, environmental
legislations, trade policy, etc.
 Ideas such as the need for ‘global democracy’ or the
clamor for ‘global governance’ can influence the ways
international actors behave.
This lesson will focus on the United Nations (UN)
as the most prominent intergovernmental
organization today.
International Organization
The term is commonly used to refer to
international intergovernmental organizations or
groups that are primarily made up of member-
states.
IOs can become more influential as independent
organizations.
 Powers if IOs
(Michael Barnett & Martha Finnemore)

1) IOs have the power of classification.

2) IOs have the power to fix meanings.
3) IOs have the power to diffuse norms.
IOs can be the sources of great good
and great harm.
The UNITED
NATIONS
(UN)
Profile:
Established on October 24, 1945.
It was the second multi-purpose organization established in the
20th century that was worldwide in scope and membership.
Headquartered in New York City, the UN also has regional
offices in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.
According to its charter, the UN aims:

to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,…to

reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights,…to establish
conditions under which justice and respect for the
obligations arising from treaties and other sources
of international law can be maintained, and to promote
social progress and better standards of life in larger
freedom.
 UN’s FIVE
ACTIVE ORGANS
 GENERAL ASSEMBLY
It is the main deliberative policymaking and
representative organ. Decisions on important questions
such as those on peace and security admission of new
members and budgetary matters, require two-thirds
majority of the General Assembly.
The General Assembly elects a GA President to serve a
one-year term of office.
All member states (193) have seats in the GA
The Philippines played a prominent role in the
GAs early years when Filipino diplomat Carlos P.
Romulo was elected GA President from 1949-
1950.
 SECURITY COUNCIL
The most powerful organ of the United Nations.
It is consists of 15 member states. The GA elects ten
of these 15 to a two-year term. The other five-
sometimes referred to as the permanent members
since the founding of the UN and cannot be replaced
through election.
It takes the lead in determining the existence of a
threat to the peace or an act of aggression.
It calls upon the parties to a dispute to settle the act by
peaceful means and recommends methods of adjustments or
terms of settlement.
States that seek to intervene militarily in another state need to
obtain the approval of the SC. Withy the SC’s approval, a
military intervention may be deemed legal. This is an immense
power.
The P5 holds veto power over the council’s decision. It only
takes one veto vote from P5 member to stop an SC action
dead in its tracks.
The SC is heir to the tradition of ‘great power’
diplomacy that began with the Concert of Europe.
It is specially telling that the P5 consists of the major
Allied Powers that won the WWII.
 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
(ECOSOC)

The principal body for coordination, policy review,

policy dialogue, and recommendations on social and
environmental issues, as well as the implementation of
internationally agreed developmental goals.
It has 54 members elected for three-year terms.
It is the UNs central platform for discussions on
sustainable development.
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

Its task is to settle, in accordance with

international law, legal disputes submitted to it by
states and to give advisory opinions referred to it
by authorized UN organs and specialized
agencies.
 SECRETARY GENERAL
Consists of ten thousands of international UN staff members
who carry out the day-to-day work of the UN as mandated by
the General Assembly and the organization’s other principal
organs.
Serving as a kind of international civil service.
Members of the secretariat serve in their capacity as UN
employees and not as state representatives.
UN Funds and Programmes
UNDP
The United Nations Development Programme works in nearly 170 countries and territories, helping
to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience so countries can sustain progress. As
the UN’s development agency, UNDP plays a critical role in helping countries achieve the
Sustainable Development Goals.
UNEP (UN Environment)
The United Nations Environment Programme established in 1972, is the voice for the environment
within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to
promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment.
UNFPA
The United Nations Population Fund – UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where
every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled.
UN-Habitat
The mission of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme is to promote socially and
environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate
shelter for all.
UNICEF
 works in 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, to defend their rights, and to help
them fulfil their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.
WFP
The World Food Programme aims to eradicate hunger and malnutrition.  It is the world’s largest
humanitarian agency. Every year, the programme feeds almost 80 million people in around 75
countries.

Source: https://www.un.org/en/sections/about-un/funds-programmes-specialized-agencies-and-others/
 AGENDA 2030 FOR SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a
shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the
planet, now and into the future.
At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),
which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and
developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending
poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with
strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality,
and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and
working to preserve our oceans and forests.
Challenges of the United Nations (UN)

1) Limits placed upon its various organs and

programmes by the need to respect state
sovereignty.
2) Because of the P5’s veto power, it is tough for the
council to release a formal resolution , much more
implement it.
Group Exercise:
Identify a particular problem in your community/country.
Give a brief background of it (causes/overview)
Propose a solution to the problem identified. Make sure that the
proposed solution is anchored on one of the SDGs.
jpmaniscan@up.edu.ph