United Nations

The United Nations (U.N.) is a global diplomatic and political organization dedicated to international peace and stability, officially established in 1945 with 51 initial member states and now having 193 members, headquartered in New York City.

Purpose/Role of the U.N. The purposes of the U.N. include:

• Maintaining international peace and security and taking collective measures to prevent and remove threats to peace.

• Developing friendly relations among nations based on equal rights and self-determination.

• Achieving international co-operation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and promoting human rights.

• Serving as a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

U.N. BodiesThe U.N. is made up of several principal organs:

• General Assembly (GA): The chief policymaking and representative body where all 193 members are represented. It meets annually in September in New York and is headed by a President elected for a one-year tenure. Every member has one vote, and most questions are decided by a simple majority.

• Security Council (UNSC): Has the primary responsibility of maintaining world peace and security. It consists of 15 member states, five of whom are permanent members (USA, UK, France, Russia, and China). The five permanent members possess Veto Power over any resolution.

• Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Responsible for coordination, policy dialogue, policy review, and recommendations on social, economic, and environmental issues. It has 54 members elected by the General Assembly, with voting by simple majority.

• International Court of Justice (ICJ): The chief judicial organ of the U.N. located at The Hague, the Netherlands. It settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on legal questions.

• Secretariat: Comprises the Secretary-General and thousands of staff, carrying out the U.N.'s daily duties. The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer, appointed by the GA on the recommendation of the UNSC for a five-year renewable tenure.

• Trusteeship Council: Established to supervise the 11 Trust Territories; it suspended operations in 1994 as all territories had gained self-government or independence.

The Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) is the principal policymaking body in its field, serving as a forum for Member States to negotiate and agree on relevant standards and norms. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) works to contribute to global peace and security, human rights, and development by making the world safer from drugs, crime, corruption, and terrorism.