Helping to Change the World

1

The UN is not a world government or supra-State. The UN does not legislate, in the sense of making laws that nations must accept. But it is the one place where representatives of most countries of the planet meet and talk and tackle a broad range of world issues. The authority and effectiveness of the Organization depend on the collective will of the people and governments supporting it.

Just as the world has greatly changed since 1945, so has the United Nations. Although the number of Member Nations has increased four times the goal of a peaceful world remains its paramount aim. Often the UN has been called upon to prevent a dangerous situation from escalating into conflict, and to persuade opposing parties to use the conference table rather than resort to arms.

2

The methods and machinery have taken many forms. In some disputes, the UN has dispatched peace-keeping forces, observer or fact-finding missions, good offices missions, mediators and special representatives. In other cases, it has provided the forum for debate and negotiation or an avenue for quiet diplomacy. Peace-keeping operations (involving military and civilian personnel) are undertaken to carry out or monitor the implementation of arrangements relating to the control of conflicts (cease-fires, buffer zones, separation of forces, etc.) and their resolution (partial or comprehensive settlements), and to protect the delivery of humanitarian aid. The demand for UN peace-keeping has dramatically increased in our troubled world. In 1988 the UN peace-keeping forces were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1). In the area of peacemaking the UN has supported all efforts at mediation, negotiation or arbitration urging States to place greater reliance on the International Court of Justice (2) for the peaceful settlement of their differences. In the area of preventive diplomacy (3) the UN has worked out the concept of confidence-building measures and fact-finding activities as well as an early-warning system for assessing possible threats to peace.

3

Political problems, however, account for only part of the work of the UN. Today the Organization is engaged in many fields of activity which did not even exist in 1945 — such as applications of space technologies, peaceful uses of atomic energy, potential resources of the sea-bed, and protection of the human environment.

It tackles the problem of human rights, too. The UN has fostered a global understanding of human rights. It has sponsored (4) a number of declaration and conventions or covenants, beginning with the historic Universal Declaration of Human Rights proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1948, and built international legal structures. In 1993 the General Assembly established the post of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as the UN official with principal responsibility for UN human rights activities to step up its overall effort in this field (5).

Also, the UN has assisted a number of peoples in exercising their rights of self-determination and independence calling on all states to take measures to combat all forms of racism. For many of the most disadvantaged (6) societies in the world, it has provided essential help in economic and social development.

4

Over the past seven decades international cooperation has brought great advances in each area of the UN Charter. However, new challenges to international security and prosperity have emerged at present. Fierce ethnic rivalries menace societies from within, and have led to terrible civilian suffering. Environmental degradation, the growing disparity between rich and poor countries, the increase of global economic pressures, the danger of international terrorism create challenges to human existence and welfare, challenges that defy control by individual states and call for combined efforts of the world community.

Will six decades of its experience help the UN to find ways to respond to these new realities? People of good will look to the UN with hope. (Based on the materials in World Encyclopedia of Peace (1999), Chicago, vol.6 and Basic Facts about the United Nations. New York: United Nations, 1998)

Notes

1. The Nobel Peace Prize is given each year to a person who has done important work in the field of peace. It was established in 1901. Unlike the Nobel Prizes for special achievements in physics, chemistry, economics, literature and medicine which are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, the Nobel Peace Prize is handed in Oslo, Norway.

2. For information about the International Court of Justice see exercise 56(A).

3. The term "preventive diplomacy" is explained in UN Glossary at the end of the manual.

4. The verb "to sponsor" is a "false friend of the translator". In Russian it means "to pay for smth", "to give money to smb", while the English word has some other meanings in addition to the above-mentioned. In this context it means "to draft/work out a document and organize support for it".

5. The post of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights was established in 1993 by the UN General Assembly resolution 48/141. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights administers the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights which plays the leading role in tackling human rights issues, promotes international cooperation in this field, supports human rights organizations and responds to violations of human rights all over the world.

6. The word "disadvantaged" is a euphemism which, in fact, means "poor". Political English abounds with euphemisms. For example, бедные семьи – families in need, гетто – the inner city, etc.