The United Nations Overview
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Questions and Answers

What is one of the primary roles of the UN Secretariat?

  • To draft international treaties
  • To manage the day-to-day running of the UN (correct)
  • To coordinate peacekeeping missions worldwide
  • To represent member states in discussions

    • Which of the following reflects the independence of UN staff from member states?

  • Article 100 of the UN Charter (correct)
  • General Assembly resolutions
  • Article 2 of the UN Charter
  • Chapter XIV of the UN Charter

    • How many principal organs are recognized under Article 7 of the UN Charter?

  • Seven
  • Eight
  • Five
  • Six (correct)

    • What is NOT one of the purposes of the United Nations?

    <p>Facilitating global trade agreements</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which body of the UN is primarily responsible for maintaining international peace and security?

    <p>Security Council</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does ECOSOC stand for in the context of the UN system?

    <p>Economic and Social Council</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a principal organ of the United Nations?

    <p>Humanitarian Council</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What motivated the creation of the United Nations?

    <p>Maintain international security amid global conflicts</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the nature of advisory opinions issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ)?

    <p>They are non-binding but can influence decisions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement accurately describes the responsibility of subsidiary organs in the UN system?

    <p>Their budgets are typically included in the regular UN budget.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who contributes to the codification and development of Public International Law (PIL) within the UN framework?

    <p>Individuals who are experts in PIL.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the Secretariat within the UN?

    <p>It is responsible for the day-to-day running of the UN.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the Human Rights Council (HRC)?

    <p>To conduct the Universal Periodic Review of human rights in member states.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement about the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is incorrect?

    <p>ICJ can review the judicial decisions of member states.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many staff members are currently employed by the UN Secretariat?

    <p>35,000</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which article states that the Secretariat's staff is independent from Member States?

    <p>Art. 100</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What majority is required for the General Assembly to make decisions on 'important questions'?

    <p>Two-thirds majority</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who is currently leading the UN as Secretary General?

    <p>Mr. António Guterres</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which article of the UN Charter discusses the responsibilities of the Security Council?

    <p>Art. 24</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of resolutions are produced by the UN General Assembly?

    <p>Non-binding resolutions unless specified</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens if the Security Council determines a breach of peace?

    <p>They can take measures to restore peace.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the requirement for a decision on all other matters in the UN Security Council?

    <p>9 votes including a 'yes' from a permanent member</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following bodies is responsible for assisting and administering territories until their independence?

    <p>Trusteeship Council</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How many judges are part of the International Court of Justice?

    <p>15 judges</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which member states are considered the permanent members of the UN Security Council?

    <p>China, France, Russia, UK, USA</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the status of the Trusteeship Council today?

    <p>Defunct and no longer active</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of cases does the International Court of Justice adjudicate?

    <p>Contentious cases and can issue advisory opinions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the voting structure for procedural matters in the UN Security Council?

    <p>A simple majority of 9 out of 15 votes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does a 'no' vote from a permanent member indicate in the Security Council?

    <p>It vetoes the adoption of the proposal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes specialized agencies from the UN?

    <p>They are legally distinct and handle their own budgets.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which UN body primarily coordinates the relationship with specialized agencies?

    <p>ECOSOC</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main aim of the International Labour Organization (ILO)?

    <p>To set and improve labor standards.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which organization assists states in fighting pandemics and infectious diseases?

    <p>World Health Organization (WHO)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a unique characteristic of the ILO?

    <p>It includes representation from states, employers, and workers.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which legal entity can the WHO request an advisory opinion from regarding nuclear weapon legality?

    <p>International Court of Justice (ICJ)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are specialized agencies' responsibilities in relation to the UN?

    <p>They carry ultimate responsibility for their work and budgets.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What link connects the membership of specialized agencies to the UN?

    <p>Constituent instruments of the agencies link them to the UN.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    The United Nations

    • The UN, a truly global organization, has near universal membership with offices and missions around the world.
    • UN Purposes:
      • The UN Charter's preamble and Article 1 outline the UN's comprehensive purposes.
    • UN Principles:
      • The UN is guided by principles outlined in Article 2 of the UN Charter.

    UN Structure and Main Bodies

    • Article 7 of the UN Charter defines the six UN principal organs:
      • The Secretariat
      • The General Assembly (GA)
      • The Security Council (SC)
      • The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
      • The Trusteeship Council
      • The International Court of Justice (ICJ)

    The Secretariat

    • The Secretariat is responsible for the UN's day-to-day operations.
    • It is led by the Secretary-General, the UN's chief administrative officer, who serves as the UN's face to the world.
    • The Secretariat has approximately 35,000 staff members, working independently from member states.

    The General Assembly

    • The General Assembly (GA) is outlined in Chapter IV of the UN Charter and has a broad range of competences, including:
      • Membership: All UN member states.
      • Decision-making:
        • "Important questions" require a two-thirds majority vote (Article 18, paragraph 2).
        • "Other questions" are decided with a simple majority vote (Article 18, paragraph 3).
      • Output: The GA can issue non-binding resolutions, except in cases where resolutions have binding effect.

    The Security Council

    • The Security Council (SC) is outlined in Chapter V of the UN Charter and bears the primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security (Article 25).
    • The SC can take measures to restore or maintain international peace and security when it determines a threat to or breach of peace exists.
    • Its members are divided into 10 non-permanent members ('E10') and 5 permanent members ('P5').
      • 'E10' membership is for two years.
      • 'P5' members have permanent membership.
    • Decision-making:
      • Each member state has one vote (Article 27(1)).
      • Procedural matters require a simple majority of 9 out of 15 votes (Article 27(2)).
      • Other matters require 9 out of 15 votes including a "yes" vote from all five permanent members (Article 27(3)). This means a P5 member can veto the adoption of a resolution.

    The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

    • ECOSOC is responsible for overseeing economic and social development and cooperation.
    • It coordinates the work of UN specialized agencies.

    The Trusteeship Council

    • The Trusteeship Council is responsible for assisting and administering territories until their independence.
    • This body is currently defunct.

    The International Court of Justice (ICJ)

    • The ICJ is the UN's principal judicial organ, outlined in Chapter XIV of the UN Charter.
    • Comprises 15 judges elected by the GA and SC, representing legal systems globally.
    • The ICJ's responsibilities:
      • To adjudicate contentious cases between states.
      • To issue advisory opinions.
      • The court's decisions are binding upon the states involved.

    Other UN Bodies

    • The UN has subsidiary organs that are overseen and coordinated by the principal organs.
    • These subsidiary organs, such as the International Law Commission (ILC) and the Human Rights Council (HRC), are focused on specific tasks but do not hold final responsibility over any UN matters.

    Specialized Agencies

    • Specialized agencies are autonomous international organizations that work with the UN.
    • They are legally distinct from the UN, responsible for their own work and budgets.
    • They focus on specific, often technical, subject matters and are coordinated by ECOSOC
    • These specialized agencies include the:
      • International Labour Organization (ILO)
      • World Health Organization (WHO)

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    Description

    This quiz covers the fundamental aspects of the United Nations, including its purposes, principles, and main bodies as outlined in the UN Charter. Explore the roles of essential organs such as the General Assembly and the Secretariat, and gain insights into the UN's operations and global significance.

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