Master10
International Organisations & Relations Module

United Nations: Charter, History & Principal Organs

The United Nations (UN) was established on October 24, 1945, following the ratification of the UN Charter signed at the San Francisco Conference by 51 founding member states. Headquartered in New York City, the UN is dedicated to maintaining international peace and security, fostering friendly relations, and promoting human rights. The UN operates through six principal organs: the General Assembly (UNGA, universal deliberative body), the Security Council (UNSC, 15 members including the 5 permanent veto-wielding members: US, UK, France, Russia, China), the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the International Court of Justice (ICJ, located in The Hague), the Secretariat (led by the Secretary-General), and the Trusteeship Council (suspended operations in 1994).

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • The United Nations was officially established on October 24, 1945, following the adoption and ratification of the UN Charter in San Francisco.
  • The UN Security Council consists of 15 members: 5 permanent members (P5: US, UK, France, Russia, China) with veto power, and 10 non-permanent members elected for 2-year terms.
  • The UN General Assembly is the only UN organ in which all 193 member states have equal representation with one vote each.
  • United Nations Peacekeeping forces ('Blue Helmets') operate under Security Council mandates, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
  • The UN Charter was drawn up and signed by delegates of 50 nations at the San Francisco Conference on June 26, 1945, with Poland signing later as the 51st original member.
  • The Secretariat is headed by the UN Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council for a five-year renewable term.
  • The Trusteeship Council, established to supervise trust territories, suspended its operations on November 1, 1994, after Palau, the last trust territory, gained independence.
  • The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) consists of 54 member states elected by the General Assembly for three-year overlapping terms.
  • The International Court of Justice consists of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council voting simultaneously.
  • Trygve Lie of Norway served as the first Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1946 to 1952.
  • India was among the original 51 founding members of the United Nations, signing the UN Declaration on January 1, 1942, and ratifying the Charter in October 1945.
  • Dag Hammarskjold of Sweden, the second UN Secretary-General, died in a plane crash in 1961 while on a peace mission to the Congo and was posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
  • Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit of India was elected the first female President of the UN General Assembly in 1953 at its eighth session.
  • Four Indian jurists have served as permanent judges of the ICJ: Sir Benegal Narsing Rau, Nagendra Singh (who served as ICJ President from 1985 to 1988), R.S. Pathak, and Dalveer Bhandari.
  • The UN Headquarters in New York City sits on international territory on land along the East River donated by philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr.
  • The 'Uniting for Peace' resolution (UNGA Resolution 377A), adopted in November 1950, empowers the General Assembly to recommend collective measures when the Security Council is deadlocked by a veto.
  • Chapter VII of the UN Charter authorizes the Security Council to determine threats to peace and take military or non-military enforcement actions to restore international security.
  • Antonio Guterres of Portugal assumed office as the ninth UN Secretary-General in January 2017, succeeding Ban Ki-moon of South Korea.
  • The six official working languages of the United Nations are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
  • South Sudan became the 193rd member state of the United Nations upon admission on 14 July 2011.
  • The Holy See (Vatican City) and the State of Palestine hold non-member Permanent Observer State status at the United Nations General Assembly.
  • The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), which replaced the UN Commission on Human Rights in 2006, is an intergovernmental body comprising 47 member states based in Geneva.
  • The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), comprising 17 goals and 169 targets to be achieved by 2030, were adopted by UNGA in September 2015 as Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda.
  • The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), comprising 8 anti-poverty targets for the period 2000–2015, preceded the Sustainable Development Goals framework.
  • U Thant of Burma (Myanmar) served as the third Secretary-General of the United Nations from 1961 to 1971, becoming the first non-European to hold the position.
  • The United Nations Charter was signed on June 26, 1945, in San Francisco at the conclusion of the United Nations Conference on International Organization and came into force on October 24, 1945.
  • The name 'United Nations' was originally coined by United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the Declaration by United Nations on January 1, 1942.
  • India was among the 51 original founding member states of the United Nations, having signed the UN Declaration in 1942 and the UN Charter in 1945 before gaining formal independence.
  • The United Nations has six principal organs established by the UN Charter: the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat.
  • The United Nations headquarters is located on international territory in New York City on land donated by John D. Rockefeller Jr., with major offices in Geneva, Vienna, and Nairobi.
  • The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meets annually in regular sessions beginning in September, electing a new President for a one-year term from rotating regional groups.
  • Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit was elected as the eighth President of the UN General Assembly in 1953, becoming the first woman to hold the prestigious office.
  • Under the 'Uniting for Peace' resolution (Resolution 377A), adopted in 1950, the UNGA can consider security matters and recommend collective action if the Security Council fails to act due to a veto.
  • The UN Security Council (UNSC) has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security under Chapter V of the UN Charter.
  • Under Article 27 of the UN Charter, decisions of the UNSC on substantive matters require nine affirmative votes including the concurring votes of all five permanent members (veto power).
  • The G4 nations (India, Germany, Japan, and Brazil) mutually support each other's bids for permanent seats on an expanded UN Security Council.
  • The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) consists of 54 member states elected by the General Assembly for overlapping three-year terms to coordinate economic, social, and environmental fields.
  • The International Court of Justice (ICJ), also known as the World Court, was established in 1945 and is the only principal UN organ located outside New York, seated at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.
  • The ICJ consists of 15 judges elected for nine-year terms by simultaneous independent voting in the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.
  • No two judges of the ICJ may be nationals of the same State, and one-third of the court (5 judges) is elected every three years.
  • Justice Dalveer Bhandari of India was re-elected as a Judge of the International Court of Justice in November 2017 for a second nine-year term.
  • Other prominent Indian jurists who served on the ICJ include Sir Benegal Rau, Nagendra Singh (who served as ICJ President from 1985 to 1988), and R.S. Pathak.
  • The Trusteeship Council suspended its formal operations on November 1, 1994, following the independence of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory.
  • The UN Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council for a renewable five-year term.
  • Antonio Guterres of Portugal took office as the ninth Secretary-General of the United Nations on January 1, 2017.
  • Dag Hammarskjold of Sweden, the second UN Secretary-General, is the only person to have been posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1961 after dying in a plane crash in Northern Rhodesia.
  • The official languages of the United Nations are six: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.
  • Chapter VII of the UN Charter provides for mandatory enforcement measures, including economic sanctions and military interventions, to maintain or restore international peace.
  • UN Peacekeeping Operations are directed by the Department of Peace Operations (DPO), with India historically ranking among the largest cumulative troop-contributing countries.
  • The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or 2030 Agenda, comprising 17 goals and 169 targets, was unanimously adopted by all 193 UN member states in September 2015.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: United Nations Official Handbook, UN Charter, Yearbook of the United Nations.

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.EASY

In which year was the United Nations (UN) officially established following World War II?

Q2.EASY

Where is the headquarters of the United Nations situated?

Q3.EASY

How many permanent member states (P5) with veto power sit on the United Nations Security Council?

Q4.EASY

Where is the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the UN, located?

Q5.MEDIUM

The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is governed by which international multilateral treaty?

Q6.MEDIUM

Which UN organ suspended its operations in 1994 following the independence of Palau, the last remaining UN trust territory?

Q7.HARD

Under the United Nations Charter, which mechanism allows the General Assembly to recommend collective security measures when the Security Council is deadlocked by a permanent member's veto?

Q8.EASY

Where is the permanent global headquarters of the United Nations (UN) located?