One of the primary purposes of the United Nations is the maintaining of . Since its creation, the United Nations has often been called upon to prevent disputes from escalating into war, to persuade opposing parties to use the conference table rather than force of arms, or to help restore peace when conflict does break out. Over the decades, the United Nations has helped to end numerous conflicts, often through actions of the Security Council — the primary organ for dealing with issues of international peace and security.
During the 1990s, there has been major change in the patterns of conflict with more than 90 per cent of conflicts taking place within, rather than between, states.
The United Nations has therefore reshaped and enhanced the range of instruments at its command, emphasizing conflict prevention, continually adapting peacekeeping operations, involving regional organizations, and strengthening post-conflict peace-building.
To deal with civil conflicts, the Security Council has authorized complex and innovative peacekeeping operations. In El Salvador and Guatemala, in Cambodia and in Mozambique, the UN played a major role in ending war and helping reconciliation.
Other conflicts, however, in Somalia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia; often characterized by ethnic violence, brought new challenges to the UN peacemaking role. Confronted with the problems encountered, the Security Council did not establish any operation from 1995 to 1997.
Continuing crises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, East Timor, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia-Eritrea led the Council to establish six new missions in 1998-2000.
The experience of recent years has also led the United Nations to focus as never before on peace building; action to support structures that will strengthen and consolidate peace. Experience has shown that keeping peace, in the sense of avoiding military conflict, is not enough for establishing a secure and lasting peace. Such security can only be achieved by helping countries to foster economic development, social justice, human rights protection, good governance and the democratic process.
Virtually every United Nations body and specialized agency is involved to some degree in the protection of .
One of the great achievements of the United Nations is the creation of , which, for the first time in history, provides us with a universal and internationally protected code of human rights, one to which all nations can subscribe to and to which all people can aspire.
Not only has the United Nations defined a broad range of internationally accepted rights; it has also established mechanisms to promote and protect these rights and to assist governments in carrying out their responsibilities.
The foundations of this law are the United Nations Charter and the , adopted by the General Assembly in 1948. Since then, the United Nations has gradually expanded human rights law to encompass specific standards for women, children, disabled persons, minorities, migrant workers and other vulnerable groups, who now possess rights that protect them from discriminatory practices that had long been common in many societies. Rights have been extended through groundbreaking General Assembly decisions that have gradually established their universality, indivisibility and interrelatedness with development and democracy.
The is made up of the United Nations Secretariat, the United Nations programs and funds -- such as the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN Development Program (UNDP). The programs, funds and agencies have their own governing bodies and budgets, and set their own standards and guidelines. Together, they provide assistance and other forms of practical help in virtually all areas of economic and social endeavor.
UNICEF works to advocate for the world’s children increase awareness among the U.S. public of children’s needs and raise funds in support of UNICEF’s work. Since its creation, it has provided more than $1.3 billion in cash and gifts-in-kind to support UNICEF’s worldwide programs, with special emphasis on immunization, girls’ education, HIV/AIDS, nutrition and emergency relief. Staff and supporters are involved in a wide variety of efforts – from the Campaign to Save Mothers and Babies from Tetanus and the sale of UNICEF greeting cards and gifts, to efforts to secure an annual contribution from the U.S. Government to UNICEF.
The United Nations is working to make the world a better place. Day in and day out, the UN and it’s family of organizations work to promote respect for human rights, protect the environment, fight disease and reduce poverty. UN agencies define the standards for safe and efficient air travel and help improve telecommunications and enhance consumer protection. The United Nations leads the international campaigns against drug trafficking and terrorism. Throughout the world, the UN and its agencies assist refugees, set up programs to clear landmines, help expand food production and lead the fight against AIDS.
Bibliography
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. "Overview." THE UN IN BRIEF. November. 2002. The United Nations. 07 March. 2004 <http://www.un.org/Overview/brief.html>.
"The United Nations" Compton's 1997 Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia CD - ROM The Learning Company 1998
. Basic Facts About the United Nations . New York: UN Pr, 2001.