Bodies of the

United Nations
by Kenneth Nicholas

2016

MAIN ORGANS
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
SECURITY COUNCIL
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL
TRUSTEESHIP COUNCIL
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
SECRETARIAT

Function of th

According to the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly may:
Consider and approve the United Nations budget and establish the financial
assessments of Member States;
Elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of
other United Nations councils and organs and, on the recommendation of the
Security Council, appoint the Secretary-General;
Consider and make recommendations on the general principles of cooperation for
maintaining international peace and security, including disarmament;
Discuss any question relating to international peace and security and, except
where a dispute or situation is currently being discussed by the Security Council,
make recommendations on it;
Discuss, with the same exception, and make recommendations on any questions
within the scope of the Charter or affecting the powers and functions of any
organ of the United Nations;
Initiate studies and make recommendations to promote international political
cooperation, the development and codification of international law, the
realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and international
collaboration in the economic, social, humanitarian, cultural, educational and
health fields;
Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might

SIX COMMITTEES INSIDE GA

1. Disarmament and Security Committee (disarmament, global challenges and
threats to peace)
2. Economic and Financial Committee (economic growth and development, also
trade)
3. Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural Council (range of social, humanitarian
affairs and human rights issues that affect people all over the world.)
4. Special Politicial and Decolonization Committee (decolonization, Palestinian
refugees and human rights, peacekeeping, mine action, outer space, public
information, atomic radiation and University for Peace.)
5. Administrative and Budgetary Committee
6. Legal Committee (primary forum for the consideration of legal questions in
the General Assembly)

The Security Council

Its main purpose is for the mantainance of International Security and
Peace ( makes it one of the most powerful in the world)
15 members, in it 5 members are permanent (US, UK, China, Russia,
France)
Each Member has one vote, Permanent members can veto decisions
All states MUST COMPLY to the decisions of the security council
Takes the lead in determining the existence of a threat and decides
actions toward it
May imply the use of force and sanctions
Have authority of the UN Peacekeeping Force
It plays a significant role in the process of standard-setting and the
codification of international law.

Powers and Mandate under UN Charter

to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and
purposes of the United Nations;
to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction;
to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement;
to formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;
to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to
recommend what action should be taken;
to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving
the use of force to prevent or stop aggression;
to take military action against an aggressor;
to recommend the admission of new Members;
to exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in "strategic areas";
to recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General
and, together with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of
Justice.

Economic and Social Council

(ECOSOC)
the principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and
recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well
as implementation of internationally agreed development goals
central mechanism for activities of the UN system and its 14 specialized
agencies in the economic, social and environmental fields, supervising
subsidiary and expert bodies
central platform for reflection, debate, and innovative thinking on
sustainable development.
54 members with 3 year term

does not hold executive authority

The ECOSOC is the central forum for discussing economic and social issues within the
UN

Cont
ECOSOC consults with academics, business sector representatives
and more than 2,100 registered non-governmental organizations.
It is responsible for:
promoting higher standards of living, full employment, and
economic and social progress;
identifying solutions to international economic, social and health
problems;
facilitating international cultural and educational cooperation; and
encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental
freedoms.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

a. Tasks and functions
promotion of higher standards of living, full employment,
economic and social progress
solutions to international economic, social and health
problems
international cultural and educational cooperation
encouraging universal respect for human rights and
fundamental freedoms
consults with academics, business sector representatives and
more than 2100 registered non-governmental organizations
11
Examples: Millennium
Development Goals, ICT Task Force [Information and

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

b. Structure and members

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Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

c. Subsidiary Bodies of the ECOSOC

Functional Commissions

Statistical Commission
Commission on Population and Development
Commission for Social Development
Commission on the Status of Women
Commission on Narcotic Drugs
Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice
Commission on Science and Technology for Development
Commission on Sustainable Development
United Nations Forum on Forests
13

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The main deliberative of the UN
Consists of 193 countries, with one vote each country
It is the only UN body with Universal Representation
All UN members meet in General Assembly at UN HQ each year
Decisions on important questions, such as those on peace and
security, admission of new members and budgetary matters,
require a two-thirds majority of the General Assembly. Other
than that requires Simple Majority
Can only Recommends
Each year a new President of GA is elected

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Ad hoc open-ended intergovernmental group of experts on

energy and sustainable development
Regional Commissions

Economic
Economic
Economic
Economic
Economic

Commission for Africa (ECA)

and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Commission for Europe(ECE)
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
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Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Standing Committees
Committee for Programme and Coordination
Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations
Committee on Negotiations with Intergovernmental Agencies

Governmental Experts
Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods and on the Globally
Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals
United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names

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Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

Independent Experts

Committee for Development Policy

United Nations Committee of Experts on Public Administration
Ad Hoc Group of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues

Special Bodies
International Narcotics Control Board
Board of Trustees of the International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women
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Specialized Agencies

SECRETARY
most important administrative organ
organizational support of the other UN Bodies
consists of Secretary-General and international public
servants
the Secretary-General has the highest executive
functions in the UN system
additionally exist several sub offices

International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the
United Nations(UN).
It was established in June 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations and
began work in April 1946.
The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague (Netherlands).
The Courts role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal
disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal
questions referred to it by authorized United Nations organs and
specialized agencies.
The Court is composed of 15 judges, who are elected for terms of office of
nine years by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security
Council.
Its official languages are English and French.

Trusteeship Council
Trusteeship Council is suspended in 1984
was supposed to restore countries which stood under
colonial rule to autonomy

The aims of the Trusteeship System have been fulfilled to such an extent that all
Trust Territories have attained self-government or independence, either as
separate States or by joining neighbouring independent countries.
The Council suspended operation on 1 November 1994, with the independence
of Palau, the last remaining United Nations trust territory, on 1 October 1994.

Thank You.