From August to October 1944, representatives of France, the Republic of China, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union met to elaborate the plans at the Dumbarton Oaks Estate in Washington, D.C. Those and later talks produced proposals outlining the purposes of the organization, its membership and organs, and arrangements to maintain international peace and security and international economic and social cooperation. And so the UNO was born.
The United Nations Charter outlines the rules for membership:
1. Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, and are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
2. The admission of any such state to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
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The Group of 77 at the UN is a loose coalition of developing nations, designed to promote its members’ collective economic interests and create an enhanced joint negotiating capacity in the United Nations. There were 77 founding members of the organization, but the organization has since expanded to 130 member countries. The United Nations headquarters is a golden rectangle building in New York City. The UN is financed from assessed and voluntary contributions from member states. Under the Charter, the official languages are Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish. Later the Arabic language was added as a language of the General Assembly, the Security Council and the Economic and Social Council.
The United Nations system is based on five principal organs i.e. the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Secretariat, and the International Court of Justice.
1. The General Assembly is the main deliberative assembly of the United Nations. Composed of all United Nations member states, the assembly meets in regular yearly sessions under a president elected from among the member states.
2. The Security Council is charged with maintaining peace and security among countries. While other organs of the United Nations can only make ‘recommendations’ to member governments, the Security Council has the power
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3. To make binding decisions that member governments have agreed to carry out.
4. The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) assists the General Assembly in promoting international economic and social cooperation and development.
5. The United Nations Secretariat is headed by the Secretary-General, assisted by a staff of international civil servants worldwide. It provides studies, information, and facilities needed by United Nations bodies for their meetings.
6. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), located in The Hague, Netherlands, is the primary judicial organ of the United Nations. Some of its other working bodies are UNESCO, WHO, to name a few.
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The UN helps in maintaining peace amongst the nations in the world. It regularly seeks help from willing nations and its members to send peace keeping forces to war struck countries and help restore civic peace there. It constantly makes efforts to avoid another world war, by helping nations reach a mutual understanding. Improving social life and removal of poverty are some prime points on the UN’s agenda. It has, is, and shall continue to maintain world peace.