“The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945 after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.
Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on a wide range of issues, and provide a forum for its 193 Member States to express their views, through the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and other bodies and committees.
The work of the United Nations reaches every corner of the globe. Although best known for peacekeeping, peace-building, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance, there are many other ways the United Nations and its System (specialized agencies, funds and programmes) affect our lives and make the world a better place. The Organization works on a broad range of fundamental issues, from sustainable development, environment and refugees protection, disaster relief, counter terrorism, disarmament and non-proliferation, to promoting democracy, human rights, gender equality and the advancement of women, governance, economic and social development and international health, clearing landmines, expanding food production, and more, in order to achieve its goals and coordinate efforts for a safer world for this and future generations.
The UN has 4 main purposes
· To keep peace throughout the world;
· To develop friendly relations among nations;
· To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, to conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy, and to encourage respect for each other’s rights and freedoms;
· To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals.”
- UN website
Every morning, on my way to work, I pass by the UN headquarters in Central Beirut. Traffic is always jammed on its street because most of the street is blocked by a cement wall leaving a two lane passage way, were one converts to a queue of UN employees’ cars all looking to park inside the premises, and another lane which remains open for the rest of the commuters on that street. Hell.
Today the jam was especially depressing, and got me thinking about the UN; Its purpose, its members, its sub-organizations, its efforts, and its achievements.
I checked their website, and I couldn’t help but critique every single statement they made about themselves.
*51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security… How on earth could they still write that when two of their key members have been busy waging wars for the past 10 years?
*developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress… The joke in this phrase is "friendly relations"! Iran, Syria, North Korea, China… are their best friends.
*better living standards and human rights…The use of internationally banned weapons in the Israeli war on Lebanon, the war on Iraq, in Syria and Lybia with the protestors, the starvation in Somalia, conflicts in other parts of Africa, increased global warming and higher levels of pollution… are all ways to ensure that the human race enjoys better living standards and their human rights.
*Due to its unique international character, and the powers vested in its founding Charter, the Organization can take action on a wide range of issues… issues like preventing wars, abolishing illiteracy and abuse, extracting dictatorships… I still don’t understand what actions they are taking exactly!
*Although best known for peacekeeping, peace-building, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance… I already addressed this so let’s cut the crap.
I don’t want to sound like I hate the UN, although I already did, but what bothers me is that the world is in dire need of such an organization, but one with a more active role, more defining decisions, and more authority. The UN’s role will remain passive if its power continues to reside with a hand full of nations that already command the world’s economy, wealth, military power, primary resources and technological developments.
No comments:
Post a Comment