Is UN Relevant In Today’s World?

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Is UN relevant In todays world? In 1945, with the end of Second World War- one of the ‘deadliest war’ in the human history- the United Nations Organization (UNO or UN) came into existence. The main objectives of the organization include saving mankind from ‘scourge of war’, solving conflicts, promoting peace and cooperation among countries, promoting human rights and developmental activities. The 193 member organization has worked well in the direction of its founding principles but some failures have scarred its reputation.

These issues have sometimes made people ask the question Is UN relevant In todays world?

Let us try to find an answer to the question by analyzing some of the major working areas of UN.

1. Peace and Security 

Peace and security

Peace and security majorly satisfy the answer to the question, Is UN relevant In todays world?. Through various organizations and specialized agencies, the UN is promoting peace in the world. The UN Peacekeeping Forces are tasked to maintain peace by ending conflicts among various parties. The UN also works for the disarmament of nuclear weapons and promotion of peaceful use of nuclear technology. The words in these areas by UN are quite commendable. But there have been incidents such as ‘Rwanda genocide’ and or the more recent ‘Syrian Civil War’ which could not be prevented.

Also, the UN SECURITY COUNCIL (UNSC)- organ of UN responsible for peace and security- needs some structural changes. While some deserving nations such as India, Germany, Japan not getting a permanent membership and not a single country in Africa being a permanent member, some structural changes are due in the UNSC. The ‘veto’ power to permanent members is also a contentious issue. These issues need to be addressed sooner rather than later.

2. Economy, Finance, and Trade

Economy, finance and trade

Another superior department of the UN justifies the answer to the question, Is UN relevant in todays world?. The organizations such as International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank have provided required resources to help member countries to remove poverty and lift the of economically backward people to the mainstream. A lot of developmental projects have started with their help in backward countries. The World Trade Organization (WTO) promotes international trade among member countries. It also helps in resolving trade-related disputes among countries. The WTO has succeeded to a good level in its endeavor.

3. Health, Human Rights, and Relief Aid

Health, Human Rights, and Relief Aid UN

The health-related programs run World Health Organization (WHO) have been successful to a very great extent. The efforts of WHO have resulted in eradication polio, smallpox, and many other diseases. The efforts of Red Cross Society to provide relief aids to victims of war, refugees and victims of natural calamities have been very helpful at the time of need. Human Rights is a big issue in the working of UN. The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) has been working for promoting human rights in the world. It has seen some successes such as LGBT rights, and also some failures. The pictures that come out from war-torn countries of middle- east are horrendous. The UNHRC needs some big steps in reaching its goals.

Is UN Relevant In Todays World?: We can see from these things that UN has been quite successful in its efforts to guard its founding principles. It can convey that some recent failures of UNSC and UNHRC have somewhat shadowed its successes. It also requires some structural changes but its relevancy can’t be denied.

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