Understanding the United Nations and Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948 is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.
The United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that brings states together to solve global challenges. Founded in the aftermath of the Second World War, it was set up to help stabilize international relations and establish peace. At present, the UN has 193 member states, with South Sudan being the most recent state to join in 2011.
Key Goals of the UN
Today, the UN’s main objectives are: preventing and resolving conflict, protecting human rights, and supporting action to tackle climate change. To achieve these goals, it provides practical assistance across the world, from peacekeeping missions to vaccination programs. In addition, it supports member states in areas such as policy development, research, and training.
UN Decision Making
Decisions are made in a variety of ways, depending on the body and sometimes even on the specific meeting or issue. A common formula is a vote of all members with a simple majority deciding the outcome. This would increase to a majority of at least two-thirds for decisions on some issues, such as membership. But there are many exceptions. For example, in the Security Council, five permanent members (referred to as the P5) have a veto. There is also the Conference on Disarmament, where decisions are made by consensus, effectively giving every member state a veto.
UN Power and Decision Making Process
The UN is run by its member states. They appoint its senior officials, supply peacekeepers, and agree on its agenda and budget. Almost everything the UN does will require consent. Peace operations require acceptance from the host country. Human rights treaties only apply to those states that formally approve them. When we hear about UN failures, most of the time it is our governments who bear responsibility. It is difficult for the UN to make progress when states, especially the big powers, disagree, have vested interests (as with Syria), or are simply uninterested in a particular issue (as was the case at the beginning of the Ebola outbreak).