The United Nations

and its Efforts

to ensure

lasting World Peace

Event : Group Discussion

Participants: Students of Class VII

World Peace

World peace is an ideal of freedom, peace, and happiness among and within allnations and/or people. World peace is an idea of planetary non-violence by whichnations willingly cooperate, either voluntarily or by virtue of a system ofgovernance that prevents warfare. The term is sometimes used to refer to a cessationof all hostility amongst all humanity.

For example: World Peace could be crossing boundaries via humanrights, technology, education, engineering, medicine, diplomats and/or an end to allforms of fighting. Since 1945, the United Nations and the 5 permanent members ofits Security Council (the US, Russia, China, France, and the UK) have worked toresolve conflicts without war or declarations of war. However, nations have enterednumerous military conflicts since that time.

Why do we have the UN?

• After World War I, the League of Nations was created to prevent another world war.

• During World War II, the League of Nations was eliminated because it failed to prevent another war.

• In 1945, with the end of WWII nearing, the United Nations was created to replace the failed League of Nations.

UN World Headquarters New York

Facts related to the UN

• 193 member states

• Un headquarters are situated in New York.

• The US has always been by far the largest single contributor to the UN budget.

• In June 2004 the US owed the UN just over $1 billion – almost half the total $2.5 billion owed to the UN by its members.

• The budget for the UN's main operations is $2.5 billion a year.

• In theory, any member state that owes more than its two previous years’ assessments cannot vote in the General Assembly.

• The UN Secretariat worldwide employs some 15,000 people from 170 different countries

• Six official languages are used at the UN: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish.

• The current secretary general is Ban Ki-moon of South Korea.

Functions of the United Nations

• Maintaining international peace and security,

• Promoting human rights,

• Fostering social and economic development,

• Protecting the environment,

• Providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict

The Security Council

• Made up of 15 countries:The “Permanent Five” countries10 non-permanent countries (elected every two years)

• The strong-arm of the UN• Maintains international peace• How does it do this:

Recommends peaceful negotiations (peace talks)Can use Economic SanctionsCan use Military Sanctions

Peace KeepingPeacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the

UN to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace.

• Military

• Police

• Civil affairs

• Rule of law

• Electoral assistance

• Security Sector Reform

• Mine action

• Gender and peacekeeping

• Protection of civilians

• Environment and sustainability

• Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration

• Children in conflict

• Human rights

Key challenges of peacekeeping:

Current peacekeeping operationsThere are currently 16 peacekeeping operations and one special political mission – the United Nations Assistance

Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) – led by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations

• MINURSO, Western Sahara

• MINUSCA, C.A.R.

• MINUSMA, Mali

• MINUSTAH, Haiti

• MONUSCO, D.R. of the Congo

• UNAMA, Afghanistan

• UNAMID, Darfur

• UNDOF, Golan

• UNFICYP, Cyprus

• UNIFIL, Lebanon

• UNISFA, Abyei

• UNMIK, Kosovo

• UNMIL, Liberia

• UNMISS, South Sudan

• UNMOGIP, India and Pakistan

• UNOCI, Côte d'Ivoire

• UNTSO, Middle East

Evolution of UN Peacekeeping

• First Generation - Traditional Peacekeeping (1948-1990)

• Second Generation - Expanded Peacekeeping that included peace enforcement operations (1990-1995)

• Third Generation - Expanded peacekeeping within the limits of the UN’s ability. More complex, smaller in size and focused on peace building. Generally this does not include peace enforcement (Chapter VII) operations (1995-1999)

• Fourth Generation - Expanded peacekeeping, but the United Nations is taking on more peacebuilding activities. Lead Nations and Regional Organizations conducting peace enforcement operations.

OLD

• Consent

• Impartiality

• Non-use of force except in self-

defense

NEW• Consent• Impartiality• Non-use of Force except in self defense &

defense of the mandate • New doctrine adds: Key Factors for

Mission Success• Credibility• Legitimacy• Promotion of National and Local

Ownership

FUNDAMENTAL GUIDING PRINCIPLES

for conducting

UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS

UN Peacekeepers

The International Day of Peace, sometimes unofficially known as World Peace Day, is observed

annually on 21 September.

It is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence, such as might be

occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access. The day was first

celebrated in 1982, and is kept by many nations, political groups, military groups, and peoples.

In 2013, for the first time, the Day was dedicated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to peace

education, the key preventive means to reduce war sustainably.

Efforts by countries to ensure world peace Troop and police contributors

• They come from nations large and small, rich and poor. They bring different cultures and experience to the job, but they are united in their determination to foster peace.

• Countries also contribute by sending experts, equipment and training.

Civilian contributors

•Civil affairs and human rights officers play vital advisory and monitoring roles in remote regions.

Rule of Law

•Concrete programme building and assessment

Successful operations

UN peacekeeping missions operate in the most dangerous and difficult environments in the world, dealing with conflicts – or their aftermath –which others cannot or will not address. However, success is never guaranteed.

An impressive record of peacekeeping achievements over more than 60 years of our existence, including winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

Since 1948, the UN has helped end conflicts and foster reconciliation by conducting successful peacekeeping operations in dozens of countries, including Cambodia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mozambique, Namibia and Tajikistan.

Factors required for success:• Be guided by the principles of consent, impartiality and the non-use of force except in self-defense and

defense of the mandate;

• Be perceived as legitimate and credible, particularly in the eyes of the local population;

• Promote national and local ownership of the peace process in the host country.

• Genuine commitment to a political process by the parties in working towards peace (there must be a peace to keep);

• Unity of purpose within the Security Council, with active support to UN operations in the field;

• Supportive engagement by neighbouring countries and regional actors;

• An integrated UN approach, effective coordination with other actors on the ground and good communication with host country authorities and population;

• The utmost sensitivity towards the local population and upholding the highest standards of professionalism and good conduct (peacekeepers must avoid becoming part of the problem).

• A unique global partnership: It brings together the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Secretariat, troop and police contributors and the host governments in a combined effort to maintain international peace and security.

A few failures…

In other instances, however, UN peacekeeping – and the response by the international community as a whole – have been challenged and found wanting, for instance in Somalia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.

These setbacks provided important lessons for the international community when deciding how and when to deploy and support UN peacekeeping as a tool to restore and maintain international peace and security