The United Nations (UN) came to existence after United Nations Charter was implemented on 24 October 1945. With starting members of 51 nations, its membership has grown to 193 today. The increased numbers of member nations boasts of confidence, world community, has on resolving differences and disputes diplomatically. Does that indicate the success of UN ? I am afraid the answer is equally complicated as the parameters of the question is.
Primary objective for the creation of United Nations was to diffuse the tensions between nation states diplomatically and thus to stop the outbreak of another World War. After the end of World War I, league of nations, established for prevention of war was a resounding failure. The fallout of such indecisiveness was paid by humanity in the form of World War II, with innumerable deaths, misery and widespread chaos. The destructive technological wherewithal that nations demonstrated in Japan, convinced nations to forge an intergovernmental organizations to prevent World War III, as its outbreak has the potential to wipeout mankind from Earth.
Before coming to the failures ,some resounding achievements of UN shouldn’t be overlooked. UN is an umbrella organization with many sister organizations under it, performing a commendable job. International Court of Justice, UNHCR, UNICEF, OHCHR, UNDP, UNESCO, WHO are some of the specialized organizations and agencies of UN family with specific objectives to work under international scrutiny for eradicating the factors i.e poverty ,disease, malnutrition, illiteracy , medicines , birth control ,safe drinking water, unemployment, as these factors are squarely responsible for discontentment among masses and breakout of war.UN has motivated and induced nations to eliminate illiteracy , providing food security ,securing human rights for their citizens,promoting racial harmony, religious tolerance , rejig the administration machinery to pay heed to the citizenry,weeding out corruption through efficiency and transparency in their functioning and delivery system of respective governments.
UN agencies are at the forefront in providing humanitarian assistance during and after conflicts. From removing landmines to sending peace keeping force in war ravaged countries was acknowledged and hence appreciated by conferring the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.
With such stupendous achievements to boast off, its imperative to ask , does UN succeeded in its primary objective ? The answer to this question is overwhelmingly no. There are many reasons for it. The world is no safer today with brinkmanship among nation states at its peak, global terrorism fanning its wings and threat of nuclear and biological weapons use by rouge states. World peace is nothing but a day dream. Despite all the rhetoric about tolerance and brotherhood , world is sitting on a tinderbox . UN despite 71 years of its existence has been nothing more then a scarecrow figure in International politics.
Part of the problem is the undemocratic behavior and assimilation of power for 5 veto yielding nations of Security Council (Permanent members P5). The narrow minded approach of P5(China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States) and the itch to manipulate world events to defame adversaries has dented the credibility of UN. US hegemony, in erroneously bypassing UN resolutions over Israel -Palestine , Iraq wars, has made UN a laughing stock . The Chinese blatantly usurped territory in South China Sea teasing the International Maritime Court verdict is another indication of power it commands in UNSC.
It is due to inefficiency and appeasement diplomacy of UNSC that the world witnessed Bangladesh genocide in 1971, Cambodian genocide in the 1970s, Rwandan genocide in 1994, Srebrenica massacre in 1995 and numerous civil wars. The latest cases being the genocide of civilians by ISIS of Kurds and Yazdis (minority religious groups) in Syria, while world community watched in horror mutely. The working of UNSC is seriously hampered by political upmanship, selfish interests and corruption. The UN primary objective of maintaining world peace is jeopardized due to apathy and inefficiency of UNSC permanent members and therefore needs to be reformed by making it inclusive and democratic.
It is wise to say that lethargic attitude of UNSC permanent members(P5), the reluctance to share power is the root cause of UN downfall. The P5 is stuck in time warp, with mindset of quasi colonialism , unable to see the light of the day . The democratic reforms are the need of the hour to make UN truly a vibrant organization standing up to confront the challenges of the 21st century.
“The primary, the fundamental, the essential purpose of the UN is to keep peace. Everything it does which helps prevent World War III is good. Everything which does not further that goal, either directly or indirectly is at best superfluous.” Henry Cabot Lodge
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