what was the united nations

International Organization for Global Cooperation

An intergovernmental organization founded in 1945 committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation, and being a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. It is the world's largest and most familiar international organization.

Purposes and Principles

  • Maintaining international peace and security.
  • Developing friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.
  • Achieving international cooperation in solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character.
  • Promoting respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
  • Being a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of these common ends.

Principal Organs

  • General Assembly: The main deliberative, policymaking and representative organ.
  • Security Council: Has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.
  • Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): The principal body for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental issues, as well as implementation of internationally agreed development goals.
  • Trusteeship Council: Established to provide international supervision for 11 Trust Territories that had been placed under the administration of seven Member States. Its objectives were largely fulfilled by 1994.
  • International Court of Justice: The principal judicial organ.
  • Secretariat: Carries out the substantive and administrative work as directed by the other organs.

Membership

Membership is open to all peace-loving states that accept the obligations contained in the Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able to carry out these obligations. New members are admitted by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

Specialized Agencies and Related Organizations

A network of autonomous organizations working with the Organization, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), among others.

Peacekeeping Operations

Deploys peacekeeping forces to areas where armed conflicts have ceased recently or paused to enforce the terms of peace agreements and to discourage combatants from resuming hostilities. The forces are provided by member states on a voluntary basis.