Ten days ago, on June 26th, the United Nations celebrated its 70th anniversary. This post is a tribute to this very important NGO. This post is a summary of four articles. The first was published at http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=51260#.VZlcGvlViko. The second was published at http://moderndiplomacy.eu/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=810:happy-70th-birthday-un-charter&Itemid The third was published at http://www.unicef.org/crc/index_30198.html. The fourth was published at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Human_Rights_Council
On June 26th, 1945, the United Nations was born from the ashes and rubble of the Second World War as delegates from fifty nations came together to sign the U.N. Charter, the organization's founding document and the bedrock of global peace and development. Seventy years later, Secretary-general Ban KI-moon is returning to San Francisco where the charter was first signed to celebrate the U.N.'s founding and call on the international community to renew their commitment towards the shaping of a better planetary future for all. "The 70th anniversary falls in a year of momentous decisions on our common future. Countries are shaping what we hope will be an inspiring new sustainable development agenda and moving towards a agreement on climate change." Wrote Mr. Ban. The Secretary-General has frequently recalled his first encounter with the U.N. dating back to his childhood during the Korean War when, as a displaced person fleeing his burning village, he and his family relied on the U.N. to rescue them. His family, he has said, was saved from hunger by U.N. food relief operations and, when doubts surfaced over whether the world was concerned about their suffering. Beyond the indelible trauma that conflict has on a child, Mr. Ban's first experience with the U.N. also left him with the core conviction of the immense difference the U.N. can make in the lives of people around the world. "As the distinctions between the national and the international continue to fall away, challenges faced by one become challenges faced by all. With our fates ever more entwined, our future must be one of ever deeper cooperation, nations united by a spirit of global citizenship that lives up to the promise of the U.N.'s name." Secretary-General concluded.
On October 24th, 2015, the United Nations will be 70 years old. However, it was before October, more specifically on June 26th, 1945 that the charter, its document of foundation, was signed by 50 of 51 original member countries. Since that year, several things have changed, including the geopolitical order of the world. The charter has been amended five times since its constitution. In 1965 there were 2 amendments, both of them concerning the expansion of membership: one in the security council ( 11 to 15 non-permanent members ) and the other in the Economic and Social Forum ( from 18 to 27 members ). The amendments reflect the increasement of members in the organization. The U.N. started with 51 members and now contemplates 193, being South Sudan the most recent country to join the U.N. In terms of discussing and promoting actions towards global issues, the U.N. is one of the most important organizations to unite countries. The Millennium Development Goals are for instance useful methods to achieve milestones in the fight against poverty, hunger and other social challenges that need a chain of support to be tackled properly. A reformed Security Council is a must for the international community. International conflict are still a reality in different continents, in which vulnerable countries can not fight alone without the help of the U.N. It is not reasonable to leave the decision of these countries' future in the hands of only 5 permanent members. Conflicts are escalating and the use of peacekeeping missions is becoming even more necessary. In order to decrease costs among the most important contributors, which is mostly the reason why the permanent members remain the same. U.N. should cooperate even more with regional organizations and other national instances. It is only when member states, and people, realizes that lives go beyond any other interests, that one will be able to surpass differences and work together towards a common future. the reality of the 21st century is very different from 70 years ago, so it is urgent to update the charter in terms of a fairer geographical representation.
The U.N. has repeatedly emphasized the need to integrate human rights into the broad range of its activies. It is essential to recognize the potential of almost all U.N. human rights mechanisms and procedure for contributing to the protection and promotion of people's rights. The creation of a body of international human rights law is one of the U.N.'s great achievements. The U.N. has helped negotiate more than 70 human rights treaties and declarations, many focused on the rights of vulnerable groups. Together, these treaties and declarations have helped create a 'culture of human rights' throughout the world, providing a powerful tool to protect and promote all rights. The U.N. promotes respect for the law and protection of human rights in many ways, including: 1) Monitoring the human rights records of nations, The committes receive technical, logistical and financial support from the U.N. The U.N. also has an Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which is mandated to promote and protect the enjoyment and full realization by all people of human rights. 2) Appointing 'special procedures' to address specific country situations or broader issues: The U.N. may also appoint experts to address a specific human rights issue or particular country. These experts may conduct studies, visit specific countries, interview victims, make specific appeals and submit reports and recommendations.
The U.N. Humans Rights Council is a U.N. System inter-governmental body whose 47 member states are responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world. The U.N. General Assembly elects the members who occupy the 47 seats. The General Assembly takes into account the candidates states' contribution to the promotion and protection of human rights, as well as their voluntary pledges and commitments in this regard. The term of each seat is three years, and no member can occupy a seat for more than two consecutives terms. The General Assembly can suspend the rights and privileges of any Council member that it decides has persistently committed gross and systematic violations of human rights during its term of membership. The U.N.H.R. Council holds sessions three times a year, in March, June, and September. The U.N.H.R.C. can decide at any time to hold a special session to address human rights violations and emergencies, at the request of one-third of the member states. South American members of the U.N.H.R.C. Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Venezuela.
