The United Nations has been doing many missions to bring peace to the world. They work hard to fulfill all missions they have. They have worked in almost every country, but they bring peace to many countries. For example, they have brought peace to Haiti.
The United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti or MINUJUSTH is one of those missions. There are many issues for the reason that the United Nations became involved. The UN sent many people to help with the struggle in Haiti. They were sent to help Haiti develop the Haitian National Police, or HNP, to strengthen Haiti’s rule of law institutions, especially justice and prisons. They were also sent to help promote and protect their human rights, to help improve the daily lives of the Haitian people. For the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti there were 400 people deployed to help with this mission. There were 5 UN volunteers. 325 civilians were deployed, which was the biggest part of all. There also were 70 policemen to help complete this mission. For this mission there was only one fatality. There were ten top contributing countries, these countries sent police personnel to Haiti. The countries that had contributed were Senegal, Canada, Benin, Jordan, Rwanda, Niger, Mali, Nepal, Tunisia, and Madagascar.
Many of the problems that Haiti had were problems that they couldn’t fix on their own. The United Nations and different partners have helped Haiti in many ways. They have always used the opportunities they had to promote and secure a better life for the people of Haiti. Haiti kept making strides from the help of the UN to keep moving forward to complete their goals. They took any action they needed to help lead Haiti towards its goal. Every person worked hard to improve the police force, human rights, and rule of law. No matter how hard it was each person took any opportunity they had to take a step forward in finishing their mission.
There were many results from the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti. The Haitian National Police gained more people to work in the force. The number of women working for the police increased. They were also taught how to fight any crimes. There was a decrease in detainees. Offices had been reinforced. Ministers were elected for different organizations. Over 200 new organizations had been created to help Haiti.
In conclusion, the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti was a success. Although there were struggles along the way everyone that was sent to Haiti took their ability to help and got Haiti back on track. It did take some time but they got Haiti to where it needed to be. All of the struggles that Haiti was going through were fixed, which were rule of law, police, and human rights. All the United Nations wants is peace throughout the world. If it means helping with anything in the world to prevent war, like the World Wars. They want all people from every country to live peacefully and become allies to prevent something that could disrupt the flow of the world.
World hunger, a grave, and complex issue, affects millions of people globally, transcending borders and impacting communities in both developing and developed nations. It is characterized by the insufficient availability or accessibility of nutritious food necessary for a healthy life. Rooted in a web of interconnected factors, world hunger is not merely a consequence of food scarcity but is deeply influenced by economic disparities, political instability, environmental challenges, and social inequalities. The ramifications of hunger extend beyond immediate nutritional deficiencies, affecting educational outcomes, health status, and economic productivity, thereby perpetuating cycles of poverty and deprivation. Addressing world hunger demands a multifaceted approach that encompasses sustainable agricultural practices, equitable food distribution systems, and policies that address the root causes of poverty and inequality. As the world strives towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, eradicating hunger remains a paramount challenge and a moral imperative, calling for global solidarity and innovative solutions to ensure food security for all. The fight against world hunger is not only about feeding the hungry but about creating a world where everyone has the opportunity to lead a healthy and productive life.
100 Words Essay about World Hunger
World hunger represents one of the most severe and complex global challenges of our time, affecting millions of people across every continent. Rooted in a web of interrelated issues including poverty, inequality, and political instability, hunger is not merely a consequence of insufficient food production but also of the world’s failure to ensure equitable access to food. Climate change exacerbates the situation, impacting agricultural productivity and food security. Addressing world hunger requires a multifaceted approach that includes improving agricultural practices, enhancing food distribution systems, and implementing policies aimed at reducing poverty and promoting social equity. The fight against hunger is not only about feeding the hungry but about addressing the underlying causes that deprive individuals of their basic right to food.
250 Words Essay about World Hunger
World hunger, a pressing global issue, affects millions, transcending borders and impacting communities in both developing and developed countries. This pervasive problem is not simply a matter of scarcity but is deeply intertwined with socio-economic disparities, conflict, and environmental challenges. Despite the world’s capacity to produce enough food to feed its entire population, systemic inequalities and inefficient food distribution systems leave countless individuals and families without sufficient nourishment.
The roots of world hunger are complex, involving factors such as poverty, which limits people’s access to nutritious food, and agricultural practices that often prioritize commercial crops over those that are essential for local consumption. Additionally, climate change poses a significant threat to food security, with extreme weather events and shifting climate patterns disrupting crop yields and diminishing the reliability of food sources.
Efforts to combat world hunger must therefore be holistic, addressing not only the immediate need for food but also the underlying causes that contribute to food insecurity. Initiatives like sustainable farming practices, investments in smallholder farmers, and policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequality are critical. Moreover, international cooperation and aid play a vital role in providing immediate relief to those in crisis situations while working towards long-term solutions.
Addressing world hunger is an ethical imperative that requires collective action and a commitment to creating a more equitable world where everyone has access to the food they need to lead healthy, productive lives.
400 Words Essay about World Hunger
World hunger remains one of the most critical challenges facing humanity, with millions of people worldwide suffering from chronic undernourishment and malnutrition. This global crisis is not merely a consequence of insufficient food production but is deeply rooted in a complex matrix of social, economic, and political factors that hinder access to adequate nutrition for many populations. Despite significant advancements in technology and agriculture, the distribution of food resources remains uneven, exacerbated by poverty, conflict, and inequality, making hunger a multifaceted issue that demands comprehensive solutions.
The causes of world hunger are varied and interlinked. Poverty stands as the primary obstacle, as it limits individuals’ ability to purchase sufficient food. Additionally, agricultural practices and policies often favor the production of cash crops for export over staple foods that could feed the local population, further complicating food accessibility. Climate change significantly impacts food security, with extreme weather conditions such as droughts and floods affecting crop yields and reducing the availability of food in vulnerable regions. Moreover, political instability and conflicts disrupt food distribution channels and agricultural production, leaving populations in affected areas at high risk of famine.
Addressing world hunger requires a concerted effort from governments, international organizations, and civil society to implement policies and programs that tackle the root causes of food insecurity. This includes investing in sustainable agricultural practices that increase food production and ensure environmental resilience, improving food distribution systems to reach the most vulnerable, and enacting social policies that alleviate poverty and reduce inequality. Education and awareness are also crucial in changing consumption patterns and reducing food waste, which can significantly impact food availability.
Furthermore, international cooperation is essential in providing aid and support to regions experiencing acute food crises due to natural disasters or conflicts. Humanitarian assistance, however, should be coupled with long-term development strategies that build local capacities and infrastructure, ensuring communities can achieve self-sufficiency and resilience against future challenges.
In conclusion, world hunger is a complex issue that requires a multifaceted approach, addressing both the symptoms and the underlying causes of food insecurity. It calls for global solidarity and action, recognizing that access to adequate nutrition is a fundamental human right. By working together to implement sustainable solutions, we can move closer to a world where no one has to suffer from hunger, and every individual has the opportunity to lead a healthy and productive life.
500 Words Essay about World Hunger
World hunger, a pervasive issue that afflicts millions globally, stands as a stark reminder of the profound inequalities that fracture our world. Despite living in an age where technological advancements and agricultural innovations abound, the specter of hunger continues to loom large over vast swathes of the global population, particularly in developing nations. This grim reality is not a simple consequence of food scarcity but a complex interplay of economic disparity, political instability, environmental challenges, and social injustice that collectively impede access to sufficient, nutritious food for all.
At the heart of world hunger is the issue of poverty. Economic constraints severely limit individuals’ ability to secure adequate food, rendering them vulnerable to malnutrition and starvation. This is further compounded by the agricultural sector’s challenges, where smallholder farmers, who are crucial to feeding the world’s population, often struggle with issues like lack of access to markets, unsustainable farming practices, and the impacts of climate change. These farmers face the dual threats of decreased crop yields and the loss of arable land, exacerbating the food insecurity problem.
Moreover, political instability and conflict serve as significant drivers of hunger. Wars and civil unrest disrupt food production and distribution channels, destroy infrastructure, and displace communities, making it nearly impossible for affected populations to access or produce food. Additionally, global economic policies and trade agreements often disadvantage developing countries, affecting their agricultural sectors and food sovereignty.
Climate change poses one of the most significant threats to global food security, with its capacity to alter weather patterns, increase the frequency of extreme weather events, and contribute to the degradation of land and water resources. These environmental impacts directly affect agricultural productivity and food availability, pushing more people into the vicious cycle of hunger and poverty.
Addressing world hunger demands a multifaceted and coordinated global response that tackles the root causes of food insecurity. This includes investing in sustainable agricultural practices that not only increase food production but also ensure environmental conservation. Empowering smallholder farmers through access to technology, credit, and markets is crucial for enhancing food production and resilience against economic and environmental shocks.
Equally important is the need for international cooperation to address the political and economic factors contributing to hunger. This involves supporting peacebuilding efforts in conflict-affected regions, reforming global trade policies to favor fair trade, and ensuring that aid and development programs are responsive to the needs of the most vulnerable populations.
Furthermore, combating climate change and its impacts on food security requires global commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting communities in adapting to changing environmental conditions. This includes developing climate-resilient agricultural practices and ensuring that countries most affected by climate change have the resources and support to mitigate its effects.
In conclusion, world hunger is a complex challenge that requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach to ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. It calls for a recommitment to the principles of equity, sustainability, and human rights, recognizing that ending hunger is not only a moral imperative but a foundational step toward building a more just and prosperous world for all.
In a modern globalized world, preference is given to regulating international relations by means of treaties and conventions, developed and signed by global organizations and the community of nations. One of such documents is UNSR 1540 – the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1540, which was adopted on April 28, 2004. The major aim of the resolution is to support anti-terrorist efforts in the modern society.
The purpose of the document is to require the signatory powers to promote the struggle against terrorism by adopting and enforcing relevant national legislation as well as appropriate measures restraining the proliferation of nuclear weapons that are used for terrorist purposes (United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, n.d.). Being a comprehensive document in the sphere of supporting and guaranteeing global peace, UNSCR 1540 is still characterized by prominent strengths and significant weaknesses.
The resolution was designed and adopted after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and realizing that terrorism has become a real source of threat in the modern world. The main reason that motivated the United Nations to work on such a document was the information that terrorist organizations are interested in using nuclear weapons for mass destruction purposes. Therefore, a collective effort to suppress them was a critical measure for supporting global peace.
Nevertheless, the process of implementing the document was lengthy and cumbersome. To begin with, nowadays, around 170 nations report on the status of adopting the resolution (Nuclear Threat Initiative, 2015). Even though it seems to be a success, in fact, the reports are ambiguous and not all of them reflect the readiness for implementing the document. Such ambivalence in perceiving the resolution is connected to one of its primary weaknesses – wording.
In this case, it is essential to note that although all statements are clear, the resolution lacks the main success factor – the clarity of measures to be taken in order to adopt effective legislation and promote anti-terrorist efforts. As a result, the signatory powers lack understanding of the main provisions of the document or perceive it ambiguously.
Except for the wording, there are other significant weaknesses of the resolution. For instance, it is declarative. It means that regardless of requiring all states to adopt appropriate legislation, no measures controlling this process are identified. More than that, it is designed in general and collective terms. This weakness is associated with ignoring local and regional specificities of the states (Scheinman & Bergenas, n.d.). It stands for developing general recommendations for all states without regard to their level of legal development, relations with neighboring states and the global community, resources for adopting necessary legislation, and the risks of terrorist activities in the region. Furthermore, it means that no additional assistance of the United Nations is provided in case of necessity because no regional focus is specified.
Still, regardless of some significant weaknesses, there are some prominent strengths of the resolution. First and foremost, it is a comprehensive document. It means that its provisions clearly state what the desirable outcome of signing it is. In particular, the resolution calls for refraining non-state actors from their effort to transport, acquire, transfer, use, possess, manufacture or develop mass destruction weapons – chemical, nuclear, and biological (United Nations Security Council, 2004). In this way, it is as well clear in terms of identifying the main focus of anti-terrorist effort – non-state organizations. From this perspective, state armament initiatives aimed at strengthening national security are not limited or suppressed by the global community.
Moreover, the resolution can be treated as a global forum for disarmament and anti-terrorist effort. Because the document calls for global and regional cooperation, the signatory powers are free to ask for assistance in developing necessary and relevant legislation as well as adopting appropriate anti-terrorist measures. It is of significant importance for the third-world countries because they are poorly represented in the UN processes and their reports on UNCSR 1540 implementation are rarely delivered.
More than that, it can be used as a forum for international negotiations and discussions, which means that collective measures can be easily designed and declared (Scheinman & Bergenas, n.d.). As a result, the main strength of the resolution is that it can become the ground for enhancing regional cooperation if interpreted effectively and unambiguously. From this perspective, it can helpful for uniting against the global terrorism threat.
Regardless of the strengths of the resolution, it is commonly disrespected. It can be explained by the fact that even though its character is binding, no measures controlling its implementation or connected sanctions are identified. The lack of reports on the adoption of the resolution, as well as the difference in their quality and depth, is one of the main examples of disrespecting this document.
In this case, the main challenge is that the trend towards ignoring the provisions of the regulation is characteristic of the developing world. Nowadays, the Middle East and Asian states mainly disrespect the resolution (Adams & Khalil, n.d.; Scheinman & Bergenas, n.d.). Such a development proves that regardless of being a comprehensive document, it cannot guarantee global peace because the states known for the most active development of terrorist organizations do not support the implementation of the resolution.
However, the trend towards disrespecting and ignoring the UNSCR 1540 can be explained not only by the lack of sanctions and controlling measures but also the difference in perceiving it. In this way, the choice to avoid implementing it is connected to the variety of opinions regarding its effectiveness. Nowadays, the resolution is a subject of a severe and active public debate. The main challenge is that regardless of the need for fostering anti-terrorism effort, some states do not believe that the resolution is helpful for coping with the risks.
For instance, China and Russia do not support the need for this global initiative, while the United Kingdom and the United States see it as the main instrument for achieving effective international cooperation and global peace (“Open debate and adoption of Resolution on the 1540 comprehensive review,” 2016). In this way, there is a significant inconsistency in opinions about the resolution.
Summing up, UNSCR 1540 is a subject of debates and criticism. Still, in case of reaching a shared vision of the document, it can become the main tool for eradicating the risks of terrorism in the modern world. It can be explained by the potential consequences of the universal implementation of the resolution, such as the suppression of the access of non-state organizations to the weapons of mass destruction and, as a result, the creation of effective national, regional, and global controls in this area (Gibson & Shirazyan, 2012). Nevertheless, to achieve them, additional effort is necessary.
References
Adams, J., & Khalil, A. (n.d). Achieving a balanced implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1540, the Middle East as an example. Web.
The UN Internet Governance Forum in Rio de Janeiro held on 12-15 November 2007 covered a wide range of topics related to the logical and physical infrastructure of the Internet. It was noted that there is a need to build up community infrastructures including critical Internet resources to meet the needs of 5.5 billion people who do not have access to the Internet. During the Forum held in Athens on 30 October – 2 November 2006, the aim was to provide a knowledge facility regarding issues related to Internet government. Despite the slightly different themes of discussion, both Forums were aimed at dealing with questions related to access, security, diversity, and openness.
Forum in Athens (2006)
The general aspects included the nature of Internet governance and consultation processes. The participants focused on the general organizational setting of the current Internet governance mechanisms and tasks of Internet governance organizations1. Discussion included an analysis of the ways in which Internet governance mechanisms could be understood in a broad set of international policy frameworks. Russia recommended including the discussion of issues related to the administrative management of IP addresses and the Domain Name System.
Another objective was a focus on development issues of the Internet as a public infrastructure with a public goods perspective. Important issues of discussion included privacy of correspondence, third party interference, freedom of expression and information, security and stability, protection from political and commercial manipulation.
Openness
Many speakers and contributors noted the importance of openness as one of the fundamental principles of the Internet. The Internet provides a robust exchange of information and empowers millions of people to trade ideas and information and increase the wealth of knowledge2. The openness of the Internet is a key feature ensuring stability and security. The Internet offers an opportunity to communicate quickly at a low cost. Forum participants discussed an objective of an inclusive Information Society and continued economic and social development. However, consensus over the rules dealing with intellectual property rights in cyberspace was not achieved.
One of the objectives was to decide how these rules should be developed to protect Internet openness and unrestricted flow of information. Special emphasis was made on the importance of open online education resources.
Security
Security was the second issue of discussion. Contributors and speakers noted that security was a key element in establishing trust and confidence among users of the Internet. The achievement of the Internet’s full potential could be achieved only through the promotion of trust, confidence, stability, and security3. It was pointed out that every new device increased the capacity for use as well increased the exposure to potential harm from intentional, unintentional, and illegal actions.
The objective was to find a balance between openness and security. Forum participants discussed the measures to fight crime and privacy protection issues. Special emphasis has been made on available measures to tackle spam.
Diversity
It was noted that the vast majority of people who use the Internet do not write or read in English. One of the forum objectives was to enable people to use the Internet in their own language4. The most significant challenge was to create availability of information in local languages to promote multilingualism. The lack of information in indigenous languages is especially evident for developing countries. It was recognized that technical solutions have become more localized, complex, and harder to guarantee. It was concluded with the note that there was a need to ensure that development, maintenance, and resolution processes could preserve the integrity, stability, and security of the Internet.
Access
Access was the final objective of the Forum discussion. Participants from developing counties noted that more than 5 billion people remained without access to the Internet as an important tool for social growth and economic development5. Contributors discussed the factors that impacted the availability and affordability of the Internet. Forum participants focused on the positive effects of the networks due to open standards and discussed the role of open standards in promoting competition on the Internet markets. It was proposed that the issue of Internet international connectivity could be solved by the liberalization of telecommunication markets.
Forum in Rio de Janeiro (2007)
The second Internet Governance Forum was held in Rio de Janeiro and included the four themes from the previous meeting in Athens. The key themes included access, diversity, security, and openness. The fifth theme was added – critical Internet resources. The Council of Europe expressed the view that Internet governance should have included more discussion on human rights, freedom of expression, and tasks of Internet governance organizations. It was suggested that more attention should be paid to the development dimension6. It was noted that focus should be shifted on governance of specific policies and programs aimed by the private sector, intergovernmental and multi-stakeholder organizations involved in governance and security.
Critical Internet Resources
Forum participants stressed the importance of training in the management of critical Internet resources. There was a discussion on Internet addresses distribution to ensure equitable access by all counties to address resources. One of the key objectives was to discuss the contribution of governments and public policy implications. It was stressed that private organizations should become the agents of the state and subject to state regulation.
Access
The objective from the previous Forum in Athens to foster the spread of the Internet to developing countries was raised again. It was proposed that the achievement of public service value of the Internet required affordable and universal access to Internet infrastructure for all countries7. Special attention was paid to the need to bridge the digital divide in rural areas. Moreover, forum participants discussed the importance of building the fundamental skills necessary to use technology brought by the Internet. It was stated that the business community is responsible for the establishment of a proper regulatory and political environment beneficial for ensuring access to Internet resources.
Diversity
Diversity objective was aimed at ensuring multilingual Internet to build legitimate, democratic, and inclusive Information Society8. The importance of promoting locally developed content was stressed. It was proposed that stakeholders should share technology to help people with disabilities and the elderly to use the network more easily. In particular, the need to increase the possibility for all language groups to share information in their languages was discussed. A major concern was related to possible confusion that might occur across languages. Thus, the need to maintain a single domain name space was mentioned.
Openness
Many speakers highlighted the importance of openness to advance human development. In addition to previously discussed themes during the meeting in Athens, forum participants raised an objective to protect children and the general pubic from objectionable Internet content, prohibiting the usage of the Internet for criminal conduct, and ensuring reasonable restrictions on Internet content9. It was recommended to introduce voluntary labeling as an alternative to legislation. It was proposed to create governmental regulations against infringement of trademarks and to promote cooperation between self-regulation and governments. The need to find the balance between the freedom of expression and protection of copyright was discussed.
Security
The Council of Europe recommended applying international conventions on cybercrime, prevention of terrorism, protection of automatic processing of private data, actions against trafficking in human beings, and protection of children against sexual abuse10. Protection of children and security of the Internet was described as a primary objective of the Internet Governance Forum in Rio de Janeiro. A solution for protecting children on Internet from predators and controlling online illegal content was recommended. It was concluded that the state should hold the key responsibility for a security failure on the Internet. Thus, the role of the government was discussed as a responsibility to raise awareness of Internet security among users.
The Internet Governance Forums are focused on diversity, access, openness, and security of the Internet11. The Forum which took place in Rio de Janeiro was expected to advance the discussion started in Athens. Speakers from Germany and the United States emphasized the importance of involving a private sector-driven process. All Internet governance-related business units had to present their activities and were encouraged to engage in a dialogue.
Unlike the previous Forum in Athens, more than 200 representatives from civil society, the Internet community, and the private sector attended the consultations and meetings. In addition, participants noted that more emphasis should be made on Internet resources and the internationalization of domain names. While Forum in Athens was a discussion, Forum in Rio resulted in negotiated documents and diplomatic processes.
Most of the topics which were discussed during the Forums might have an impact on international business. In particular, the discussion on the Internet security issue might affect the collection of personal information from clients. The discussion on Internet access might open new markets for international companies in developing countries. The issue of Internet diversity might shape the international marketing strategy to meet the needs of local populations. Finally, the issue of openness allows international business units to target segments that are underserved.
References
The Internet Governance Forum. Inaugural Meeting (Athens 2006), Background Report. Web.
The Internet Governance Forum. Second Meeting (Rio de Janeiro, 2007), Synthesis Paper. Web.
Un Official Say, Internet Governance Forum in November to address access, security issues. UN News Service. Web.
Footnotes
The Internet Governance Forum, Inaugural Meeting, Athens 2006, p. 5.
Ibid, p. 6.
Ibid, p. 8.
Ibid, p. 11.
Ibid, p. 12.
The Internet Governance Forum, Second Meeting, Rio de Janeiro 2007, p. 3.
Charted in 1945 by 51 countries, the intent of the United Nations (UN) was to provide a forum for the nations of the world to congregate as a means to promote world peace. This number has grown to 191 today, in practically every country. No one can debate that the formation of the UN has provided relief and stabilization for millions of the world’s population over the past 60 years. However, many rightfully question the ability of this international organization to successfully manage present and future adverse scenarios. The power of the UN to stop imperialist actions was put in serious doubt when it could not stop the US from invading a sovereign country that did not initiate military conflict. The genocide in Darfur, Sudan was ignored until just recently and many thousands of children worldwide die from starvation every day. In addition, globalization has gone far beyond the scope of what could have been imagined in 1945.
Responsibility of UN
The ‘Responsibility to Protect,’ a basic tenant by which the UN operates, provides that a country cannot refuse assistance or support from other countries when it cannot or will not safeguard its citizens from genocide or other actions deemed as a crime against humanity. All nations’ sovereignty is respected as is their ability to conduct their affairs but this is a qualified condition, not one that is considered absolute.
“When peaceful means are exhausted and leaders of a UN member state is ‘manifestly failing to protect their populations,’ then other states have the responsibility to take collective action through the Security Council” (O’Neill, 2006). Critics of the responsibility to protect concept argue that it is simply another method by which the western world can justify its imperialistic predispositions. The concern is that the responsibility to protect will be invoked whenever a more powerful nation wishes to advance its agenda at the expense of the less powerful. Of course, this concern cannot be dismissed or denied in light of the Iraqi occupation which makes the argument for military intervention a tough sell to all, especially to the lesser developed countries. It is the nature of countries to consider their interests first and foremost and a responsibility to protect the document, no matter how well-intentioned, cannot change this fact or guarantee that the motives behind its invocation are morally sound in every situation.
Critique
The responsibility to protect is also criticized because it does not place enough emphasis on poverty and famine conditions and too much on violent situations. In addition, many that advocate humanitarian efforts question military involvement as the focus of this effort. “The challenge facing enlightened state leaders is to build an international consensus behind policies that address the underlying cause of human rights deprivations and that defend basic rights wherever and whenever they are threatened” (Linklater, 2000).
Another common criticism is that for the responsibility to protect to be properly implemented, it first requires a sufficient military force to be assembled beforehand (Macfarlane, 2004). It has been argued that military manpower would not be of concern if the U.S. was interested in protecting Darfur’s citizens. The deployment of troops to Darfur would not be without cost but if safeguarding civilians from genocide were high on the political priority list, the risks would be deemed justifiable. Presently the relatively small African Union military force is attempting to protect the citizens of Darfur from genocide. This is a goal that will not be realized without further military as well as political support (Reeves, 2005).
Another criticism regarding the situation in Darfur is that the responsibility to protect relies solely on the Security Council’s approval for the authorization of humanitarian interventions. If it is given that military capabilities were not an obstacle, intervention would still face unlikely passage by the Security Council. Any resolution can be vetoed by one member of the Security Council. China is a member and imports most of its oil from Sudan. A military conflict in this region is decidedly not in China’s best interest. The responsibility to protect report suggested modifying the veto system for an occasion of this type but the acceptance of this change depends on the outcome of the discussions regarding U.N. reforms (Reeves, 2005). The world discusses while Darfur suffers.
The debates regarding military intervention to protect people from genocide, torture, starvation, and displacement continue while governments continue to consider their interests with little regard to others. Human nature continues to be fallible and the nations of the world experience internal conflicts. The world continues the debate as countless people continue to suffer needlessly.
Conclusion
For the UN to achieve its desired goals and to successfully address the problems facing the world now and in the future, the member nations must commit to its success which includes adhering to its resolutions. If they do not, especially the US which is the most powerful military and economy of the world and permanent member of the Security Council, this world governing experiment will cease to be of any real consequence. If, however, if the UN’s authority is further empowered it can accomplish much in terms of world peace and humanitarian concerns. Some are fearful that strengthening the jurisdictional powers of the UN could lead to a world governing body in much the same way the EU has broadened its power over Europe. Those that do not share this concern point to the war in Iraq and the situation in Darfur as classic examples of why the UN must endure and its resolutions followed by all member countries or face severe penalties.
Progress has been made in the effort to combat world hunger and disease, internal and external conflicts, and environmental issues. The future of the UN depends on the commitment of the nations of the world to improve the world and its people.
References
Linklater, Andrew. “The Good International Citizen and the Crisis in Kosovo.” Kosovo and the Challenge of Humanitarian Intervention: Selective Imagination, Collective Action, and International Citizenship. Ramesh Thakur & Albrecht Schnabel (Eds.). Tokyo: UN University Press, (2000).
O’Neill, William G. “The Responsibility to Protect Darfur.” The Christian Science Monitor. (2006). Web.
Reeves, Eric. Darfur: Shame and Responsibility. Dissent, Fall (2005).
Sex trafficking is a major and often overlooked problem of modern societies around the world. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2009), sex exploitation is the primary cause of human slavery, accounting for approximately 79% of all cases. In my opinion, such a crime is fueled by people’s greed, lack of media coverage and governmental attention, and the presence of substantial demand. As for the latter, often not socially acceptable forms of sexual desires and the search for lower prices serve as the sufficient driving force behind the sex slavery market.
However, what is more, important is the lack of attention from the government officials and other institutions to this problem leads to large public unawareness. On the one hand, the real and potential victims do not know how to recognize sex traffickers and behave when they encounter them. On the other hand, the general public has prejudice that most prostitutes have freedom when deciding to sell their bodies due to inability to find another job, drug abuse, or other reasons. However, modern researches and investigations into this topic reveal that it is not true in many cases. Therefore, for a long period of time, women were blamed for selling their bodies rather than men who forced them.
For a similar reason, some of the men who use the prostitutes’ services are unaware that they support the crime. Yet, there are other people who understand that they engage in sexual relationships with underage girls or enslaved women and should be punished similarly to those who traffic women. Nevertheless, I think that the former group still can be blamed for their ignorance because many of the customers of such services consider view prostitutes as an object. This, in turn, leads to the inability to be compassionate towards these women.
In order to address this problem, as was mentioned before, the government, especially in places with high women trafficking, should ensure that women are aware of how to avoid being captured. Additionally, in my opinion, the governments should have full control over a few sexual resorts and often supervise their businesses. Finally, as for trafficking in third-world countries, the U.S. should actively participate in the attempts to halt this activity and urge other countries to join the efforts. In this regard, I think that only by combining the work of all the states can humanity stop sex trafficking.
Reference
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2009). Global report on trafficking in persons. Web.
The United Nations Children’s Fund commonly termed by its abbreviations UNICEF has been in existence for nearly 75 years since its establishment in 1974. It is a branch of the United Nations that seeks to address equal opportunities for all disadvantaged children, adolescents, and their families. UNICEF’s staff are trained professionals who advocate for children’s rights of nutrition, shelter, education, security, and healthcare despite tough or endangered environments that they live in. operating in over 190 countries globally, the organization has vowed to protect the humanitarian rights of every child in the world, supported by their mission statement, “for every child” (UNICEF, 2022). The organization is mandated by the United Nations to protect the right of every child and explore their potential to realize maximum opportunity out of them with equality. Current situations like the Covid-19, the Ukraine-Russia War have seen the impact of the UNICEF through food reliefs, evacuations, and other forms of protection to children living within the affected areas.
The Impact of UNICEF’S Mission and Vision
The mission of the organization determines the scope of its activities and operations. The mission statement of the organization, “for every child” is clear of the desire of the organization, stating clearly that their ambition is to ensure the right of every child, in all corners of the world are protected and equal opportunities served to them. Observable through their overwhelming deeds of support to children from all walks of life, in different approaches either through nutrition, education, protection from terror, or clothing, the mission is clear that the organization seeks nothing but the quality of life and humanity for children (particularly marginalized and disadvantaged). Operations of the organization involved accessing remote parts of the world, places associated with war and extremisms, harsh climatic conditions, with one major aim of serving every child an opportunity like others through their empowerment programs
The vision statement of UNICEF is, “to create a world where the rights of every child are realized” it is evident that the ultimate goal for the organization is to create a conducive environment for the development of children, potential realization, and equality. The vision states statement gives UNICEF staff and advocated the courage to visit every corner of the world to ensure all children are granted the humane environment that fosters equality and growth for all children. The vision statement empowers the organization to reach unreachable places for the sake of children. The organization’s operation coincides with the mission and vision to administer healthcare, education, nutrition, shelter, and clothing for all disadvantaged and marginalized children around the world.
UNICEF’S Service Delivery
UNICEF is a department under the larger United Nations; operating in over 190 territories globally, the organization possesses’ resource and influence that enable running of their activities and operations. The organization has representation in all the territories, physical offices, and staff deployed in all parts of the world. UNICEF’s operations go beyond charitable programs to innovative programs where they devise measures to curb future occurrences through forecasting, awareness creation, and policy drafting and proposals. The operations and existence of UNICEF have seen the transformation of lives among children; through the introduction of policies like the “zero tolerance” on all forms of gender and sexual abuse, there has been a significant drop in global sexual-based crimes against children and adolescents. The organization’s staff comprised of medical doctors, pharmacists and nutritionists have also seen the development of instant energy-giving components, that are fed to children facing starvation before special dieting is induced (Reuge et al., 2021). Over the years, the female child (girl-child) has been empowered by policies promoting equality in resource allocation, education, and equal opportunity. As a result, there has been a rise in school-going girls, and reduced early marriages, notably in Chad, Mali, and Burkina Faso for Africa and Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Syria for the Middle East nations.
Funding, Policies, and Legislations
The operation and day-to-day running of the organizations are dependent on two major factors; funding and policies. The operations of UNICEF require heavy monetary funding, due to the extremity that most of the projects have to go through to achieve their organizational mission and vision. For instance, reaching remote parts of the world requires the use of aircraft or ships than any other organization may not afford. In 2020 for instance the organization received approximately $7.2 billion, funds that were raised from voluntary donations from member nations governments and private donors; the USA, Germany, and the European Commission claimed the largest share of the donation (UNICEF, 2022). The funding is vital for the purchase of basic needs (food, medicine, and clothing), transportation costs, salaries and wages, recruitment and staff training, and all other forms of support deemed important by the organization.
Policies on the other hand ensure that all projects of the organization follow due diligence, in respect to this, the organization has a well-structured guideline for operations, principles, and code of ethics that govern UNICEF’s existence. The guidelines control all operations including; procurement (tendering and supply), recruitments, research, and data collection. The sole mandate of UNICEF is to protect The Rights of the Child as stipulated under the United Nations Convention (UNCRC). All projects and operations should be in the interest of the convection and for the well-fare of children (Macedo & Egry, 2021). The organization has also advocated for the enactment of policies that secure children, for example, the “zero tolerance” campaign that led to the amendment of punitive actions taken on offenders of children welfare, sexual and gender offenses precisely. The organization has published all the forty-two categories of the UNCRC; the children’s version on its website and ensures that their activities are aimed at spreading the information ad practicing the acts as well.
UNICEF’s Impact on the Society
The health programs that UNICEF does are but are not limited to; Maternal, newborn, and child survival, Child and adolescent healthcare, boosting immune systems, Health in emergencies, and humanitarian environments. It is true to say that the impact of the organization has been outstanding in the protection of children in different regions of the world. The organization has received global honors for its dedicated support and advocation for children’s well-being in 1965, 1989, and 2006 for the Nobel peace prize, the Indira Gandhi Prize, and the princess of Austria awards respectively. Unicef has established dispensaries and health centers for maternal mothers to deliver and conduct routine checks for their unborn babies. Moreover, the organization holds educational talks with young adults or adolescents on mental health, and sexual and reproductive health (SRH). During the covid-19 pandemic, UNICEF in conjunction with other humanitarian organizations and international health organizations like the WHO, Doctors Without Borders / Medecins Sans Frontieres, the CDC came together to shed light o the symptoms and actions to be taken for those that had signs of having contracted the disease (Reuge et al., 2021). Through the UNICEF website, measures to curb the spread of the virus were displayed in static, motion, and textual forms to spread the message about the effects of the disease.
Conclusion
UNICEF as an organization continues to touch the lives of many children across the world through its charitable and human programs all aiming at the well-being of children. the organization has been in existence for over 75 years and its existence rewarded multiply as noted earlier. The programs of the organization are driven by the mission and vision of the organization that drives their staff to go beyond limits to ensure every child gets an equal opportunity and quality of life. With funding from member countries’ governments and private donations, most of the organization’s programs have come to reality. Being a branch of the United Nations, the organization operates under internal policies, that govern their activities to ensure accountability and ethical uprightness of all their undertakings. The continued existence of uncertainties in the world for instance the covid-19 pandemic and the war between Ukraine and Russia call for more support to the organization (UNICEF) to help in the facilitation of aid for children trapped within the mixes of such calamity. The organization has improved its website to accommodate different countries in the world; the move aimed at increasing response time through the ease of communication.
References
Macedo, C. M., & Egry, E. Y. (2021). Conceptual frameworks for programs addressing violence against children: a scoping review. Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da USP, 55.
Reuge, N., Jenkins, R., Brossard, M., Soobrayan, B., Mizunoya, S., Ackers, J.,… & Taulo, W. G. (2021). Education response to COVID 19 pandemic, a special issue proposed by UNICEF: Editorial review. International Journal of Educational Development, 87, 102485.
UNICEF. (2022). Convention on the Rights of the Child. Web.
The United Nations Global Compact being an initiative which has played a major role in making sure that business organizations subscribe to policies which enhance social responsibilities has enacted some principles which have been able to bring companies together in ensuring a global sustainability. In addressing the integration of Hewlett Packard into the United Nations Global Compact, this paper will basically consider two principles.
The first principle will principle number six which focuses on labour standards and seeks to ensure that in all types of occupations and employments, discrimination should totally be done away with (Utting and Zammit 2006, 16). The next principle in focus will be the 9th principle which entails precautionary measures to be taken as companies approach challenges posed by the environment (UNGC 2010, 155) (a).
Business approaches
Hewlett Packard, in its undeterred ambition to providing cutting edge technology to the populations all over the world became a member of the United Nations Global Compact initiative in a bid to be in support of the ten principles. Some of the practices and approaches that the company can and has tried to follow concur with the principle of equity in labour distribution (Kell 2005, 33).
This has been a sad case in many companies who have been discriminating amongst color and origin. To incorporate this into the business system, the company must integrate transparency in its human resource system such that all workers feel respected. This too has to consider that the process of hiring and/or firing falls in under the same conditions where meritocracy is respected irrespective of skin color (UNGC & UNHCHR 2007, 41).
On the principle of environmental challenges, the Global Compact calls for all responsible factions within the organization respect the environment. This ranges from the way in which waste is disposed in the factories and assembly units, policies on recycling and gaseous emissions which can tend to bring up the now alarming global warming (UNGC 2010, 25) (a).
Implications of the approaches
On incorporating such practices into the management of Hewlett Packard, some issues are bound to come up. In the first place, not all people involved will be ready to corporate in enhancing the changes. Some feel that they have the power to pick the next GM and it would be difficult to bring about a system where merit comes first.
All branches of the company are expected to maintain a cleaner and greener environment by making sure that all recyclable material is utilized which calls for more efforts in waste collection and disposal particularly for those branches in third world countries. As much as it might appear difficult to adopt the practices, the end result will have boosted the face of the company to very big heights (Global Compact Critics 2008, 7).
Lessons learnt from the subscription
Subscribing to a certain set of principles is all good for a company. In the early days of such a procedure, the company undergoes some reaps which might affect production though this does not go on for long.
In the current era when the global warming impact is being felt worldwide, all parties tend to appreciate such efforts which then boosts the image of the company (UPMD 2010, 45). As companies engage themselves in making sure that the plights of the environment are respected, they should also consider assisting other less fortunate groups and not just their vicinity (GPFE, 2007, 66).
To all other companies who might be in the same industry, such challenges as they tend to occur should only be viewed as a stepping stone. Considering disposal of such waste as worn out monitors and keyboards which are biodegradable, the companies should feel obliged to protect the environment, as they are very dangerous to the environment. It is upon the management of each company to seek ways and means of ensuring that all employees understand the relevance of being in such a compact (Paul and Scerri, n.d, 56).
Benefits and risks
The major benefit that the company and its stakeholders get from this practice is a boost in its image. Also the company on joining hands with other companies to protect the environment will also be protecting its future and will have valuable benefits to the descendants and all other stakeholders (UNGC. 2010, 5) (b).
The only risk that can be posed is implementation squabbles which might tend to affect the companies productivity. The stakeholders should consider staying into focus with the business goals to avoid inconsiderate disintegration (Kell and Bart 2008, 12).
Recommendations
So as to make the principles effective, the local network should set up seminars and workshop which seek to educate the relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the 10 principles (Global Compact Critics 2007, 74). The people involved should try to make sure that all information is disbursed in clear and simple terms such that no party feels oppressed or neglected at the end of the day.
Apart from that, the local network should set out policies to the companies which subscribe to the principle which will ensure that they are implementing the principles like advertisements, sharing of information and holding joint events with other companies in pursuance of fulfillment of the principles. All the actions taken by the company should be tabled annually to the local compact directorate (UN Global Compact 2007, 46).
References
Global Compact Critics. 2007. “Global Compact’s real home should be at theGeneral Assembly of the UN.” Web.
Global Compact Critics. 2008. “UN’s new water advisor calls the Global Compact ‘bluewashing’.” Web.
Global Policy Forum Europe. (GPFE) 2007. “Whose Partnership for whose development?: Corporate Accountability in the UN System beyond the Global
Compact, Speaking Notes of a Hearing at the United Nations”. Web.
Kell, George. 2005. “The Global Compact: Selected Experiences and Reflection.” Journal of Business Ethics 59: 69–79.
Kell, George and Bart, Slob .2008. “UN Global Compact – Is the Compact raising corporate responsibility standards?” Ethical Corporation. Vol 6 15-22.
Paul, James and Andy, Scerri. “Accounting for Sustainability: Briefing Paper No. 1”. Web.
UN Global Compact. 2007. “joining forces for change: demonstrating innovation and Impact through un-business partnerships.” 2010. Web.
United Nations Global Compact. (UNGC) (a) 2010. “Local Networks.” Web.
United Nations Global Compact. (UNGC) (b) 2010. “What is the global compact?”. Web.
Any course of action taken to tackle the developments in this war torn Northern Africa country have to be based on the United Nation’s security mandate in peacekeeping operation within the country.
Every so often, these Security Council’s mandates are created within a general attitude that is usually neutral, consequently making a contradiction that has the possibility of destabilizing UN operations en bloc. In the case of this scenario presented, where the situation is volatile and deteriorating very fast, the only action left to take is to comply with the military faction leader’s orders to evacuate in the next 48 hours.
Despite the huge population of refuges, very few personnel to carry out the evacuation, and no sign of help coming from other sources, the UN peacekeeping force commander is left with no choice but to evacuate since the faction leader is known for his brutality in addition, buying of time through negotiations cannot provide for a solution to the issue. (Klinger, 2005)
This new turn of events will now change the initial mandate of the peacekeeping force, which was to protect displaced persons and assist in the safe return to their homes; support in demobilization of combatants after a peace treaty is agreed upon and signed by all warring parties.
The start of this war ten years ago has seen more displaced persons increasing such that the peacekeeping force cannot handle. As the commander, try to seek for help since the resources at hand are not able to handle the huge operation and the UN force’s mandate is not to engage in war but promote peace.
However, at the same time it is important to try and start of the evacuation so as to protect the people as their safety is vital, and avoid provoking the faction leader (Pushkina, 2006). Also as an added measure, reopen negotiation channels and try to buy some time to fully evacuate everyone to safety (Goulding, 2001; Bellamy & Williams, 2004).
The commander should include a specific timeframe of operations on the onset of evacuation of the displaced people from the provisional camp. In addition to this, recall as soon as possible the other 250 troops that form up your force to come and beef up your force so as to carry out swift and quick evacuation and avert any calamities (Cottey, 2008)
Reasons for taking this action:
A number of reasons warrant this kind of action, but key among them is the mandate of the United Nations of non-engagement in war. It would be wise for the peacekeeping commander in the northern African country to use the 1990 UN peacekeeping mission to Namibia as reference point for his plan of action.
This is due to the fact that it was successful and it was also carried out in an African country. African countries, more or less have the same underlying factors fueling their conflicts, for that reason, it would be vital to use some of the strong points from that particular mission.
The Namibian peacekeeping mission was successful due to “interests of the powerful states in the security council, the situational difficulty of the Namibian civil war and the ability of United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) to learn from, and adapt to the needs of the post-civil war environment” ( Horward, 2002).
In line with the United Nations mandate of impartiality, the rules of engagement have to be observed unless it is very necessary to engage in force. However, the situation is already volatile and deteriorating fast as evidenced with the 48 hour evacuation deadline issued (Norberg, 2003).
Impact of the action on:
Immediate crisis situation
The crisis situation as it stands is highly volatile and can degenerate at any time. Using the UN peacekeeping mission in the Congo as a case study, all indications in this situation show that an integral uncertainty may result between the Security Council’s mandate and the rules of engagement (ROE), consequently different interpretations may result. The clash will most likely come between the forces on the ground carrying out the exercise and the top brass in headquarters.
This is because the latter do not have a firsthand experience of what is going on and only rely on mandates, policies and mission statements to make their decisions, while the ground forces have to make decisions as per the changing situation on the ground (Klinger, 2005).Based on the nature of past United Nations Security Council incursions into conflict zones around the world, characterized with successes and some distressing results, the immediate crisis situation is bound to go either way.
This is due to the difference in opinions among council members and the lack of a feel of the actual territory in conflict. The application of impartiality in United Nations operations in conflict zones with mandates drawn up by the Security Council is a major player in determining the outcome of actions in a hot zone such as this (Boulden, 2005).
“The UN is a political organization with overtly political goals—the maintenance of international peace and security, for one—that suggest a need to take “partial” positions in situations that threaten international peace and security” (Boulden, 2005), with this in mind and the volatile political environment in the country, plus the different interests of the Security Council’s members, the immediate situation if not checked will deteriorate very rapidly.
This could be the case as the other strongman controlling the capital does not want to challenge the evacuation order, and the 1000 strong multinational force has not indicated any interest to offer any help.
UN reputation and legitimacy in general
The question whether the United Nations should maintain a standing military outfit to boost its peacekeeping missions is still a huge debate among the member countries. The scenario given, shows the need for an end to debates on whtehr to hav a millitary unit for the United Nations or not.
In this scenario we are faced with a faction leader who is known for his ruthlesness issuing an order for evacuation, the other faction leadaer who does not waant to interfere and a multinational 1000 strong army that does not feel obligated to offer any help to the UN force which has got only 100 personnel in the hot zone and not enough resources to carry out an operation of this magnitude. For the UN to uphold its legitimacy and reputation in general, the idea on whether to have a standing military should be fully addressed.
The Congo mission in particular, saw the UN go there as a peacekeeping force and not a “peace enforcement force”, thus it was not able to use force as the rules of engagement are against this. The use of force is firmly not allowed unless it is in self-defense. If there was a military unit ready to be deployed at anytime by the UN, then maybe its work as a peacekeeping force would be acknowledged and would be considerably easier than the situation on the ground now.
For future peace operations to be successful, past missions have to be carefully and extensively studied. Not all UN peacekeeping missions were success and not all failed. A point in case is the Namibian peace mission, headed by UNTAGS which was a huge success and a learning point for the Security Council. The United Nations peacekeeping in the Congo (1960-1964) is another vital learning lesson on how the failures could be studied and better methods borne out of them.
One of the key factors that led to the failure of the Congo peacekeeping mission was the “rise of different objectives of the precise objectives of the UN mission” (Klinger, 2005). This can also be related to the invasion of Iraq by the U.S. according to Klinger, this kind of reactions are as a result of the insistence “for policymakers, an absolute guarantee of sovereignty can conflict with other international goals of international security of human rights”.
Mission in the long run
The United Nations peace keeping has undergone a great evolution over the years, since the early twenties and grown from peacekeeping to a “forced development of peacekeeping” (Goulding, 2001).
According to Goulding, despite the Congo mission being described as a failure, it somehow succeeded in its objectives even though it served very huge costs- the death of Dag Hammarskjold. With this in mind and relating to the scenario at hand, there is need for a very delicate handling of the mission in the long run. Whether it will be a success or a failure is not known as the situation can detoriarate in an instance due to the dyanmics involved.
The initial mandate of the UN is peacekeeping therefore the use of force should be left as a last resort and will be up to th commander to take this decision since his forces are on the ground and are actually in the hot zone. Both the mandate and the ROE will be needed to analyse the situaion and take the necessary action to ensure a safe passage for the internally dispalced people (Goulding, 2001).
UN relations with the US and major regional arrangements
The UN recently has been negligent in its mandate of maintaining international peace and security recently. There is a constant growing need for peacekeeping operations around the world but the Security Council has toned down its operations and instead tried to cover this up by commissioning regional organizations, such as the African Union in Somalia to promote peace and security. This policy of disengagement has had a particularly adverse effect concerning conflicts in Africa (Taulbee, 2002).
In Africa, despite African peacekeeping forces being present in conflict zones, rebels in Sierra Leone briefly recaptured the capital in the process resulting in thousands of casualties; a bloody coup in the Comoros was witnessed and led to the withdrawal of forces; the same happened in Guinea-Bissau; the only positive observation can be seen from the Democratic Republic of the Congo where a coalition of southern African forces shielding Laurent Kabila have made progress.
The Ethiopian-Eritrean conflict has become unmanageable, with no regional outfit able to resolve the horrific conflict. An observation has been made where these regional organizations contribute to these conflicts (Feldman, 2008). To move forward and gain positive results and solutions to these conflicts, the United Nations Security Council must take responsibility for its actions and must adjust its mode of operation.
The Security Council’s lack of commitment and a huge reliance on regional organizations, is not only observed in Africa alone but all around the world. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, what was initially a UN mandate was taken up with a number of difficulties, by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) (Bellamy & Williams, 2004; Diehl, 1993).
Despite these setbacks, the Security Council should consolidate all the regional organizations and areas they are operating in such as Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) which has peacekeeping forces in Abkhazia, Georgia; NATO has taken over the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, and also is at the forefront in Bosnia and Kosovo; European Union (EU) has deployed military missions to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Macedonia; the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is working with French troops and UN personnel in the Ivory Coast.
There are also instances, where individual states have deployed military peace missions where the UN is not present in areas such as Sierra Leone where Britain has deployed missions, Italy in Albania, South Africa in Burundi, UN and France in Cote d’Ivoire and Australia in the Solomon Islands. An NGO – the Henry Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue – has even undertaken upon itself the running of an unarmed civilian peace operation in Aceh, Indonesia (Bellamy & Williams, 2004).
Conclusion
The United Nations should not continue with the sub-commissioning of regional organizations to carry out its mandate but consolidate all available resources so as to be able to carry out its peacekeeping mandate.
Another area of consideration, and which constantly generates much heated debate, is whether or not to form a UN military unit to beef up its operations. This is due to situations where the mandate and the rules of engagement compounded with situations on the ground in conflict zones for example the Congo; all create variable dynamics which can either result to be a successful mission or a devastating failure.
For that reason, it strengthens the need for intensification in the scope of the mission of UN Blue Helmets and a creation of a military wing or a ready reserve of troops, who are stationed with their respective countries but are on standby for the UN at any given time.
References
Bellamy, A & Williams, P, 2004, ‘Conclusion: What Future for Peace Operations? Brahimi and Beyond’, International Peacekeeping, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 183–212.
Boulden, J 2005, ‘Mandates Matter: An Exploration of Impartiality in United Nations Operations’, Global Governance, vol. 11, pp. 147–160.
Cottey, A, 2008, ‘Beyond humanitarian intervention: the new politics of peacekeeping and intervention,’ Contemporary Politics, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 429-446.
Diehl, F, 1993, ‘Institutional Alternatives to Traditional U.N. Peacekeeping: An Assessment of Regional and Multinational Options,’ Armed Forces & Society, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 209-31.
Feldman, R, 2008, ‘Problems Plaguing the African Union Peacekeeping Forces,’ Defense & Security Analysis, vol. 24, no. 3, pp. 267-279.
Goulding, M 1993, ‘The Evolution of United Nations Peackeeping’, International Affairs, vol. 69, no. 3, pp. 451–464.
Horward, L 2002, ‘UN PeaceImplementation in Namibia: The Causes of Sucess’, International Peackeeping, vol. 9, no. 1, pp. 99–132.
Klinger, J, 2005, ‘Stabilization Operations and Nation Building: Lessons from United Nations Peacekeeping in the Congo 1960-1964’, The Fletcher Forum of World Affairs, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 183–212.
Norberg, H, 2003 ‘Challenges of Peace Operations.’ International Peacekeeping, vol. 10, no. 4, pp.94-103.
Pushkina, D, 2006, ‘A Recipe for Success? Ingredients of a Successful Peacekeeping Mission’, International Peacekeeping, vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 133-49.
Taulbee, L, 2002, ‘The Privatization of Security: Modern Conflict, Globalization and Weak States,’ Civil Wars, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 1-24.
Maintaining world peace has been a priority for many nations since the twentieth century when the world experienced a lot of conflicts. The two world wars had far reaching effects and it is out of this concern that European powers saw it necessary to curb any further occurrence of war.
The UN organization was formally established in 1945 when world war two came to an end. The main reason behind its formation was to maintain world peace. Besides this, the UN also performs other functions in the social and economic spheres. For example, it aims at promoting human rights by ensuring that they are not abused.
It also aims at encouraging economic development through the World Bank and other financial institutions that provide economic support and advisory services on development issues.
The Security Council is one of the most important organs of the United Nations and it has the mandate to safeguard international peace by ensuring that there is enough security in the world. Its powers and functions are stipulated in the charter of UN. The Security Council is made up of fifteen members and five of them have a permanent membership.
The five members have veto powers, while the remaining ten members are elected. “The five permanent members of the Security Council include China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States”. All countries willing to join UN must accept the terms and principles of the UN, before they can be granted membership. The UN has tried to maintain world order through the following mechanisms.
The UN has been applying peaceful settlement of disputes as one of its key strategies of dealing with international disputes. In this case, it applies peaceful methods of conflict resolution which include the following. “Negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, or resort to regional agencies or arrangements”.
The Security Council does not intervene in all disputes but it has to assess the seriousness of the disputes first before it intervenes. The Security Council can take various actions to solve disputes once it has decided to do so.
The Security Council can also use various sanctions to deal with aggressive nations. There are no specific sanctions stipulated in the charter, but the Security Council mostly applies economic sanctions against aggressive nations. Economic sanctions may involve total or partial disruption of economic ties and communication.
Economic sanctions are always used to isolate aggressive nations from the rest. These sanctions deny them access to strategic materials and services, hence they are compelled to stop being aggressive. Economic sanctions if well implemented, have the advantage of not causing much burden to the countries that assist in their implementation. Unlike military sanctions, economic sanctions do not expose the people in the conflict regions to a lot of danger.
Apart from economic sanctions, military sanctions can also be applied. “This may include demonstrations by air, sea, or land forces; blockade; or other operations by air, sea, and land forces, the latter including actual military action against the offending country or countries”.
Members of UN have the obligation to carry out the sanctions that have been set by the Security Council. In 1963, the council applied an arms embargo in South Africa on the basis that the government was using the arms supplied to the country to enhance apartheid policy. In 1977 the same measure was taken against South Africa. In 1989, the General Assembly passed another economic sanction against South Africa.
During the Gulf War of 1990, the Security Council advised Iraq to withdraw its troops that occupied various towns in Kuwait. Since Saddam Hussein was not willing to withdraw his troops from Kuwait, the Security Council imposed serious sanctions against his government.
In this case, Iraq was banned from participating in International Trade. “Finally, on 25 September, the council passed Resolution 670 mandating a complete air transport blockade of Iraq”. This was followed by serious air strikes which saw the defeat of Iraq in the war, and the dispute was finally settled. This was one of the most serious military sanctions that the Security Council has ever successfully implemented.
In 1991, an arms embargo was imposed on Yugoslavia by the Security Council. This was done in order to quell the tension between ethnic communities in that country. “The Security Council, in Resolution 757, imposed mandatory trade sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, excepting only shipments of food and medicine for humanitarian purposes”.
Libya has also been a victim of sanctions. In 1992 it faced an air traffic embargo when the government was accused of protecting its two citizens that had allegedly participated in the Lockerbie bombing. Currently, Libya is facing military sanctions owing to the escalating protests in the country, following President Gadaffi’s refusal to quit office.
Peace keeping is also another method commonly used by UN to restore peace in troubled regions. This process began during the Cold War period. Many peace keeping missions were conducted in 1990s in countries such as Rwanda, Bosnia and Burundi. Recently, there was a peace keeping mission in Ivory Coast by UN soldiers.
Disarmament programs have also been conducted by the Security Council to prevent nations from being aggressive. This has not been an easy task since countries like Iran and North Korea are still participating in nuclear programs. However, some countries have been cooperative in this area.
The role of maintaining world peace has not been an easy task for the United Nations. This is because of the challenges it has faced since its inception. Some of these challenges can be discussed as follows. Peace keeping missions require a lot of logistic support and this has really strained the meager resources allocated for such activities.
For example, the UN does not have enough soldiers and it always rely on soldiers from member countries. This has actually affected its capacity to deal with conflicts properly.
Poor funding has sometimes crippled its capacity to maintain peace. The UN relies on funds from donors who some times fail to support some of its programs related to maintaining peace. Some member states have also failed to submit their financial contributions for along time. This has generally led to its failure to implement some of its decisions.
The numerous cases of conflict have strained the resources of the UN. For example, cases of terrorism especially in the Arab countries like Iraq have been very difficult to deal with. The current wave of revolution in the Arab world is also proving difficult to handle.
The permanent members have been accused of using the Security Council to achieve their own interests. For example, it has been alleged that the UN is only keen on protecting the oil rich nations which are of strategic importance to the developed countries yet it is not keen on restoring order in poor countries like Rwanda.
Some members have also suggested that the concept of permanent membership should be abolished. “Permanent members have also been accused of using their veto powers to strike down measures that run contrary to their individual national interests”. In addition to these, some of its members have also failed to honor its principles.
Even though the UN has faced some challenges, it has however tried to contain various conflicts that may interfere with international peace and security. The above mentioned challenges should therefore be solved in order to make it more effective in maintaining world security.
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