Transcript United Nations Review

The United Nation Project
• Goal is to
Understand how the UN functions
Research one particular country in detail (Ambassador)
Enact a student run model UN
Understand how one writes a resolution
Debate each countries resolution in small groups, the General Assembly
and the Security Council
o To have fun
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• Each of you will be assigned a UN Country
• Research as much as possible about country
• Last part of year is the Model UN—3-4 weeks long
Reasons Countries want to Cooperate
…Again
•
WWII
1.
2.
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60-65 million people are
killed as a result of the war
Brutality of the war hits
home
The Holocaust
3. 6-10 million people are
killed
4. Yet the manner of their
death is the most
disturbing
5. Killed in organized
brutal fashion by
“civilized”country
Results of War—for cooperation
1. Countries hope
such destruction
will never happen
again
2. Believe
cooperation might
prevent such
devastation in the
future
3. United Nations
founded in April
1945
The United Nations
• First Meeting April, ‘45 in San Francisco
• Member Nations agree to submit disputes
to the United Nations for resolution
United Nations
Structure
Security Council
15 Members
5 Permanent
Secretariat:
Secretary
General
KofiKi
Annan
Ban
Moon
General
Assembly
Of
Nations
Economic
And Social
Council
International
Court of Justice
The Hague,
The Netherlands
Trusteeship
Council
[Defunct]
Function of the General Assembly
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A representative from each member nation: One
vote per country (~193 members)
Recommendations sent to the Security Council for
final decisions
Purpose of General Assembly is to discuss matters
within the scope of the UN Charter
Cannot force individual nations to comply with
recommendation--but recommendations carry
weight
Sets policies and recommends action for UN
Important: The Security Council
1. Fifteen Members
2. Five Permanent
Member Nations:
• Great Britain
• France
• Russia
• The United States
• China
Important: Security Council Responsibilities
1. Investigate conflicts that • Decisions passed by
threaten peace
the following
2. Decides on what action
equation:
the United Nations will
• 9+ “yea” votes
take
• ALL permanent
3. Can impose economic
members must vote
sanctions
“yea”
4. Inspection teams
5. Peacekeeping forces
The Economic and Social Counc
1. Promotes economic
growth in developing
countries
2. Works to improve human
rights in all countries
3. Works with many
countries in improving
social condition
o Housing
o Environmental protection
o Crime prevention
The International Court of Justice
1. Settles legal disputes between
member states
2. Ruled by 15 judges elected by
General Assembly and Security
Council
3. Gives advisory opinions to the
Security Council
The Secretariat
1. Does the
administrative
work of the UN
2. Carries out the
day to day tasks
for the other five
organs of the UN
3. Headed by the
Secretary
General Ban Kimoon
What issues does the UN deal with
• Refugees
o Syria, Congo, Afghanistan, etc.
• Aids/international
health issues
o Bird flu, etc.
• Terrorism
o Who decides what a terrorist is?
• Boarder disputes
• Resources
o Water shortages, forest
depletion, desertification
• Human Rights
• Nuclear power
o For war/for weapons
• International violence
o Syria, Afghanistan, Central
Africa
• Climate change
o IPCC reports
• Rights of
Children/women
• Poverty
International Conflicts
• http://www.bbc.com/n
ews/world-europe32425602
• https://www.youtube.c
om/watch?v=E8LrHJ0M
6is
• http://www.bbc.com/n
ews/world-asia-pacific11341139
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Ukraine and Russia
Israel and Palestinians
Japan China
Syrian conflict
Etc.,
Women Issues
• Rape as a War Crime
• Abuse
• Female genital
mutilation
• http://www.un.org/app
s/news/story.asp?NewsI
D=45529
•
http://www.undispatch
.com/married-at-aged13-i-was-destroyed-byearly-marriage
• http://spartandaily.co
m/118840/femalegenital-mutilationquietly-rising
Diseases
• Mers
• Ebola
• Cooperation
• http://www.un.org/app
s/news/story.asp?NewsI
D=50667#.VT7kb2d0wd
U
• http://www.un.org/app
s/news/story.asp?NewsI
D=47650
Others issues
• Piracy in Asia and Africa http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27114548
• Conflict material in the Congo
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-29/secs-conflict-mineral-rules-are-in-limbo-a-monthbefore-deadline
• Slave labor/ prostitution http://www.globalresearch.ca/global-humantrafficking-a-modern-form-of-slavery/5377853
• Iran/North Korea Nuclear programs
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http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-11709428
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/northkorea/nuclear_pro
gram/index.html
• Climate change
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http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/14/science/earth/un-climate-panel-warns-speedier-action-isneeded-to-avert-disaster.html
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47471
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/03/31/297092061/u-n-report-raises-climate-changewarning-points-to-opportunities
• Endangered animals/habitat
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http://news.discovery.com/animals/endangered-species/un-court-orders-japan-to-end-antarcticwhale-hunt-140331.htm
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47403