United Nations, focused on international law Essay

United Nations, focused on international law - Essay Example At the end of World War II, fifty-one countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security established the UN on 24th October 1945. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN and its membership totals 191 countries.Each member country has to obligate to all the requirements of the UN charter. This charter is an international treaty designed to protect future generations from the scourge and curse of war and written to affirm fundamental human rights. The purposes of the United Nations, as set forth in the Charter, are to maintain international peace and security; to develop friendly relations among nations; to cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms; and to be a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these ends.The United Nations comprises of six main bodies. Five of them - the General Assemb ly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council and the Secretariat - are based at UN Headquarters in New York. The sixth, the International Court of Justice, is located at The Hague in the Netherlands.The General Assembly makes decisions on the key issues and world's most pressing problems, and is represented by each member nation with the account of one vote each. The Security Council carries out decisions pertaining to international peace and security. ... There are certain other UN offices and programmes that work to improvise the living conditions of the world and the people on the whole. Two such important offices to mention are United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF). The UNESCO was founded in November 1945 with the aim to build peace in the world through knowledge, social progress, exchange and mutual understanding among peoples. The UNICEF was created in December 1946 by the United Nations to provide food, clothing and health care to European children facing famine and disease in the aftermath of the Second World War. Their mandate is to advocate for the protection of children's rights, to help meet their basic needs and to expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. The UN provides the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies on matters affecting all of us. In this process, all the Member States have a right to be heard and to cast a vote, irrespective of their size, wealth and economic positions, political views and social systems. UN and International Law As per its prime objective of maintaining peace and security throughout the world, and managing and resolving any conflicts arising out of international disputes, United Nations has undertaken the progressive codification and development of international law by forming a comprehensive body of international law. The over 500 conventions, treaties and standards resulting from this work have provided a framework for promoting international peace and security and economic and social development. They legally bind states that