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UN Main Organs Overview

Sep 30, 2025

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Overview

This lecture explains the history, structure, and primary functions of the United Nations (UN), focusing on its six main organs and their roles in international diplomacy.

History and Creation of the UN

  • Post-World War I, the League of Nations was formed to prevent future wars but was ineffective due to lack of U.S. participation.
  • After World War II, nations formed a stronger organization—the United Nations—on October 24, 1945, to better maintain global peace.
  • The UN Charter was ratified by the main Allied powers and other countries, officially starting UN operations.

Principal Organs of the UN

  • The UN has six principal organs: General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, International Court of Justice, Secretariat, and Trusteeship Council.
  • Most organs are based at UN Headquarters in New York, except the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

General Assembly

  • The General Assembly is the main deliberative body with representatives from all member states.
  • It manages international peace, member admissions, and the budget, requiring a two-thirds majority for major issues.
  • The Assembly's president is elected yearly, often from smaller states.

Security Council

  • Responsible for maintaining international peace and security, the Council has 15 members: 5 permanent and 10 rotating.
  • The permanent members (P5) are the United States, UK, France, Russia, and China, each with veto power.
  • Resolutions passed are binding on all member states; the Council can impose sanctions, authorize peacekeeping, and permit force use.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

  • Oversees global economic, social, environmental, and development issues.
  • Composed of 54 members elected for three-year terms; supervises 30 subsidiary bodies.

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

  • The UN's judicial branch, rules on international law disputes and provides advisory opinions.
  • Composed of 15 judges from different states, elected for nine-year terms; jurisdiction relies on state consent.

Secretariat

  • Handles UN's daily operations and missions, led by the Secretary-General.
  • The Secretary-General is nominated by the Security Council and elected by the General Assembly for a five-year term.

Trusteeship Council

  • Originally supervised 11 trust territories; guided them to independence or self-government.
  • Became inactive in 1994 but may redefine its role, potentially for environmental oversight.

Key Terms & Definitions

  • General Assembly — Main discussion body for all UN members, handling major policy issues.
  • Security Council — Organ with binding authority over peace and security matters, includes five permanent members with veto power.
  • Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) — Coordinates economic, social, and related work of the UN.
  • International Court of Justice (ICJ) — Main judicial body resolving international legal disputes.
  • Secretariat — Administrative branch led by the Secretary-General, manages daily UN functions.
  • Trusteeship Council — Oversaw trust territories’ transition to self-government, now inactive.

Action Items / Next Steps

  • Review the six main organs of the UN for further study.
  • Familiarize yourself with recent and historical UN Security Council resolutions.
  • Optional: Research current Secretary-General and ongoing UN missions.

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