Fact Sheet 3 - Reforming the United Nations

In the last century over 80 million human beings died in two terrible world wars. The victors of WW II established the United Nations so war would never occur again. However, they also intended to protect their own national interests.

According to its Charter, adopted in October 1945, the objectives of the U.N. are "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war ... to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights ... to promote social progress and better standards of life ... and for these ends to practice tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighbours ... and to ensure ... that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest".

The record of the UN shows that these high ideals have often not been met The UN is not saving people from scourge of war and International relations are not governed by the UN Charter's purposes and principles.

There are many criticisms of the UN. Some say that throughout its history, the UN has been at various times either a vehicle for the major powers to promote their own self-interest, or an ineffective irrelevance. Others have described the UN as an arm of the US State Department.

If this were correct, why since early 1970s has the US used the veto power nearly 50 times, more than all other permanent members combined?

Why has the US withheld UN funding? Why has the US recently attacked, undermined and bypassed the UN?

A vital campaign

The UN has the same problems, contradictions and possibilities as the world in which it exists.

If we believe that the United States and the transnational corporations will rule the world, the UN has little relevance or value. If we believe that the law of jungle will prevail and that might is right, then the UN has little use for the peoples of world.

But if we are confident there is an ultimately stronger force coming into existence, then the fight to preserve, reform and strengthen the UN is a vital campaign. And we did see that force in its beginnings in February 2003 -- the "super power" of peace and the anti-globalisation forces.

We should not and cannot relinquish multilateralism.

We should not and cannot relinquish the United Nations.

We should not and cannot relinquish struggle for a world of peace, justice, equality and development for all.

UN achievements

We should acknowledge that the UN does some excellent work. This includes:

• UNICEF spends more than $800 million a year, primarily on immunization, health care, nutrition and basic education in 138 countries.
• The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) provides credit (often very small amounts) for the poorest and most marginalised groups, benefitting over 230 million people in nearly 100 developing countries.
• As a direct result of UN efforts, over 60 % adults in developing countries can now read and write and the female literacy rate has risen from 36% in 1970 to 56% in 1990.
• Over two million tons of food are distributed annually by the World Food Program which provides two-thirds of the world's food aid each year.
• Through UN agencies safe drinking water has been made available to 1.3 billion people in rural areas during the last decade.
• World Health Organisation efforts resulted in the eradication of smallpox.
• The International Labour Organisation (ILO) works to defend and extend rights to association, organise and collective bargaining, to protect the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples, to promote equal pay, and to eliminate discrimination and child labour.
• The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provides over 200,000 weather forecasts every day and has saved millions from the effects of natural and man-made disasters. Reforming the United Nations

We need to become involved in the international debate on what reforms are required and in the struggle to achieve them.

Just a small list of the reforms includes:

• Reform the UN's administrative system.
• Select the UN term Secretary-General on the basis of identifiable criteria
• Reinstate the powers of the General Assembly so that it becomes a serious decision-making forum
• Increase the membership (permanent and/or non-permanent) of the UN Security Council and make it more inclusive, democratic and transparent.
• Eliminate the veto, allow more countries to have the right to veto, or require that more than one country veto to make it effective.

The challenge facing us

The argument to retain and reform the United Nations was summed up in a statement by the Cuban representative to the UN who said:

"We passionately defend respect for the principles of international law, which have guided relations among all of the world's countries for more than half a century. What would we have left to defend ourselves in the future if we poor countries were no longer able to rely on such principles as respect for sovereignty and self-determination, the sovereign equality of all States and non-interference in the internal affairs of other nations? How could we call on the international community to protest a threat against one of our countries if those principles, which are today systematically and flagrantly violated, were to be struck from the Charter of the United Nations?

"We believe it is necessary to defend the United Nations, now more than ever. We defend the need for its existence as much as we do the need to democratise it. The challenge facing us is that of reforming the United Nations so that it serves the interests of all nations equally."

By Dr Hannah Middleton
Co-Convenor, Sydney peace and Justice Coalition

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