The UN governance system

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From the course by University of Geneva

International Organizations Management

76 ratings

University of Geneva

International Organizations Management

76 ratings

This course provides an introduction to International Organizations and the United Nations, and explores how business and management tools can be applied in these settings to achieve better, more effective results. With a focus on cross-sector partnerships in a changing world, the course offers you insights into the inner workings of international organizations and the challenges they face today. It will introduce you to effective, state-of-the art management tools and principles to help you lead change in this world – taught by senior staff of international organizations themselves. This is an introductory course offered by the International Organizations MBA (IO-MBA) of the University of Geneva, an executive program for change-makers in international organizations, NGOs and social ventures.

From the lesson

Introduction to International Organizations

In the first module of our course on International Organizations Management, we provide an overview of the historical context and different ways of classifying international organizations in today's contemporary world. We will focus in particular on the United Nations – its origins, purposes, mandate, structure and activities – as the most important inter-governmental organization that coordinates global action on peace and security, humanitarian protection, human rights, and economic and social development.

The UN Charter and basic principles11:12

The UN governance system6:57

Meet the Instructors

Gilbert Probst
Professor, Organization and Management
Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences
Sebastian Buckup
Visiting professor
International Organizations MBA
Bruce Jenks
Visiting professor
International Organizations MBA
Stephan Mergenthaler
Visiting professor
International Organizations MBA
Cassandra Quintanilla
Teaching and research assistant
International Organizations MBA
Lea Stadtler
Research Fellow
Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences
Claudia Gonzalez Romo
Visiting professor
International Organizations MBA
Julian Fleet
Visiting professor
International Organizations MBA
Tina Ambos
Academic Director of the International Organizations MBA
Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences

The UN Charter itself sets out not only

the rules of conduct and interaction between

member states of the United Nations but also,

as I said earlier,

the structure of the organization itself.

There are six principal organs of

the United Nations set out and described in the UN Charter.

They are, as you know,

the United Nations General Assembly,

the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council,

the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice,

and sixth, the UN Secretariat itself.

Those interested in taking a look more deeply in detail at the structure of

the United Nations need only surf the web and go on the UN website and look at

the organizational chart and organogram provided on the UN website of

the structure of the entire organization with all its specialized agencies and programs.

Now, let's take a look at just a few of the main organs of the United Nations.

We begin of course with the General Assembly.

The principal obligations of UN member states

relate to the General Assembly and also the Security Council.

The General Assembly's composition, functions,

and powers are set out in Chapter 4,

articles 9 through 22.

It is what you could call the UN's plenary body.

In that, it includes all UN member states.

It has its annual meeting in September every year in New York at the UN headquarters,

and any of you who may have been in New York City at the time of

a general assembly meeting with all the heads of states or so many heads of states

present and their motorcades are undoubtedly familiar with

the incredible gridlock on the streets of

New York City during the time of the General Assembly sessions.

The General Assembly has the power "to discuss

any question within the scope of the charter".

Each state gets, as I said earlier one vote, in the assembly,

but decisions require two-thirds majority vote of the members present in voting.

Although the General Assembly has wide scope over its subject matter,

its authority is limited to making recommendations or resolutions or declarations,

making these to the Secretary-General,

to the member states, to specialized agencies.

And if you work in a UN agency,

even if you have your own separate governing board,

it's of course difficult to say no to

a resolution or request coming from the General Assembly.

I can remember working in UNAIDS and a General Assembly resolution coming in December,

just at the holiday time in December 2005,

asking UNAIDS to conduct global consultations in every region of the world on

promoting achieving universal access to

HIV prevention and treatment programs in communities,

cities and towns, countries all around the world.

And we had to do this by April of the following year.

I had the privilege of leading the team that worked on

this effort and provided our report to the Secretary-General which we did

deliver by April on time to

the Secretary-General on universal access to HIV prevention and treatment.

The request from the General Assembly comes in the form of a recommendation.

It's not legally binding,

but those of us working in the UN are quick to carry them out.

Nonetheless, I should emphasize that the work of the General Assembly,

its resolutions, its declarations are again not legally binding and certainly,

not legally binding on the member states.

The impact of the General Assembly comes more from its moral pulpit,

its political currency than from any legally binding nature of its work.

Scholars have described the mandate of the General Assembly,

the power of the General Assembly,

as "broad but shallow".

At the same time,

quite a number of the General Assembly's resolutions have had

huge impact on the world and of all of us living in it.

I think, for example,

of the Universal Declaration of

Human Rights that was launched from a General Assembly resolution in 1948.

And was followed by treaties,

conventions in the area of human rights that are legally binding.

The General Assembly itself structures

its work through six committees known by their numbers.

The first committee works on Disarmament and International Security,

the second committee on Economic and Financial Affairs,

the third committee on Social,

Humanitarian, and Cultural issues.

The fourth committee on Special Political issues and Decolonization,

the fifth committee on Administrative and Budgetary matters,

quite important for those of us working in agencies and organizations in the UN.

The sixth committee being the Legal Committee dealing with international legal matters.

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