What the United nations can and can't do?

Question

In terms of their power to stop a country from doing something (like child soldiers) or to make a country do something (like provide education).

Answer 1

The United Nations (UN) is an international organization that describes itself as a "global association of governments facilitating co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, and social equity." It was founded in 1945 at the signing of the United Nations Charter by 51 countries, replacing The League of Nations which was founded in 1919.

As of 2006 there exist 192 United Nations member states, including virtually all internationally recognised independent states. From its headquarters in New York City, the UN's member countries and specialized agencies give guidance and decide on substantive and administrative issues in regular meetings held throughout each year. The organization is divided into administrative bodies, including the UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, UN Economic and Social Council, UN Trusteeship Council, UN Secretariat, and the International Court of Justice, as well as counterpart bodies dealing with the governance of all other UN system agencies, such as the WHO and UNICEF. The UN's most visible public figure , acting also as the representative of the body, is the Secretary-General, currently being Kofi Annan.

The UN was founded after the end of World War II by the victorious allied powers with the hope that it would act to prevent and intervene in conflicts between nations and make future deadly wars impossible or limited, by fostering an ideal compromised of collective security. The organization's structure still reflects in some ways the circumstances of its founding. For example, the five permanent members of the Security Council, with veto power, are the five main victors of World War II or their successors: People's Republic of China (which replaced the Republic of China), France, Russia (which replaced the Soviet Union), the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Answer 2

The UN doesn't have a standing army.  UN military units are made up of troops from countries which 'donate' them, usually instead of their UN dues.  This is why countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Guatemala, Brazil, etc. produce so many UN troops.  The UN can't deploy these troops at will - the Security Council has to authorize it.

This is why UN troops are mostly sent to non-controversial missions, like stabilizing African countries coming out of civil wars.

Answer 3

Don't know UN has never really done anything only does can't do as far as I can tell

Can you think of one good thing for mankind the UN has done just 1???????????????????

didn't think so

Answer 4

The Security Council can pass resolutions, condemning and condemning... but it can also pass economic sanctions (trade embargoes etc) and even decide for a military action against a country. But the effectiveness of these measures depends mostly on the good will (interest) of individual countries to implement them.

The main issue is that in the Security Council every decision must be passed without the opposition of it's permanent members (USA, UK, France, China and Russia) - so if only one of them votes against (like the USA does many times with resolutions against Israel), the resolution cannot be passed.

Answer 5

They CAN'T Do anything but.......they CAN spend billions saying they do....

Answer 6

I like to compare the UN with the Articles of Confederation.  The member states sent representatives to Congress, that were appointed by the governments of the states.  They were not elected by the people.  The congress had no power to collect taxes from the people, but had to rely on the good will of the states to pay the taxes levied.  The United States under the articles, had no power to enforce the laws Congress passed.  They had to rely on the good intentions of the states to do that for them.

That is why the Articles were succeeded by the Constitution which now governs us.

Answer 7

The United Nations as such, through its General Assembly, Social and Economic Council, Secretariat, programs and funds, can help as much as they can by providing  "guidelines" or direct help to countries for a better economy, health and/or education.  They certainly can't force the country to adopt these guidelines, but the country should, to comply with the letter of the United Nations, by which they commit to do so.  If they don't, nothing really happens, but the country's reputation in the international environment could be damaged.

However, when it comes to the resolutions passed by the Security Council, these are mandatory.  If their resolutions are not complied, this could mean certain measures to be taken by the international community against that (those) country(ies).  Their resolutions are only passed if peace is being affected or could be affected by XXXX actions.

Something important is to understand that the UN is not a "world government".  It is more like a big parliment, where the common goal is to keep world peace and help countries develop.  They cannot enforce any country to do anything. All the member states are there by their own will.