Category United Nations

Which Organisation has completed 75 years in 2020?

The United Nations marked its 7th anniversary recently. It was founded in 1945 after the Second World War, with the aim of maintaining peace in the post war world. Headquartered in Manhattan, New York, the UN is currently made up of 193 member states.

Role of the UN

Thanks to the powers vested in its Charter which came into force on October 24, 1945, the UN can take action on issues such as peace and security, sustainable development, climate change, human rights, disarmament terrorism. food production and gender equality among others.

The big six

The UN fulfils its responsibilities through its six main organs: the UN General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council the International Court of Justice and the Secretariat The UN General Assembly is the deliberative body of the UN. Every September, the entire UN membership meets at the UN Headquarters to discuss issues affecting world peace and security. However, UNGA cannot make binding decisions or enforce them, the authority for which rests with the Security Council.

Security Council members

There are five permanent members: China, Russia, the US the U.K. and France (the victors of WWII). The Security Council also has 10 non-permanent Seats that rotate between other countries every two years. It is responsible for peacefully resolving conflicts and preventing the outbreak of war.

Time for reforms?

Although the UN system has been successful in a number of peacekeeping operations and in addressing several global issues, it has also been criticised for its inefficiency and lack of transparency. Amidst allegations of mismanagement and corruption, there have been many calls for its reform. It has long been felt that the current Security Council lacks legitimacy, is outdated (reflecting the power centres of 1945) and out of sync with the changed global realities and that it requires comprehensive reforms to address contemporary challenges and a strong multilateralism that gives voice to all stakeholders. The exclusive right of the five permanent members of the Council to veto any decision of the UN has long been a subject of controversy. Perceived as an undemocratic arrangement this has been cited as the main reason for UN’s inaction on crimes against humanity.

India’s demand

India has been demanding for a permanent seat on the Council. It expects to use its eighth two year term as a non permanent member which starts in Jan 2021. To further build its case for a permanent seat in a reformed Security Council, something that it has been pushing for years now along with other claimants such as Japan Germany and Brazil -the G-4.

 

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Which institution in India works with the UNESCO to achieve its educational goals?

UNESCO has always strived to refine and redefine education. The Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development (MGIEP) was set up for the same purpose.

MGIEP is an educational research institute that was established in 2012 in Delhi. The institute works to implement education for building up a peaceful and sustainable society.

Various research programmes are carried out by the institute. For instance, it recently conducted a study to find out the effect of peace education. It also uses the help of the internet to conduct online campaigns.

The work of MGIEP is done in collaboration with the United Nations University in Japan. Dr. Anantha Kumar Duraiapparh, an experienced environmental development economist is the director of the institute.

 

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How many UNESCO World Heritage Sites are there in India?

UNESCO has marked the important places with cultural and natural heritage as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 38 World Heritage Sites are located in India. Taj Mahal, the Sun Temple at Konark, Khajuraho monuments, Hampi and Ajanta caves are some of the most famous among them.

India comes sixth in the list of countries with the maximum number of World Heritage Sites. Out of the 38, 30 are cultural sites. India has six natural world heritage sites too.

India has also got one mixed-criteria site which has both natural and cultural elements- the Khangchendzonga National Park. This national park is home to many endemic plants and animals. It also contains an important Buddhist monastery.

 

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Who addressed the UN General Assembly in Hindi?

While most of the Indian leaders chose to deliver speeches at the UN General Assembly in English, Atal Bihari Vajpayee chose to do something else.

Though Vajpayee was fluent in English, he spoke to the General Assembly in Hindi! Imagine delivering a speech in Hindi at the UN General Assembly, where there are representatives from across the world and English is the dominant mode of communication.

It was the first time an Indian leader addressed the UN in Hindi, or any other language other than English. Vajpayee was making clear India’s stand on various issues like nuclear disarmament, state-sponsored terrorism and reforms. Between 1977 and 2003, Vajpayee had addressed the General Assembly seven times.

 

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Why is Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit famous?

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit made her way into the history of the United Nations when she went on to become the first ever female president of the UN General Assembly.

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit became the president for a year from September, 1953 after Lester B Pearson, the famous Canadian diplomat. Before representing India in the United Nations, she worked as India’s ambassador to the Soviet Union, the United States, Mexico, Ireland and Spain. She began working for the UN in 1946 and in 1979, she was appointed as the Indian representative of the UN Human Rights Commission.

India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was her brother.

 

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Who heads the activities of UNICEF India?

Dr. Yasmin Ali Haque joined as India’s UNICEF Representative in July 2017. She is responsible to make sure that the rights of the underprivileged children are taken care of. She coordinates the efforts of the UN to transform the lives of children by ensuring quality education, and sufficient nutrition.

Before coming to India, Yasmin worked as the Deputy Director of the UNICEF’s Office of Emergency Operations. She played a major role in formulating the policies for effective response to children during times of crisis. She is also noted for being the first UNICEF representative in South Sudan. She had also worked in Bangladesh, Ghana and Sri Lanka.

 

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