October 24, 2025, marks the celebration of United Nations Day and the 80th anniversary of the UN’s establishment.
History of the UN Foundation
- Early Efforts for Peace (1899–1902)
- 1899: The International Peace Conference in The Hague aimed to prevent wars, settle crises peacefully, and establish warfare rules.
- 1902: The Permanent Court of Arbitration was established, later influencing the UN International Court of Justice.
- League of Nations (1919)
- Created under the Treaty of Versailles after World War I to promote international cooperation and ensure peace.
- The International Labour Organization (ILO) was also founded under the Treaty as an affiliated agency.
- Origin of the United Nations Name (1942)
- Coined by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- The Declaration by United Nations (1942) was signed by 26 nations, pledging to fight against Axis Powers (Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis) and prohibiting separate peace treaties.
- Formation of the United Nations (1945):
- United Nations Conference on International Organization (San Francisco, USA)led to the signing of the United Nations Charter, the foundational treaty of the UN as an intergovernmental organization.
About United Nations (UN)
- The United Nations (UN) is an international organization founded on October 24, 1945, to promote peace, security, human rights, and development. It currently has 193 Member States and serves as a global platform for international cooperation.
- The UN Charter of 1945 is the foundational treaty of the United Nations, as an intergovernmental organization.
- Main Organs of the UN
Timeline Of Key Reforms in the UN
- 1997: Kofi Annan announces his plan for United Nations reform with two reform packages: “Track One” (structural changes) and “Track Two” (management improvements) to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
- 2000: Millennium Summit & Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): The UN adopted the MDGs, setting global targets for poverty reduction, health, and education.
- 2005: Kofi Annan presents his most comprehensive reform and policy agenda with his report “In Larger Freedom”.
- The Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) is established.
- 2006: The Human Rights Council replaces the former United Nations Commission.
- 2007-2016: Reforms continue during eighth secretary-general of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon’s term with the launch of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement.
- 2015-Adoption of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): The SDGs replaced the MDGs, setting 17 goals for global development by 2030.
- 2017-2020: Reforms envisioned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have been ongoing, focusing on the UN’s peace and security pillar.
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- General Assembly (UNGA): The main deliberative body where all Member States participate.
- Security Council (UNSC): Maintains international peace and security, with five permanent members (P5) and ten elected members.
- Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Coordinates global economic, social, and environmental policies.
- International Court of Justice (ICJ): Settles legal disputes between states.
- Secretariat: Led by the Secretary-General, it carries out day-to-day operations.
India and UN
- Founding Member: Signed the Declaration by the United Nations (1942) and participated in the San Francisco Conference (1945) to establish the UN.
- Leadership in Decolonization: Co-sponsored the 1960 Declaration on Independence and chaired the Decolonization Committee.
- Fight Against Apartheid: First country to raise apartheid at the UN (1946) and backed the 1965 Anti-Racial Discrimination Convention.
- Advocate for Developing Nations: Founding member of NAM and G77, pushing for a fairer global order.
- Leading in Peacekeeping: Largest troop contributor, with 244,500+ personnel in 49 missions since 1948.
- Women in Peacekeeping: First country to deploy an all-women police unit (2007, Liberia), boosting women’s role in security.
- Non Permanent Member of UNSC: India has served as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council on multiple occasions, specifically during the periods: 1950-51, 1967-68, 1972-73, 1977-78, 1984-85, 1991-92, 2011-12, and 2021-22.
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Relevance Of The UN Today
- Enduring relevance of the UN: Despite its flaws, the UN remains indispensable as a platform for dialogue, diplomacy, and cooperation, enabling nations to deliberate and sometimes reach consensus.
- It remains the only global forum where adversaries can negotiate, build consensus, and advance multilateralism in issues like climate change and digital ethics.
- Humanitarian impact: Agencies like United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Food Programme (WFP), World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF continue to provide critical support (food, shelter, and medical aid) in conflict zones and disaster-hit regions across the world.
- Example: The UN fast-tracked US$16.6 million for anticipatory drought action in Afghanistan in May 2025, helping vulnerable communities with early aid
- Peacekeeping efforts: UN peacekeepers, though overstretched, maintain stability in fragile states, protecting civilians and supporting post-conflict reconstruction.
- Normative influence: The UN has been central to establishing international norms on human rights, gender equality, disarmament, and sustainable development through declarations, treaties, and conventions.
- Collective Responsibility: The UN continues to symbolise collective responsibility, giving small and developing nations a voice in global governance.
- Global frameworks like the SDGs: The 2015 Sustainable Development Goals represent a visionary agenda for inclusive, equitable, and environmentally responsible growth.
- The UNSD’s “Sustainable Development Goals Report 2025” highlights how the SDGs serve as a global normative framework even though progress is uneven.
- Symbol of cooperation and hope: The UN serves as a moral and institutional reminder that humanity can resolve disputes through dialogue rather than domination highlighting a “symbol of possibility,” not perfection.
Successes of UN
- Namibia’s Independence (1990): UN successfully managed the transition from South African rule.
- East Timor (1999): UN stabilized the country post-separation from Indonesia, helping establish governance and peace.
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Need For UN Reforms
- Outdated Structure: The UN was created in 1945 with 51 member states, but now has 193, making its framework outdated.
- The global economy and financial systems have drastically changed, requiring structural updates.
- Global Disparities: Developing nations face increasing debt and inequality, limiting their progress. Existing global systems fail to address sustainable development challenges effectively.
- Legitimacy and Credibility Issues: The UN Security Council’s dominance by a few permanent members weakens trust.
- Inequitable Representation: Asia, Africa, and Latin America remain underrepresented in the Security Council. A fairer distribution of seats would improve global decision-making and legitimacy.
- Example: “Uniting for Consensus” (UfC) is a group comprising Italy, Pakistan, South Korea, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, Turkey, Spain, and Indonesia that opposes the expansion of permanent seats in the UN Security Council.
Funding of the United Nations
- Mandatory Contributions: Every UN member is required to contribute to the organization’s budget.
- Contributions are based on a country’s economic capacity.
- These funds primarily cover administrative costs and peacekeeping operations.
- Voluntary Contributions: Many countries provide additional funds for specific UN programs. These contributions support humanitarian aid, development, and other global initiatives.
- Role of the United States: The U.S. has been the largest donor to the UN since its founding in 1945.
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- Financial and Administrative Reform: The UN faces a funding crisis as demands for peacekeeping and development increase.
- Example: Many UN agencies, such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), face chronic underfunding.
- Global Security Challenges: Conflicts, terrorism, and humanitarian crises demand a stronger UN response. A reformed Security Council would enhance preventive diplomacy and peacekeeping efforts.
Decision-Making In UN
- Simple Majority Vote: Most decisions in the UN are made by a simple majority vote of all members.
- Two-Thirds Majority: Required for critical decisions, such as membership issues.
- Consensus-Based Decisions: Some bodies, like the Conference on Disarmament, require full agreement, effectively giving each member a veto.
- Security Council Veto Power: The P5 (China, France, Russia, the UK, and the US) have veto power, allowing them to block any substantive resolution.
- Each P5 member has veto power, meaning they can block any substantive resolution, even if all other members support it.
- This applies to issues like sanctions, military interventions, and peacekeeping operations.
- Example: Israel-Palestine Issue: The United States has frequently used its veto power to block resolutions critical of Israel, even when there is broad international support, thus preventing the Council from taking action to address the long-standing conflict.
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Current Challenges
- Decline of Post-War Consensus: The liberal international order which was built on open trade, shared governance, and collective action is fraying under nationalist and populist pressures. Multilateralism is increasingly viewed with suspicion.
- Failure in Addressing Global Crises: The UN has struggled to tackle major global challenges like COVID-19, the Russia-Ukraine war, terrorism, and climate change. India calls for urgent reforms to make the organization more effective and relevant.
- Unfair Veto Power Structure: Today, there are 193 member-states of the UN and only fifteen members of the UNSC (less than 8% of the member states).
- The veto power held by the five permanent members (P-5) creates an imbalance in decision-making.
- Powerful nations continue to flout international law and use their vetoes to shield allies, paralysing UN action in crises and undermining its moral authority.
- For Example: Frequent vetoes by P5 members obstruct collective action on crises such as Ukraine, Gaza, and Syria.
- Slow Progress on UN Reforms: Despite the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) process starting, UN reforms have been sluggish. India insists that reform efforts must be accelerated to reflect today’s geopolitical landscape.
- India, as part of the G4 nations in the Intergovernmental Negotiations on UNSC reform, proposed a detailed model advocating for democratically elected permanent members by the General Assembly while demonstrating flexibility on the veto power issue.
- Developmental and Economic Asymmetries: India has expressed concerns over the North-South divide in economic development and climate negotiations
- Rise of nationalism: Once a force for liberation, nationalism has become a weapon against cooperation, eroding trust in global institutions like the UN and weakening collective problem-solving
- Politicised funding and resource crisis: Budget shortfalls and withholding of dues by key members, including the U.S., have weakened the UN Secretariat, leading to staff cuts and reduced programme effectiveness.
- Example: The World Food Programme (WFP) warned in June 2025 of a US$500 million shortfall in Sudan, forcing a 30% cut in food rations amidst the crisis.
Key Contributors and Payment Uncertainty
The US and China are the top contributors to the UN’s regular budget:
- US share: 22% (largest contributor) but owes $1.5 billion in arrears.
- China’s share: 20% (increased by 5% in 2025). China has assured full payment but has not specified the timeline.
- As of March 7, 2025, only 73 member states had paid their full assessments.
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- Financial Crisis and Budget Constraints:The UN faces a liquidity crisis for the seventh consecutive year.
- The 2025 UN budget is $3.7 billion, covering political, humanitarian, disarmament, economic, and social affairs.
- Bureaucratic rigidity: The UN struggles with internal inefficiencies and slow decision-making that prevent timely responses to fast-moving global challenges like climate change and cyber threats.
- Loss of moral voice: In an era of disinformation and polarization, the UN’s ability to speak “truth to power” has weakened; moral consistency is often compromised by member-state politics.
Way forward
- Strengthening Advocacy for UNSC Expansion: India should continue pushing for a reformed Security Council with equitable representation for developing nations.
- Example: Strengthening alliances with the G4 and the African Union can build diplomatic pressure for change.
Groups Advocating for UNSC Reform
- G4 (India, Brazil, Germany, Japan): Seeks permanent membership and expanded UNSC representation, especially for developing countries.
- L69 (Developing Nations Group): Advocates for Global South representation and broader UNSC reforms.
- Members: It consists of 42 developing nations (including India) from Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific (Small Island Developing States).
- Nomenclature: Based on the draft document number “L.69”, tabled in 2007-08, which led to the initiation of the Intergovernmental Negotiation (IGN) process
- C-10 (African Nations Group): A group of ten African states namely Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, the Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Libya, Namibia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda, and Zambia
- Supports the Common African Position (CAP) for stronger African presence in the UNSC.
- IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa): Calls for comprehensive UN reforms, aligning with G4 and L69 demands.
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- Enhancing Multilateral Financial Contributions: Advocating for sustainable funding mechanisms like a UN reserve fund can reduce dependency on major donors.
- Reforming the UN General Assembly (UNGA): Proposing a bicameral parliamentary system can enhance the effectiveness of UNGA’s decision-making. Strengthening the implementation of UNGA resolutions will ensure better global impact.
- Increase Institutional Agility: Streamline decision-making, empower field operations, and leverage digital tools to make the UN more responsive to crises and complex global challenges.
- Reclaim The Un’s Moral Authority: The organization must speak boldly and consistently on issues of justice, human rights, and equality, reinforcing its credibility as a moral compass for the international community.
- Promote Inclusive Multilateralism: Redefine global cooperation to reflect diversity of voice and experience, ensuring that international institutions are shaped “by the many, not the few.”
- Reinforce The Un’s Role As A Catalyst For Dialogue: Position the UN as both a stage for nations and an actor for humanity by facilitating cooperation even among adversaries and preventing global crises through diplomacy.
- UN Secretariat Transparency Reform: Proposals include:
- Merit-based promotions instead of regional quotas.
- Ending dominance of powerful nations in senior Secretariat positions.
- Democracy Reform: Advocates for making the UN more democratic and representative. Some of the suggestions are:
- Direct election of the Secretary-General and General Assembly representatives.
- A blend of direct and indirect democracy mechanisms.
- Consideration of the subsidiarity principle to prevent over-centralization of power.
About UN80 Initiative
- Reform Effort: The UN80 Initiative is a reform effort launched by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to improve the efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and strategic alignment of the 80-year-old United Nations amid financial challenges and global uncertainty.
- Key Focus Areas:
- Identifying Operational Efficiencies: Streamlining UN processes for better performance.
- Reviewing Implementation of Mandates: Assessing how effectively Member States’ directives are being executed.
- Strategic and Structural Overhaul: Conducting a deeper realignment of UN programs and systems.
- Implementation:
- A dedicated Task Force will develop proposals for these reforms.
- The initiative aims to maximize resources, ensuring the UN remains impactful despite funding constraints.
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Conclusion
The United Nations remains an indispensable symbol not of perfection, but of possibility. As Dag Hammarskjöld said, it was meant “not to take mankind to heaven, but to save humanity from hell”. As it marks its 80th anniversary, its challenge is to become more representative, responsive, and resilient in a world that needs principled global cooperation more than ever.
25 Oct 2025
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