United Nations Day

“The United Nations is our one great hope for a peaceful and free world.”
– Ralph Bunche. [1]

The United Nations

“To save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small, and to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.” [2]

This is what the United Nations aims to achieve in accordance with its Charter signed in 1945 in Francisco. That was after the Second World War, which had devastating effects on most countries of the world, and after the failure of the League of Nations, founded in 1920, to achieve its goals of maintaining international peace and security due to the outbreak of World War II. It was necessary to have a global organization that seeks to achieve international peace and security, resolve conflicts by peaceful means, and preserve human dignity and rights in all countries of the world, so it was the United Nations.

The establishment of the United Nations came after several agreements and conferences between the major countries of the world and the Allies during World War II. Starting with the Atlantic Charter in 1941, which emphasized the establishment of an international organization whose mission is to maintain international peace and security.

Then the Moscow Conference in 1943, was attended by representatives of the Soviet Union, Britain, China, and America, and this agreement called for the establishment of an international organization which other countries were entitled to join.

Then the Washington Conference in 1944, at which the United Nations was formulated and negotiated. Finally, it was the San Francisco Conference on October 24, 1945, where representatives from 50 countries attended and drafted and signed the United Nations Charter.

The objectives of the United Nations Charter can be summarized thus:

Maintain international peace and security.
Cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples
Respect all human rights regardless of gender, religion, race, or nationality. [3]

The Structure of the United Nations

The United Nations is made up of a group of basic organs, which are:

The UN Security Council: It is one of the most important organs of the United Nations, as it has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. It has 15 members; 5 are permanent members: France, America, Russia, China, and Britain, and these countries have the right to veto the decisions of the Council. In addition to 10 non-permanent members who are elected by the General Assembly for a term of two years. Among the council’s tasks is also to identify the threats to international peace and security, and to resolve disputes, either peacefully or through the use of force.
The General Assembly: It includes all the member states of the United Nations, and it meets once a year or at the request of the Security Council or the majority of the members. Decisions in the Assembly are made by a two-thirds majority of the participating members. The General Assembly undertakes the following tasks:
– Maintaining international peace and security.
– Strengthening international relations in economic and social affairs.
– Supervising the administration of the United Nations.
Economic and Social Council: This Council consists of 54 members who are elected by the General Assembly for a term of 3 years and undertake the tasks of increasing international cooperation in the fields of culture and education, respecting fundamental human freedoms and promoting and strengthening factors of social and economic progress.
The Secretariat: a body made up of a number of members and headed by the Secretary-General, who is appointed by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the United Nations once every 5 years.
International Court of Justice: This court represents the main judicial organ of the United Nations and is entrusted with expressing legal opinions on issues brought by the Security Council or the General Assembly. It resolves disputes and issues judgments in accordance with international law, and its judgment is not subject to appeal.
Trusteeship Council: This council supervises the territories placed under the trusteeship of the United Nations in order to achieve their independence. It works to develop these regions socially, economically, and politically.

In addition to a number of organizations affiliated with the United Nations, such as the International Labor Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. There are many such organizations working in the fields of economy, health, and education. [3]

The United Nations and Women’s Issues

Since its founding, the United Nations has sought gender equality through Articles 1 and 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. The articles state that all human beings are born free and equal in rights, duties, and dignity without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, religion, language or birth, or another status. Then, in 1979, the United Nations adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.

The first international conference on women was held in 1975 in Mexico City, followed by several conferences in order to assess the status of women and formulate global plans for their advancement. In 2010, the General Assembly created “UN Women” with the aim of accelerating the process of gender equality and the empowerment of women. [4]

As for violence against women, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a declaration on the elimination of violence against women in 1993. It affirmed that violence against women represents an obstacle to achieving peace and equality, a breach of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and impedes women’s possession of those rights. In this declaration, the General Assembly defined violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in harm or suffering to women”

It stressed the need for women to possess all their rights and equality with men in all fields and the need for all countries to condemn violence against women and to enact laws that prevent this issue. In addition to the need for cooperation between all United Nations organizations with all countries in seeking to eliminate this issue. [5]

Significance of This Day to the World

In 1947, the United Nations General Assembly declared October 24 of each year to be United Nations Day. In 1971, the General Assembly recommended that member states celebrate this day with the aim of reminding people around the world of the goals of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, promoting friendly relations, and emphasizing the equality of all people of all races, races, and religions. [6]

It is worth mentioning that the Uplifting Syrian Women initiative has sought, since its inception, to spread a culture of peace, accept differences and equality among all individuals, and celebrate global days. The initiative has provided and continues to provide many workshops and training that help many Syrians, regardless of their gender and religion, to develop their lives. The values of the initiative call for the necessity of equality between all groups of Syrian society and the elimination of discrimination and violence against women because of its repercussions and effects on Syrian society.