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The United Nations (UN) is still very relevant as international peace, cooperation and development are important today since the UN was founded. The UN and all of its agencies are the pillars of the modern world. Now we will tell you whether the United Nations is still relevant or not through the following points.
1. If it is relevant, then why?
a) The United Nations (UN) is still relevant as per its actively working to maintain peace within the international community. They are successful in preventing the war since 1945 by changing the perception that the neighbouring countries should be seen as potential partners. Such perception has promoted economic development and has built good relations among countries.
b) The UN is actively working on the development in several countries and tackling global challenges by forming a subsidiary organisation such as UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund), UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations), etc.
c) United nations is spreading the spirit of democracy in member countries and is also working on protecting human rights in the member countries, which is very crucial in the present times.
d) The UN is very much important because many countries are converting to Nationalism and are preferring it over international cooperation. It can lead to conflicts as the United Nations is the lone body to control the conflicts and cold wars.
e) The fact tells that the United Nations could promote technological and economic development since 1945 and is still promoting which comes to the point that the UN is still relevant.
f) As the UN has failed to control the COVID-19 scenario and can work effectively to prevent future pandemics. It would be too idealistic for any organisation to succeed all the time. Along with information sharing and international cooperation, the member countries can save the world from pandemics arising in the UN.
g) Only the United Nations can control global challenges like terrorism, food crisis, water scarcity which needs global solutions.
2. If the UN is not relevant. Then why?
a) The UNSC which is the powerful organ of the UN is not relevant at the present times. This organisation has only five permanent members such as the USA, Russia, Britain, China and France along with 10 non-permanent members. This results in the misuse of power by the 5 permanent members by using their veto power. Those five permanent members most probably do not entertain key decisions which are very important for other nations. In the United Nation Secretary Council (UNSC) there is no representation of developing countries such as African countries and Southern hemisphere countries. Such things do not suit the emphasis on the need for equality in recent times.
b) The current COVID-19 scenario couldn’t get controlled by the World Health Organization (WHO).
c) Since 1945, the world has changed a lot but the United Nations hasn’t yet.
d) The funding of the UN is constituting to misuse of their power. In the past, the funding was dominated by the USA and now it is reducing its funds and on the other hand, China is increasing their contribution and influencing the UN as per its moves.
e) Many people across the globe are living in poverty which makes everyone in doubt whether we all need the UN still or in need of a new international organisation that can overcome efficiently on global challenges.
f) Few countries had even complained that the UN is encroaching on their sovereignty and that’s not acceptable in this 21st century.
g) Many regional organisations and other small international organisations are proving that the UN has no longer its relevance.