Lesson 2 - Learning more about the United Nations
In this lesson we’ll learn a little bit more about the United Nations, we will review some of the history and core objectives of the organization. This will help you to understand your mission for your own committee prep process!
Today, we’ll show you what to expect from a MUN conference by going over a few basic. We will ll also help you understand some key differences between the UN and MUN that will help you to be better prepared!
UN history
The UN was founded as World War II was coming to a close. States were looking for peace, so the delegates from 50 states gathered at the United Nations Conference in San Francisco from April 25 to June 26.
Over the course of these 2 months, countries debated over the primary objectives of this new organization and put their ideas together in a UN Charter. The creation of this document brought the United Nations to life, and the Charter continues to serve as the founding document ever since.
Over the next 80 years, the organization would grow from 50 members to just under 200. With the increase of global collaboration, the organization would also become increasingly prevalent on the International stage.
Today, the UN serves as a leader of international law and global cooperation. Each year, they send representatives to monitor elections around the world and deploy massive food-aid programs that supply millions of people.
This map shows how the United Nations has grown since its inception in 1945:
Key UN Facts
Having a bit of context on the UN is useful for your first Model UN conference, it will help you to understand the type of solutions that the organization words towards and will help you do the same. Here are some key UN facts:
UN Membership
Criteria for Membership
The UN is open to all peace-loving states that accept the obligations of the Charter.
The Charter outlines certain criteria for membership, including being a sovereign state recognized as such by other UN members.
The decision to admit a new member is made by the General Assembly based on a recommendation from the Security Council.
Sovereign Equality
This principle ensures that each member state, regardless of its size or political influence, has an equal voice in the General Assembly.
Each member state is represented by one vote.
UN Policy Formation
UN Charter
The UN Charter serves as the organizations founding document. The document has helped to guide core policy objectives for the organization since its creation in 1945. It has only been amended 3 times in 1963, 1965 and 1973.
The goals of the Charter are to:
Maintain international peace and security
Develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples
Cooperate in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and in promoting respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms
Be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations in attaining these common ends
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The SDGs are 17 goals developed by the UN in 2015. These goals act as a supplement to the Charter and they serve as a blueprint for the organization to maintain accountability.
To track how the UN is doing in their pursuit of these goals, visit their site here.
From the United Nations to Model UN
So now that we know some of the basics of the United Nations, it’s time to apply this information to our own experiences as Model UN delegates.
The UN is an organization which aspires to eventually eliminate the need for violence to solve problems. They also aim to provide for basic humanitarian needs around the world. These two goals will always serve as the perfect starting point for your own problem-solving approach. In your own committee, always think about these goals first and see how you can craft solutions to accomplish this.
If you want to get even more advance, you can consult the SDGs list and see if your ideas help move any of those core objectives forward.
Structure of the UN
How does the UN manage all of this? Having so many projects running at the same time requires a lot of organization. To be sure that every issue gets the attention it deserves, the UN developed a bureaucracy of Organs, Committees, and Offices. This helps them to handle any problem that they face might.
The diagram shows some of the more important committees for the Model UN delegate:
For an exhaustive diagram showing the full UN structure click here.
The diagram shows the 6 primary organs of the UN in the centre along with committee examples on the outside. For MUN delegates, the secretariat, trusteeship council, and the ICJ are not as relevant. In most scenarios, you will see committees labelled as General assemblies, ECOSOCs, Specialized agencies, and Crisis.
Each of these different branches are responsible for taking on certain challenges:
Security Council will handle questions of international peace and security.
ECOSOC serves as the central platform to discuss international economic and social issues, they are also responsible for creating policy recommendations addressed to member states.
The General Assembly will have broader discussions on a wide variety of global policy issues.
Key UN Committees
General Assembly (UNGA)
With its inclusive membership, the UNGA provides a platform for countries, regardless of their size or power, to engage in open dialogue, express their concerns, and work towards collective solutions.
Every member state of the UN has a seat in the GA
Oversees the 6 subcommittees of the General Assembly
They make recommendations on a variety of international issues.
Key Resolutions
Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Established a common standard of human rights that should be universally protected and respected.
UNGA Subcommittees
While the General Assembly handles many issues on its own, the one committee can’t do everything by itself. The 6 Committees of the General Assembly were developed to ensure that everything is properly considered.
There are 6 subcommittees in total, the most important for MUN are:
First Committee (DISEC): Responsible for addressing issues related to disarmament, non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and international security.
Resolution 73/27 - Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW)
Second Committee (ECOFIN): Focuses on economic and financial matters, including sustainable development, poverty eradication, trade, investment, and global economic cooperation.
Resolution 70/1 - The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
Third Committee (SOCHUM): Deals with social, humanitarian, and cultural issues, such as human rights, gender equality, children's rights, indigenous peoples' rights, refugees, and the promotion of cultural diversity.
Key Resolution: Resolution 48/104 - Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women
Fourth Committee (SPECPOL): Addresses special political issues, including decolonization, peacekeeping missions, the peaceful uses of outer space, and the situation of refugees and displaced persons.
Resolution 1514 (XV) - Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples
Security Council (UNSC)
The UNSC holds primary responsibility for maintaining global peace and stability. Composed of 15 member states, including five permanent members with veto power (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States),
The UNSC serves as a critical forum for deliberation, decision-making, and collective action on a wide range of global security issues.
The main job of the UNSC is to prevent conflicts, solve disputes, and take action when there are threats to peace and security.
Sometimes, they use sanctions, send peacekeeping troops, or even allow military interventions to keep peace.
The UNSC deals with many important issues like terrorism, stopping the spread of dangerous weapons, and protecting civilians during wars.
Key Resolutions
Resolution 687 - Ceasefire and the Elimination of Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq
Resolution 1973 - The Situation in Libya
Resolution 1325 - Women, Peace, and Security
World Health Organization (WHO)
The World Health Organization focuses on global health. Its main goal is to promote the highest possible level of health for all people around the world.
The WHO works closely with governments, health professionals, and other organizations to tackle various health challenges and improve healthcare systems worldwide.
In addition to its emergency response work, the WHO plays a significant role in shaping global health policies and setting standards. It conducts research, collects data, and provides evidence-based recommendations to guide countries in developing effective health strategies.
Key Resolutions
Resolution WHA58.33 - Framework Convention on Tobacco Control
Resolution WHA72.8 - Digital Health
Resolution WHA73.1 - COVID-19 Response
Final Thoughts for MUN Delegates
Now that you’re a UN expert, let’s see how your MUN experiences will compare to a UN Diplomat:
Committee Participation – MUN delegates will participate in simulated committees like the UNGA or the UNSC.
Simulating Topics – You will be dealing with the same global issues that the UN handles.
Resolution Writing - You will have the chance to draft resolutions that propose solutions to problems that you have identified.
Negotiation –You will engage in consensus-building with other delegates to bridge gaps between issues.
Debate – You will have the chance to refine your public speaking skills and make persuasive arguments.
Let’s try to solve a problem like a UN Diplomat!
For this exercise you’ll need to do three things:
Remember the core objectives of the UN Charter and the SDGs.
Consider which UN committee might handle this problem.
Remember some of the failures of previous UN problem solving attempts.
With this in mind, try to suggest 3 solutions for the following problems. We don’t need to create an entire resolution yet, but you should think of different ways to take on these challenges and consider some potential risks to your problem-solving approach.
Food shortage
Refugee Crisis
Earthquake response
