The United Nations

1. The United Nations KEY KNOWLEDGE 2.3 – The role of the UN in providing global health and sustainable human development through the following areas of action: world peace and security, human rights, humanitarian assistance and social and economic development. KEY SKILLS Describe the role of International and Australian government and non-government agencies and organisations in promoting global health and sustainable development.

2. What is the United Nations • An International organization • Established in 1945 and has 192 member nations. • Purpose - ‘to bring all nations of the world together to work for peace and development, based on the principles of justice, human dignity and wellbeing of all people’ • Committed to preserving peace through the international cooperation of 192 countries • When a country becomes a member it is required to accept the obligations/guidelines of the UN Charter. • The UN is made up of a number of agencies including; • United Nations Security Council • World Health Organisation • United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) • United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) • United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) • World Bank • World Food Programme • UN Women (UNIFEM) • UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

3. The role of the United Nations • The UN is not a government and it does not make laws. It provides the means to help resolve international conflicts and formulate policies on matter that affect everyone. • Global issues addressed by the UN include agriculture, children, climate change, culture, education, environment, human rights, international laws, refugees, social and sustainable development. • Through our multilateral aid program, Australia provides funds to a range of international organisations. Of particular importance is the UN and it’s main health body WHO.

4. What does the United Nations do? • The UN works in cooperation with many other organisations, in an effort to solve global problems. • We will be focusing on the role of the UN in providing global health and sustainable human development through the following areas:

5. Promote World Peace and Security  UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL- primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Where there is a threat to international peace the UN Security Council may: • Issue a ceasefire that can help prevent ongoing conflict • Send military observers or a peacekeeping force to help reduce tensions, separate opposing forces and establish a calm, peaceful environment • Implement economic sanctions. Completely or partially interrupt economic relations and trade with the country or countries involved. • Establish a blockade. Block access to ships, trucks and airplanes to a country in order to restrict functioning of the country involved and encourage a peaceful solution • Initiate collective military action UN Security Council also undertake activities that address the underlying causes of conflict, peace building, and rebuilding. Helps to support and assist countries to rebuild administrative, health, educational and other services disrupted by war. • Helps displaced persons and refugees to return to their homes. • Clears landmines, repairs roads and bridges, provides economic and technical help to rebuild the economy. • Monitors elections and how a country respects the human rights of its citizens. Read Case Study in textbook page 426 and answer questions on page 428. 

6. Human Rights • The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and addressing situations of human rights violations and making recommendations on them (e.g. policy changes, sanctions and military interventions) • Human Rights: Relate to the conditions and entitlements that every human is entitled to regardless of age, race, sexual orientation, country of origin, religion or any other characteristic. All people have the right to life, liberty and security, freedom of expression, the right to work and be educated, the right to food and housing, freedom from slavery, a fair trial and equal treatment before the law. • The UN created ‘The Universal Declaration of Human Rights’ in 1948. All men and women are entitled to: • The right to life, liberty and nationality, Freedom of thought, conscience and religion, Right to work and to be educated, Right to food and housing, Right to participate in government • The UN also created the ‘Convention on the Rights of a Child’ in 1989. It guarantees: • Children protection from harm and abuse, Makes special provision for their survival and welfare through health, education and family life, Gives children the right to participate in society and decision-making that concerns them • UNIFEM - work to promote gender equality through education, training and advocacy • UNICEF work to ensure that children across the world have their rights upheld • Investigate and act on claims of child abuse • Provide free education for children living in poverty • Use food packages as an incentive to encourage children to attend school • Increase access for children to health care and immunization • Educate young people about HIV prevention. • UNHCR - work to improve the wellbeing of those displaced in foreign countries. • Provide essential resources such as food and water • Assist with relocation • Ensure human rights are upheld in refugee camps • Provide legal advice Read Case Study in textbook page 430 and answer questions on page 434.

7. Providing Humanitarian Assistance • In emergencies a range of organizations operating under the UN step in to provide necessary aid • The UN coordinates its response to various crises through all the key humanitarian bodies (UNICEF, UNDP, WFP, UNHCR) • Can involve the provision of emergency food, water, medical attention and support to the affected people to increase people’s change of survival in the short term. See next slide and the humanitarian work of WFP (coordinated by UN)- Access WFP website and read about the three emergencies.

9. Social and Economic Development • UN Development Programme (UNDP) assists governments in implementing policies, programs and strategies that aim to improve economic and social conditions including; • Promoting higher standards of living, full employment and economic and social progress • Identifying solutions to international economic, social and health problems • Promoting trade opportunities for developing countries • Facilitating international cultural and education cooperation • Encouraging universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms • Promoting the achievement of the MDGs Read Case Study on page 431, 432/433 and answer questions on page 433.

10. Booklet activity- Page 25 PLACE THE FOLLOWING POINTS IN THE CORRECT CATORGORY • Works with 140 nations to prevent harmful mercury emissions • Vaccinates 58 per cent of the world’s children, saving 2.5 million lives per year • Keeps the peace with 120 000 peacekeepers in  16 operations on  4 continents • Uses diplomacy to prevent conflict • Provides food to 90 million people in 75 countries Assists 50 countries a year with elections • Assists over 34 million refugees and people fleeing war, famine or persecution • Protects and promotes human rights on site and through 80 treaties or declarations • Mobilises US$12.4 billion in humanitarian aid to help people affected by emergencies • Promotes maternal health, saving the lives of 30 million women a year. • Fights poverty, helping 370 million rural poor achieve better lives in the past 30 years • Combats climate change