Test: United Nations Organisation - UPSC MCQ

• A global programme called the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UN DESD) ran from 2005 to 2014.
• From early childhood to lifelong learning, the UN DESD sought to integrate sustainable development into education and learning at all levels.
• Additionally, it aimed to increase public understanding of sustainable development challenges among policymakers, educators, and the general public.

The UN DESD was a success in mobilizing global attention to the importance of education for sustainable development. It also led to a number of significant achievements, including:

• New educational resources for teaching and learning about sustainable development
• The creation of new collaborations and networks for sustainable development education
• The introduction of new regulations and laws for sustainable development in the classroom
• Increasing civic society involvement in education about sustainable development.

UNDP was formed in 1955 to help countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable human development.

• This is an incorrect statement.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) was formed in 1965 to help countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable human development.
• UNDP is the United Nation's global development network, which is responsible for advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience, and resources to help people build a better life.
• Since its formation, UNDP has been working to reduce poverty, promote good governance, and advance human rights and gender equality, among other objectives.

UNDP Executive Board is made up of representatives from 36 countries around the world who serve on a rotating basis.

•  This is a correct statement.
•  UNDP Executive Board is made up of representatives from 36 countries around the world who serve on a rotating basis.
• The Executive Board is responsible for overseeing UNDP's work, approving its policies and budgets, and providing strategic guidance to the organization.
• The board meets three times a year to discuss UNDP's programs and operations and to make decisions on key issues.
• Each member country serves a three-year term on the board, after which another country takes its place in a rotating system.

United Nations is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purpose is to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
The main bodies of the United Nations are:

• the General Assembly
• the Security Council
• the Economic and Social Council
• the Trusteeship Council
• the International Court of Justice
• the UN Secretariat

The General Assembly is a body of the UN composed of all member states. It is the main policy-making organ of the Organization. Each of the 193 member states has an equal vote. Thus, we can say that the General Assembly is a body of the United Nations comprised of all member states.

The United Nations Conference on International Organization, commonly known as the San Francisco Conference, was a convention of delegates from 50 Allied nations that took place from 25 April 1945 to 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, California, United States. Four months after the San Francisco Conference ended, the United Nations officially began, on 24 October 1945, when it came into existence. Its Charter had been ratified by China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and by a majority of other signatories. Five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Portugal

• Portugal is a country located on the Iberian Peninsula in Europe.
• It also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira.
• It has two archipelagos with two autonomous regions with their own governments.
• The capital of Portugal is Lisbon, and it is the largest city by population.

The UNHRC was established in 1946 to replace the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

• This is incorrect
• The UNHRC was established in 2006 as part of the UN's reform process and not in 1946.

The UNHRC is responsible for promoting and protecting economic rights around the world.

• This is incorrect
• The UNHRC is responsible for promoting and protecting human rights around the world and not just economic rights.

Members of the UNHRC are elected by the UN Security Council for a term of 5 years.

• This is incorrect
• The members of the UNHRC are elected by the UN General Assembly and not by the UN Security Council.
• Members serve a term of 3 years and cannot occupy a seat for more than 2 consecutive terms.

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights acts as the secretariat of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

•  This is a correct statement
• The OHCHR is a department of the United Nations Secretariat, and its headquarters are located in Geneva, Switzerland.
• The OHCHR was established in 1993 and is mandated to promote and protect human rights around the world.
• The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the chief official of the OHCHR and is appointed by the UN Secretary-General.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is responsible for coordinating responses to environmental issues within the United Nations system. It was established by Maurice Strong, its first director, after the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm in June 1972. Its mandate is to provide leadership, deliver science and develop solutions on a wide range of issues, including climate change, the management of marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and green economic development. The organization also develops international environmental agreements; publishes and promotes environmental science and helps national governments achieve environmental targets.

United Nations Organisation:

• The United Nations is an international organization founded in 1945.
• Currently, it is made up of 193 Member States,
• The most recent state to join is South Sudan, which was recognized as an independent nation in 2011.
• The United Nations is neither a supra-State nor a government of governments. It does not have an army and it imposes no taxes.
• It depends on the political will of its Member States to have its decisions put into action and relies on the contributions of its Members to carry out its activities.
• The United Nations (UN) has six main organs.
• Five of them — the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, and the Secretariat — are based at UN Headquarters in New York.
• The sixth, the International Court of Justice, is located at The Hague in the Netherlands.

The United Nations Organisation is an international organisation founded in 1945. It was established on 24 October 1945. It was founded after the Second World War by 51 countries committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.

The UN has four main purposes:

• To keep  peace throughout the world
• To develop friendly relations among nations
• To help nations work together to improve the lives of poor people, conquer hunger, disease and literacy, and to encourage respect for each other's rights and freedoms
• To be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations to achieve these goals.

 Thus, we can say that the United Nations Organization was established in the year 1945.

Permanent members of the Security Council:  The member countries that enjoy veto power in the Security Council of UNO are permanent members.
The permanent members with veto power are

• China
• France
• Russian Federation
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
• United States of America