Nearly every nation in the world belongs to the United Nations — 193 member states. When countries join, they agree to the UN Charter: a set of shared aims for peace, cooperation and human rights.
The four aims of the UN Charter
🕊️ Peace and security — to maintain international peace and prevent conflict between nations.
🤝 Friendly relations — to develop cooperation and respect between countries.
⚖️ Human rights — to cooperate in solving international problems and promote respect for human rights.
🌐 Harmonising actions — to be a centre that coordinates the actions of nations on shared challenges.
Important: The UN is not a world government and it does not make laws. It helps resolve international conflict and makes policies on matters affecting us all — but member states retain their sovereignty.
Why was the UN created?
The UN was founded in 1945, in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War — the deadliest conflict in human history. The founding nations were determined to create an international body that could prevent such a catastrophe from ever happening again.
Before the UN, the League of Nations had tried and failed to keep world peace. The UN was designed to be stronger, with greater powers and near-universal membership.
A key limitation: The UN can only act when its Security Council agrees — and the five permanent members each have a veto. This means one powerful country can block any action it disagrees with, which has sometimes paralysed the UN in major crises.
Exam tip: A common question asks you to evaluate whether the UN is effective. Always acknowledge both its successes (peacekeeping operations, humanitarian aid, the SDGs) and its limitations (the veto, lack of enforcement power, underfunding). The strongest answers give specific examples of both.
The UN has six main bodies. Each has a different role — some make recommendations, some make binding decisions, and one carries them out.
The six main bodies — tap each to find out more
Security Council
15 members. Decides on peace and security.
General Assembly
All 193 members. 1 country = 1 vote.
Secretary General
Implements decisions. Chief admin officer.
Int'l Court of Justice
Settles legal disputes between states.
Int'l Criminal Court
Tries individuals for war crimes.
Economic & Social Council
Coordinates development and rights work.
The Security Council has 15 members:
5 permanent (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) and
10 non-permanent elected for two-year terms. The permanent members each have a
veto — the power to block any resolution they disagree with, even if all other members vote for it.
📌 In 2022, Russia vetoed Security Council resolutions condemning its invasion of Ukraine. This is one of the most controversial aspects of the UN — a permanent member can use its veto to shield itself from accountability.
All 193 member states sit in the General Assembly, each with exactly one vote. This is the most democratic body — tiny nations like Tuvalu have the same vote as the USA. However, the Assembly can only
recommend — it cannot make binding decisions. Resolutions must be approved by the Security Council to have real force.
📌 The General Assembly voted 141-5 to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. But because Russia holds a Security Council veto, no binding resolution could be passed.
When the Security Council authorises it, the UN can deploy peacekeeping forces — troops contributed by member states wearing the distinctive blue helmets. Peacekeepers are not an army; they monitor ceasefires, protect civilians, and support fragile peace agreements. They can only use force in self-defence.
📌 There have been over 70 UN peacekeeping operations since 1948. Currently around 87,000 personnel are deployed across 12 missions, including in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, and South Sudan.
Exam tip: Always be clear about the difference between the General Assembly (recommends, all members, 1 vote each) and the Security Council (decides, 15 members, permanent members have veto). This distinction comes up very frequently.
The UN has specialist agencies that carry out work agreed by the General Assembly and Security Council. They deal with everything from children's rights to international finance.
| Code | Name | What it does |
|---|
| UNICEF | UN Children's Fund | Protects children's rights and provides education, healthcare and emergency aid to children worldwide — including in refugee camps. |
| UNHCR | Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees | Protects and supports refugees and displaced people. Runs camps and resettlement programmes. |
| UNESCO | Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation | Promotes education, science and culture. Designates World Heritage Sites and supports press freedom. |
| WHO | World Health Organisation | Leads global health responses, coordinates pandemic responses, and works to eradicate disease. |
| UNDP | UN Development Programme | Works to reduce poverty and inequality in developing countries through long-term development programmes. |
| UNIFEM | UN Development Fund for Women | Promotes gender equality and women's empowerment around the world. |
| WFP | World Food Programme | The world's largest humanitarian organisation, delivering food assistance in emergencies and building resilience against hunger. |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund | Promotes global monetary cooperation and financial stability. Provides loans to countries in economic difficulty. |
| WB | World Bank | Provides financial and technical assistance to developing countries to reduce poverty. |
The UNICEF example: Thirteen-year-old Zahra fled the conflict in Syria after her school in Aleppo was destroyed. Her family settled in a refugee camp in Lebanon. A UNICEF partner organisation ran specialist catch-up classes so she could work towards a place in a mainstream school. For Zahra, school provided not just education but routine, hope, and the chance to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. This is one small example of UNICEF's work across dozens of countries.
Exam tip: You don't need to memorise every agency — but knowing UNICEF, UNHCR, and WHO in some detail, with specific examples, is very useful. For each one, try to explain what it does AND why that work matters for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
In 2015, the UN set 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) — a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet by 2030. Every UN member state signed up to them.
A brief history
In 2000, the UN launched the Millennium Development Goals — eight targets to improve life in the developing world by 2015. Significant progress was made: extreme poverty was halved, millions of children were vaccinated, and primary school enrolment rose sharply. But many targets were missed, and the goals only addressed developing countries.
In 2015, the SDGs replaced them — 17 goals applying to every country, rich and poor alike. They are more ambitious, more interconnected, and harder to achieve.
Tap any goal to explore it
Are we on track? In 2023, the UN published a sobering review: fewer than 20% of the SDG targets are on track to be achieved by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, conflict and rising inequality have pushed many goals further out of reach. The UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of a "rescue plan" being needed for the SDGs.
The challenge of enforcement: The SDGs are not legally binding — no country can be forced to achieve them. Progress depends entirely on political will, international funding, and cooperation. Critics argue this makes them aspirational rather than achievable.
Exam tip: For a top-mark answer on the SDGs, don't just list them — evaluate. Pick 2-3 goals, explain why they matter, identify which UN agencies are working on them, and assess whether progress is being made. Use the phrase "sustainable development" correctly: it means meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Test your knowledge of the United Nations. Six questions — one point each.