Reform
In recent years there have been many calls for reform of the United Nations. But there is little clarity, let alone consensus, about how to reform it. Some want the UN to play a greater or more effective role in world affairs, others want its role reduced to humanitarian work. There have also been numerous calls for the UN's Security Council's membership to be increased to be able to reflect the current geo-political state (i.e increasing members from Africa, South America and Asia) In 2004 and 2005, allegations of mismanagement and corruption regarding the Oil for Food Programme for Iraq under Saddam Hussein led to renewed calls for reform.
An official reform programme was initiated by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan shortly after starting his first term on 1 January 1997. Reforms mentioned include changing the permanent membership of the Security Council (which currently reflects the power relations of 1945); making the bureaucracy more transparent, accountable and efficient; making the UN more democratic; and imposing an international tariff on arms manufacturers worldwide.
In September 2005, the UN convened a World Summit that brought together the heads of most member states, in a plenary session of the General Assembly's 60th session. The UN called the summit "a once-in-a-generation opportunity to take bold decisions in the areas of development, security, human rights and reform of the United Nations". Secretary General Kofi Annan had proposed that the summit agree upon a global "grand bargain" to reform the UN, revamping international systems for peace and security, human rights and development, to make them capable of addressing the extraordinary challenges facing the UN in the 21st century. World leaders agreed upon a compromise text with such notable items as:
- the creation of a Peacebuilding Commission to provide a central mechanism to help countries emerging from conflict;
- the agreement that the international community has the right to step in when national governments fail to fulfil their responsibility to protect their own citizens from atrocity crimes;
- a Human Rights Council (created 9 May and becoming operational 19 June);
- an agreement to devote more resources to UN's Office of Internafice Oversight Services;
- several agreements to spend billions more on achieving Millennium Development Goals;
- a clear and unambiguous condemnation of terrorism "in all its forms and manifestations";
- a democracy fund;
- an agreement to wind up the Trusteeship Council due to the completion of its mission.
Although the UN member states achieved little in the way of reform of UN bureaucracy, Annan continued to carry out reforms under his own authority. He established an ethics office, responsible for administering new financial disclosure and whistleblower protection policies. As of late December 2005, the Secretariat was completing a review of all General Assembly mandates more than five years old. That review is intended to provide the basis for decision-making by the member states about which duplicative or unnecessary programmes should be eliminated.
Millennium Development Goals
The Millennium Development Goals are eight goals that all 191 United Nations member states have agreed to try to achieve by the year 2015.
The United Nations Millennium Declaration, signed in September 2000, commits the states to:
- Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;
- Achieve universal primary education;
- Promote gender equality and empower women;
- Reduce child mortality;
- Improve maternal health;
- Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases;
- Ensure environmental sustainability;
- Develop a global partnership for development.
The information is taken from Wikipedia.org under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.
|
