70 years ago, the United Nations charter was signed and ratified, creating the world’s
most comprehensive global leadership organization.
The UN’s main goals include improving education, child mortality rates, maternal health, gender
equality and many other initiatives.
So, can they do it?
Exactly how effective is the United Nations?
The United Nations emerged after World War 2, with the objective of achieving a global
balance of peace between world powers.
Today they have 193 member states.
And they have roughly 100 thousand soldiers, or “blue-berets” (buh-REYS) operating
16 separate peacekeeping missions around the globe.
That’s about equal to the active manpower of Canada.
They also have numerous government branches, like the World Health Organization and the
International Court of Justice, to further focus peacekeeping efforts.
But even with so many assets, they have been criticized at times for inefficiency, and
ineffectiveness.
Specific instances that haunt the UN, are the conflicts during the 1990s, in Rwanda,
Somalia and the former Yugoslavia.
The Peacekeeping forces that were sent there were too small to cope with the violence.
As a result, many people were killed.
These incidents forced the United Nations to reassess their resources, and their methods
of handling ongoing wars.
But there have been many other SUCCESSFUL peacekeeping missions - throughout places
like Angola, Namibia, El Salvador and Mozambique.
United Nations officials can monitor ceasefire agreements and observe demilitarization efforts.
Officials also regulate nuclear proliferation with their International Atomic Energy Agency.
Thanks primarily to UN organizations, Smallpox has been completely eradicated since 1980,
and Polio is expected to be eliminated in 2018.
The UN has improved literacy rates across the globe, child mortality rates, and women’s
rights.
They also work to extract dangerous landmines across the globe, and combat terrorism.
As a result of extensive and innovative humanitarian work, UN officials, UN agencies and the entire
organization itself has been awarded 11 Nobel Prizes over the years.
So is the United Nations effective?
Well, although they have had past setbacks, the organization is without a doubt, the strongest,
most wide-reaching, and well-respected global peace initiative that the world has ever seen.
As long as they retain support and commitment from all their members, the United Nations
could finally be the one government entity that clears the path to future peace.
If you want to get a better picture of the UN’s influence in the world, check out Seeker’s
video about UNESCO, the agency that helps preserve human history, or to learn about
how powerful the UN actually is, our video below.
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