Syllabus: Important International institutions, agencies and fora – their structure, mandate
Genesis and Evolution of the UN
- Foundation Context: UN was born from World War II tragedy as peace mechanism, not power monument.
- Original Purpose: Created to prevent conflicts, promote human dignity and uphold international rule of law.
- Mixed Record: Faltered in Rwanda and Srebrenica in 1994 and 1995 respectively; succeeded in East Timor (1999-2002) and Namibia (1989-1990) peacekeeping.
- Persistent Mission: Despite bureaucracy, continues feeding hungry, sheltering displaced and voicing voiceless concerns.
Relevance of the UN
- Humanitarian Impact: UNHCR, WFP, UNICEF deliver life-saving aid in conflict zones and disaster regions.
- Peacekeeping Role: Despite resource constraints, provides stability in fragile states through deployed missions.
- Convening Power: Enables nations to negotiate, deliberate and reach agreements on global issues.
- Normative Influence: Shapes global norms on human rights, gender equality and sustainable development effectively.
- SDGs Vision: 2015 Sustainable Development Goals represent a bold vision for inclusive growth, transcending borders.
Contemporary Challenges
- Changed World Order: 1945 bipolar order transformed to American unipolarity, now a fragmented multipolar landscape.
- New Challenges: Transnational issues like climate change and cyber warfare defy traditional diplomatic boundaries.
- Multilateralism Under Strain: Post-war consensus eroding; liberal internationalism facing pressure from authoritarian regimes and democracies.
- Nationalism Resurgence: Once a liberation force, now often wielded against international cooperation efforts.
Demand for Security Council Reform
- Outdated Structure: UNSC reflects 1945 dynamics rather than 2025 realities, requiring urgent transformation.
- Reform Demands: India, Germany, Japan, Brazil, South Africa seek permanent membership matching global standing.
- India’s Case: World’s most populous democracy, major peacekeeping contributor deserves permanent UNSC membership.
- Legitimacy Crisis: India’s exclusion undermines the Security Council’s legitimacy and operational effectiveness significantly.
Constraints
- Member-State Obstruction: Powerful nations flouting international law or using vetoes to shield allies hamper effectiveness.
- Funding Politicisation: Withheld or politicized funding prevents agencies from delivering essential services adequately.
- Mirror of World: UN reflects global differences, inequities and member-states’ will or lack thereof.
- Budgetary Crisis: U.S. and others’ defaults force staff reductions, hiring freezes and core programme cutbacks.
India’s Strategic Vision
- Strategic Autonomy: India resists single power bloc alignment emphasizing sovereignty in its foreign policy approach.
- Contemporary Relevance: Approach gains importance amid great-power competition and regional instability challenges.
- Principled Reform: India seeks an inclusive, representative UNSC reflecting contemporary realities, not just power dynamics.
- Plurality Vision: Advocates a world where sovereignty is respected, cooperation is valued and institutions shaped by many.
- Dignity Over Dominance: India’s vision prioritises dignity, ensuring diverse perspectives shape global governance structures.
Reform Roadmap
- UNSC Transformation: Reform essential for equity and efficacy; excluding key stakeholders undermines legitimacy.
- Enhanced Agility: Streamline decision-making, empower field operations and embrace digital tools for responsiveness.
- Moral Voice: Uphold universal values, defend vulnerable and speak truth to power with courage.
- Member Commitment: Requires political will and financial support; champions needed, not just critics.
- Financial Sustainability: Address budgetary shortfalls preventing institution from addressing global crises effectively.
Enduring Significance
- Work in Progress: UN reflects collective aspirations and contradictions; neither relic nor panacea.
- Real Impact: Matters to refugees, peacekeepers, diplomats and believers in cooperation over domination.
- Hammarskjöld’s Vision: Meant to save humanity from hell, not take mankind to heaven.
- Dual Role: Functions as a stage for member-states and an actor when empowered to defend humanity.
- Future Challenge: Become more representative, responsive and resilient in a world needing principled global cooperation.
Q- “The UN is neither a relic nor a panacea but a work in progress reflecting collective aspirations and contradictions.” Analyze the contemporary challenges facing the UN and suggest reforms to make it more representative, responsive, and resilient. (15 Marks)