Civil conflicts During the 1990s, there have been major changes in the patterns of conflict with more than 90 per cent of conflicts taking place within, rather than between, states. The United Nations has therefore reshaped and enhanced the range of instruments at its command, emphasizing conflict prevention, continually adapting peacekeeping operations, involving regional organizations, and strengthening post-conflict peace-building. To deal with civil conflicts, the Security Council has authorized complex and innovative peacekeeping operations. In El Salvador and Guatemala, in Cambodia and in Mozambique, the UN played a major role in ending warand fostering reconciliation. Other conflicts, however — in Somalia, Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia — often characterized by ethnic violence, brought new challenges to the UN peacemaking role. Confronted with the problems encountered, the Security Council did not establish any operation from1995 to 1997. But the essential role of peacekeeping has once more been dramatically reaffirmed. Continuing crises in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic, East Timor, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, and Ethiopia-Eritrea led the Council to establish six new missions in 1998-2000. Peace-building The experience of recent years has also led the United Nations to focus as never before on peace-building — action to support structures that will strengthen and consolidate peace. Experience has shown that keeping peace, in the sense of avoiding military conflict, is not sufficient for establishing a secure and lasting peace. Such security canonly be achieved by helping countries to foster economic development, social justice, human rights protection, good governance and the democratic process. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Although most people associate theUnited Nations with the issues of peace and security, the vast majority of its resources are devoted to economic development,social development and sustainable development. United Nations development efforts have profoundly affected the lives and well-being of millions of people throughout the world. Guiding the United Nations work is the conviction that lasting international peace and security are possible only if the economic and social well-being of people everywhere is assured. Many of the economic and social transformations that have taken place globally in the last five decades have been significantly affected in their direction and shape by the work of the United Nations. As the global centre for consensus-building, the United Nations has set priorities and goals for international cooperation to assist countries in their development efforts and to foster a supportive global economic environment. Common interests International debate on economic and social issues has increasingly reflected the common interest of rich and poor countries in solving the many problems that transcend national boundaries. Issues such as the environment, refugees, organized crime, drug trafficking and AIDS are seen as global problems requiring coordinated action. The impact of poverty and unemployment in one region can be quickly felt in others, not least through migration, social disruption and conflict. Similarly, in the age of a global economy, financial instability in one country is immediately felt in the markets of others. Coordinating development activities The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is the principal body coordinating the economic and social work of the United Nations. It is serviced by the Department for Economic and Social Affairs. The entire family of United Nations organizations works for economic, social and sustainable development. HUMAN RIGHTS Virtually every United Nations body and specialized agency is involved to some degree in the protection ofhuman rights. One of the great achievements of the United Nations is the creation ofa comprehensive body of human rights law, which, for the first time in history, provides us with a universal and internationally protected code of human rights, one to which all nations can subscribe and to which all people can aspire. Not only has the United Nations painstakingly defined a broad range of internationally accepted rights; it has also established mechanisms with which to promote and protect these rights and to assist governments in carrying out their responsibilities.
Posted on: Sun, 01 Sep 2013 16:36:26 +0000
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