Table Of ContentJohn Trent/Laura Schnurr
A United Nations Renaissance
“Politicians, pundits, and publics are moving inward and building
walls whereas addressing global threats requires moving outward and
breaking down barriers. More than ever, multilateralism is essential
for problem-solving, and more than ever we need a fitter-for-purpose
United Nations. Trent and Schnurr provide a persuasive and user-
friendly introduction for a new generation of change-makers.”
Thomas G. Weiss, Presidential Professor of Political Science, The
CUNY Graduate Center, Past President International Studies
Association
“More than a simple forum or arena for confrontation of opposing
interests, the United Nations must become an instrument for world
governance. This excellent book, from Trent and Schnurr, goes a long
way to push forward this idea.”
Modesto Seara-Vazquez, Professor of International Organization, and
Rector Oaxaca State University System, Mexico
“The United Nations remains an essential global institution for
advancing the values and practices of cooperation, development, and
human rights, but it also needs reform; and especially it needs
realistic proposals that give a way forward while still retaining and
promoting the ideals of the Charter. This new volume places the UN
in historical and contemporary perspective, identifies its critical
strengths, challenges, and flaws in a balanced analysis, and suggests
clear and constructive arguments and ideas for the changes that are
needed.”
Alistair Edgar, Professor of Political Science, Wilfrid Laurier
University, Executive Director, Academic Council on the United
Nations System
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“The UN is being put to the test in today's jumbled and fractious
global system. There is a foreboding over the growing trend among
many member states including three of the permanent members of the
Security Council towards anti - internationalist sentiments and the
undermining of norms of global cooperation. As the title of this book
signals, it is time for a UN Renaissance. This will only happen if there
emerges a coalition of key member states, civil society groups,
international institutions and good advocacy in the media and from
the academic world.
This book makes clear why this is such an important cause for our
time. And its focus on mobilizing young people to the cause is a
worthy recommendation.”
Lloyd Axworthy, Past President, University of Winnipeg, former
Foreign Minister of Canada
“Global issues require well-functioning global institutions. The United
Nations and it’s agencies are critical global players that are needed
more than ever given the increasingly interconnected world. The UN
is vital in helping to create and support the right operating
environment so that the Red Cross and Red Crescent and other
organizations are able to fulfill their humanitarian mandates. Trent
and Schnurr have written a concise and readable publication that
should be read by young people the world over. It is hoped future
generations would be encouraged to join the ranks in helping to
rejuvenate an essential institution.”
George Weber, Secretary-General Emeritus, International Red Cross
and Red Crescent Federation; CEO Royal Ottawa Hospital
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AN: 1643172 ; Trent, John.; A United Nations Renaissance : What the UN Is, and What It Could Be
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John Trent
Laura Schnurr
A United Nations Renaissance
What the UN is, and what it could be
Barbara Budrich Publishers
Opladen • Berlin • Toronto 2018
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AN: 1643172 ; Trent, John.; A United Nations Renaissance : What the UN Is, and What It Could Be
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without the prior written permission of Barbara Budrich Publishers. Any
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liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must
impose this same condition on any acquirer.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from
Die Deutsche Bibliothek (The German Library)
© 2018 by Barbara Budrich Publishers, Opladen, Berlin & Toronto
www.barbara-budrich.net
ISBN 978-3-8474-0711-9 (Paperback)
eISBN 978-3-8474-0860-4 (eBook)
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erhältlich.
Verlag Barbara Budrich Barbara Budrich Publishers
Stauffenbergstr. 7. D-51379 Leverkusen Opladen, Germany
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Jacket illustration by Bettina Lehfeldt, Kleinmachnow, Germany –
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Copy Edit: Máiréad Collins, Belfast, UK
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Table of Contents
List of Illustrations ......................................................................................... 9
List of Abbreviations ................................................................................... 11
Introduction .................................................................................................. 13
Achieving the unthinkable ......................................................................... 13
The global governance deficit ................................................................... 15
The United Nations’ balance sheet ............................................................ 16
Empowering youth .................................................................................... 19
Objectives of the primer ............................................................................ 21
Chapter 1 – Evolving International Organizations:
the UN Past and Present .............................................................................. 22
Early international cooperation efforts ...................................................... 22
The Concert of Europe .......................................................................... 23
A note on the creation of the League of Nations ................................... 26
The League of Nations as an institution ................................................ 27
From the League of Nations to the United Nations .............................. 32
Introducing the United Nations ................................................................. 34
The principal organs of the United Nations ............................................... 35
The Security Council ............................................................................ 35
The General Assembly .......................................................................... 38
The Economic and Social Council ........................................................ 41
Trusteeship Council .............................................................................. 43
The International Court of Justice ......................................................... 43
The Secretariat ...................................................................................... 45
Beyond the organs ..................................................................................... 46
The Secretary-General .......................................................................... 46
UN budgets ........................................................................................... 49
The UN System ..................................................................................... 49
International financial institutions and other international actors ......... 51
Chapter 2 – Peace and Security: Fixing the Security Council ................. 56
The Security Council’s functions and activities ........................................ 58
Security Council strengths .................................................................... 58
Security Council weaknesses ................................................................ 61
5
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The UN’s peace operations ....................................................................... 64
The Security Council and the future .......................................................... 67
Chapter 3 – Social and Economic Development ........................................ 71
Understanding ‘development’ ................................................................... 71
The first 50 years ....................................................................................... 71
Development in the early years ............................................................. 71
Expanding development efforts ............................................................ 73
The North-South divide ........................................................................ 75
Millennium Development Goals ............................................................... 75
Tallying up the results ........................................................................... 76
Sustainable Development Goals ................................................................ 77
A changed world ................................................................................... 77
More voices at the table ........................................................................ 79
Financing the goals ............................................................................... 81
Looking ahead ........................................................................................... 82
Partnering in a new era of development cooperation ............................ 82
Role for private sector ........................................................................... 84
Role for civil society ............................................................................. 85
Innovation and technology .................................................................... 88
What role for the UN? ........................................................................... 90
Is the UN prepared? ................................................................................... 91
Streamlining the UN development system
and ‘Delivering as One’ ........................................................................ 92
Improving business practices ................................................................ 94
Focusing on strengths and priorities ..................................................... 94
ECOSOC reform ................................................................................... 95
Is reform possible? ................................................................................ 97
Chapter 4 – Promoting and Protecting Human Rights ............................ 98
Human rights: one of the UN’s great ideas that too many countries
fail to respect ............................................................................................. 98
The fundamental paradox ..................................................................... 98
International human rights law ............................................................. 99
Contradictory interpretations .............................................................. 101
The tremendous cost of violations ...................................................... 102
The United Nations’ Record in Upholding Human Rights ...................... 105
6
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From the Commission on Human Rights
to the Human Rights Council .............................................................. 106
The Secretary-General
and the High Commissioner for Human Rights .................................. 109
Dealing with the worst violations:
the International Criminal Court and ad hoc tribunals ........................ 110
Responsibility to Protect and human security ..................................... 114
Migration, refugees and the humanitarian response ............................ 116
What next? ............................................................................................... 120
Reforms: big and small ....................................................................... 120
Can change happen? ........................................................................... 122
Chapter 5 – Workable Global Institutions:
How to Get from Here to There? .............................................................. 124
What we have learnt about understanding world institutions .................. 124
Reviewing the literature on revamping the UN ....................................... 126
Nine popular proposals to transform the UN ........................................... 130
1. A more legitimate Security Council ................................................ 131
2. A more balanced and focused General Assembly ........................... 133
3. An Economic, Social and Environmental Council .......................... 134
4. A reconfigured Human Rights Council ........................................... 135
5. Improved staffing and management practices ................................. 136
6. Autonomous emergency services for the UN ................................. 137
7. Financing the UN ............................................................................ 138
8. Principles and criteria for the Responsibility to Protect .................. 139
9. The dispersion and control of global power .................................... 140
Sequencing reform proposals: where to start ........................................... 143
Four steps for how can we help bring about workable
global institutions .................................................................................... 144
Bibliography ............................................................................................... 153
Index ............................................................................................................ 161
7
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List of Illustrations
Box 1 Understanding ‘sovereignty’ .......................................................... 24
Box 2 Strengths and failures of the League of Nations ............................ 31
Box 3 The General Assembly’s six Main Committees ............................. 40
Box 4 Understanding ‘international law’ .................................................. 44
Box 5 Secretaries-General, 1945-present.................................................. 47
Box 6 Other ‘actors’ enter the world stage ............................................... 54
Box 7 The UN’s record of achievements in peace and security ............... 61
Box 8 The Security Council’s challenges, problems and failures ............. 63
Box 9 Putting the environment on the agenda ......................................... 73
Box 10 UN Women .................................................................................... 92
Box 11 Global health crises—Ebola response ............................................ 95
Box 12 Key characteristics of human rights ............................................... 99
Box 13 Categories of human rights .......................................................... 100
Box 14 Select examples of current human rights issues ........................... 104
Box 15 Key terms related to the movement of people .............................. 117
Box 16 Improving the working methods of the Security Council ............ 132
Box 17 Ideas for reforming the Human Rights Council ........................... 135
Box 18 An NGO coalition that made history ............................................ 147
Figure 1 Evolution of international organizations, until 1945 ...................... 22
Figure 2 The United Nations System diagram.............................................. 50
Figure 3 United Nations Development Group members
(excluding regional commissions and secretariat bodies)
by year established ......................................................................... 74
Figure 4 Millennium Development Goals .................................................... 76
Figure 5 Sustainable Development Goals ..................................................... 78
Figure 6 Key differences between the MDGs and SDGs ............................. 80
Figure 7 Populations of concern (refugees, asylum-seekers, IDPs,
returnees, stateless persons) from 1951-2015 .............................. 118
9
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