UN80 Initiative ( UPSC Prelims)

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News Context

     ○ A progress report on the third workstream of the UN80 Initiative has been published.

About UN80 Initiative

 ● Launch: Initiated by the Secretary-General in March 2025 during the UN's 80th anniversary.  
  ● Objective:  
        ○ Enhance operations and impact.
        ○ Reaffirm the UN's relevance and efficiency.
        ○ Strengthen the principles of multilateralism amidst low trust and high needs.
  ● Key Work Streams:  
        ○ Identify efficiencies and improvements in UN operations.
        ○ Review the execution of mandates from Member States.
        ○ Explore potential structural changes and programme realignments within the UN system.
  ● Coordination: Managed by the UN80 Task Force, led by the Under-Secretary-General for Policy.  

United Nations (UN)

 ● United Nations (UN)  
    ● Headquarters: New York  
    ● Established: 1945, with the signing of the Charter of the United Nations in San Francisco.  
    ● Charter Principles: Focus on international peace and security, sovereign equality, cooperation, and human rights.  
  ● Main Organs:  
    ● General Assembly (UNGA): Comprises all UN Member States, each with an equal vote; responsible for electing non-permanent members of the UN Security Council (UNSC).  
    ● Security Council (UNSC): Consists of 15 members, including the P5 with veto power and 10 elected members; tasked with maintaining peace and security.  
    ● Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC): Made up of 54 members; oversees economic, social, and environmental initiatives.  
    ● International Court of Justice (ICJ): The judicial branch that resolves disputes between states, located at the Peace Palace in The Hague.  
    ● Trusteeship Council: Has been inactive since 1994.  
    ● Secretariat: Led by the UN Secretary-General, responsible for administrative and coordination duties.  
  ● Specialized Agencies: Autonomous entities connected to the UN through agreements, including 15 organizations such as:  
    ● FAO (Rome), ICAO (Montreal), IFAD (Rome), ILO (Geneva), IMF (Washington, DC), IMO (London), ITU (Geneva), UNESCO (Paris), UNIDO (Vienna), UN Tourism (Madrid), UPU (Bern), WHO (Geneva), WIPO (Geneva), WMO (Geneva), World Bank (Washington, DC).  
  ● Membership: Comprises 193 countries, with India as a founding member.  
        ○ Admission to membership is determined by the General Assembly based on the Security Council's recommendation.
  ● Funds and Programmes: Includes entities like UNICEF, UNDP, UNEP, and UN-HABITAT.