Hello aspirants,
Today’s revision capsule of PSIR optional preparation covers United Nations.There are four 20-markers, five 15-markers, and six 10-markers from this topic in the last 12 years.
United Nations
- Genesis, Mandate
| Key Milestones | Significance |
| San Francisco Conference (Apr‑Jun 1945) | 50 states draft & sign the UN Charter. |
| Entry into force – 24 Oct 1945 | 51 founding members. |
| UN at 80 (2025) | Now 193 members; the only truly universal inter‑governmental body. |
| Summit of the Future (Sept 2024) | Pact for the Future endorsed: embeds a Global Digital Compact, fresh SDG‑financing pledges & a Declaration on Future Generations. |
Charter purposes (Art. 1):
- Maintain international peace & security
- Foster friendly relations & self‑determination
- Promote human‑rights, socio‑economic & humanitarian co‑operation
- Provide a centre for harmonising state action
- Six Principal Organs – Structure & 2025 Realities
| Organ | Core Function (Charter) | 2025 / Issues |
| General Assembly | Deliberative, budgetary, elective; one‑state‑one‑vote. | 79th session (2024‑25) includes “revitalisation” agenda: more interactive dialogues, stricter mandate‑review. |
| Security Council | Primary responsibility for peace & security; 15 members (P5 + 10). | Gridlock: > 7 Security Council Vetoes Between Feb 2022 and Feb 2024 ( 4- Russia, 3-US) on Ukraine and Gaza related drafts. France/Mexico‑ACT code‑of‑conduct on veto restraint now backed by 106 states. |
| ECOSOC | Coordinate UN‑system economic & social work. | Quadrennial High‑Level Political Forum reviews SDG mid‑term: only c.15 % targets “on track”. |
| Secretariat | Administers programmes; Sec‑Gen as chief diplomat. | António Guterres (2nd term, 2022‑26) drives three reform tracks: *peace‑&‑security re‑org, management simplification, and ‘Our Common Agenda’ follow‑up. |
| ICJ | Judicial settlement & advisory opinions. | Issued landmark provisional‑measures orders: Ukraine v. Russia (2022) & South Africa v. Israel (Jan/Mar 2024) under Genocide Convention. |
| Trusteeship Council | Dormant since 1994. | Debate on repurposing for Global Commons governance revived in 2024 Pact. |
- UN “Family” – Agencies & Funds (selected highlights)
- WHO – led May 2025 adoption of a Pandemic Agreement anchoring equitable access & surveillance financing.
- WFP – Nobel Peace Prize 2020; delivering record assistance to Gaza, Sudan & Ukraine in 2024‑25.
- UNDP / UN‑Women / UNEP – align all programming to 17 SDGs; 2023 midpoint stock‑take warns of a US$4 trn annual SDG finance gap.
Specialised Agencies – Mandates & 2025 update
| Agency (HQ) | Charter‑level Aim | 2024‑25 Highlight |
| FAO (Rome) | Eliminate hunger & improve agriculture, fisheries & forestry. | One Health initiative with WHO & WOAH to curb zoonotic outbreaks. |
| ILO (Geneva) | Set & supervise international labour standards; promote decent work. | Global Coalition for Social Justice launched 2023; ratification drive on Convention 190 (violence/harassment). |
| WHO (Geneva) | Attain highest possible health for all peoples. | Pandemic Agreement text finalised May 2025; rollout of Universal Health Threats Dashboard. |
| UNESCO (Paris) | Education, science, culture co‑operation; heritage protection. | 1 000th World‑Heritage inscription (Great Green Wall cultural landscape, Sahel). |
| WFP (Rome) | Provide food assistance & nutrition in emergencies. | Digital beneficiary registry passed 50 million mark; Gaza & Sudan top operations. |
| WBG (Washington) | Poverty reduction & development finance. | Evolution Road‑Map 2024 adds livability & global public‑goods pillar; 70 % lending climate‑aligned by 2025. |
- Peace & Security Record – Successes, Shortfalls, New Tests
| Positive Contributions | Persistent Failures / Lessons | |
| Traditional peace‑keeping (since 1948) | 72 operations; 120+ countries have contributed troops; deaths cut by c.70 % in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire. | Equipment gaps & $1.9 bn arrears (2025); 309 uninformed MINUSMA personnel died between Aug 2013 and December 2023, including 174 killed by hostile acts |
| Cease‑fire diplomacy | Successful mediation in Iran‑Iraq (1988), El Salvador (1992), Kenya (2008). | UNSC paralysis over Syria, Ukraine, Gaza; vetoes block sanctions & tribunals. |
| Norm‑setting | NPT (1968), Land‑Mines (1997), ATT (2013). | Nuclear‑weapon‑states boycott TPNW (2017); DPRK, Iran, AUKUS tensions strain regime. |
| Responsibility to Protect (R2P) | Kenya 2008 (diplomatic prevention); Côte d’Ivoire 2011; Libya 2011 (initially). | Libya mission overshoot eroded trust; Russia & China veto R2P‑grounded action on Syria; Gaza 2023‑24 exposes normative divide. |
ECOSOC’s Technical Machinery
| Commission / Body | Core Focus | |
| Functional Cʼns | Statistical | Custodian of SDG indicators; sets global classifications (e.g., ISIC Rev.5, 2024). |
| CSW | Norm‑setting on gender equality; negotiates Agreed Conclusions annually. | |
| UNFF | Sustainable forest management; Global Forest Finance Facilitation Network. | |
| Regional Commissions | ECLAC | Integrates Latin‑American economies; 2024 pact on digital taxation rules. |
| ESCAP | Asia‑Pacific transport corridors; early‑warning tech for SIDS. | |
| ECA / ECE / ESCWA | Respectively drive AfCFTA analytics, circular‑economy regulation & Arab energy‑transition financing. |
- Human Rights & International Law
- International Bill of Human Rights + nine core treaties now enjoy near‑universal ratification.
- ICJ revitalisation – 44 contentious cases active mid‑2025; Court’s emergency orders on Ukraine (2022) & Gaza (2024) underscore judicial pathway when Council is blocked.
- ICC – 17 live investigations incl. Sudan, Ukraine, Palestine; US & Russia still non‑parties, limiting enforcement.
International Court of Justice
| Theme | Detail |
| Jurisdiction Triggers | Special agreement; compromissory clause; optional‑clause declarations (now 74 states); forum prorogatum. |
| Select Achievements | Nicaragua v. USA (1986) clarified non‑intervention norm; Burkina Faso/Niger (2013) solved 700‑km frontier peacefully; Jadhav (India v. Pakistan) (2019) upheld consular‑access rights. |
| Structural Limits | No compulsory jurisdiction; enforcement tied to UNSC (prone to veto); individuals & firms lack standing. |
| 2024‑25 | Mexico v. Ecuador (diplomatic‑premises raid); Gambia v. Myanmar genocide merits; advisory opinion on climate‑change obligations (UNGA request 2023) under deliberation. |
- Development, Climate & Humanitarian Action
| Track | 1945‑2015 | 2015‑25 (SDG decade) |
| Poverty & Health | MDG era cut extreme poverty from 36 % → 10 %. | Pandemic & wars push 75 million back into poverty; WHO‑led Pandemic Agreement aims to avoid repeat supply inequities. |
| Climate & Environment | UNFCCC (1992) → Kyoto (1997). | COP28 Dubai (2023) – first global pledge to “transition away from fossil fuels”. Loss‑&‑damage fund operationalised 2024; high‑ambition finance target to be fixed at COP29 (Baku, Nov 2024). |
| Financing & Reform Drive | Bretton Woods dominance. | Pact for the Future presses for Bretton‑Woods quota re‑balance, SDG‑Stimulus & debt restructuring; G20 2023 endorsed multilateral‑bank capital boosts. |
- Reform Debates – UNSC & Beyond
| Proposal & Sponsors | Core Ask | Political Status (July 2025) |
| G‑4 (India, Japan, Germany, Brazil) | 6 new permanent seats (4 G‑4 + 2 Africa) + 4‑5 non‑permanent. | Backed by France, UK; opposed by Uniting for Consensus (Italy, Pakistan, etc.). |
| Ezulwini Consensus (AU) | 2 African permanents with veto + 2 elected seats. | Renewed AU‑G‑4 “convergence paper” 2025, but veto remains stumbling block. |
| Veto restraint initiatives | ACT Code of Conduct; France‑Mexico political declaration. | 106 signatories; Russia, China, US yet to join. |
| Secretariat/Management | Guterres’ reforms cut 1 000 rules, created DSG‑level Development Coordination Office; data‑driven budgeting. | Implementation phase‑III (2024‑26) focuses on field‑level agility & digital public goods. |
| Trusteeship → Global Commons Council | Academia & SIDS call to task it with oceans, climate & AI governance. | Discussed in Pact annex; inter‑gov negotiations start 2026. |
Other related aspects
| Uniting for Consensus (Italy‑Pakistan‑Mexico etc.) | No new permanents; raise non‑permanent seats from 10 → 20; allow immediate re‑election. | G‑4 & AU reject “second‑class” status; deadlock in Inter‑Governmental Negotiations (IGN). |
| SIDS / LDC Caucus | Rotating Small‑Island seat in non‑permanent category. | Larger states fear precedent for micro‑group entitlements. |
| Veto‑Reform Packages | a) Complete abolition; b) voluntary veto‑restraint in mass‑atrocity cases; c) double‑majority override (2/3 UNGA + 10 SC votes). | P5 unanimity requirement (Art.108) blocks charter change; only voluntary restraint feasible short‑term. |
- Collective Security – Existing Constraints
- Great‑Power unanimity rule (veto) still un‑reformed; Ukraine & Gaza show cost.
- No standing UN rapid‑reaction force; peace ops depend on ad‑hoc troop commitments (India, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Nepal top contributors 2024).
- Rise of regional‑led coalitions (AU in Somalia, ECOWAS security mission 2024, ASEAN in Myanmar) partially compensates for Council stasis.
- Systemic Shortcomings & Critiques
| Illustrative Issues | Scholar / Report Commentary | |
| Collective‑Security Deficit | Veto stalemate (Ukraine, Gaza); no standing force. | Richard Falk: “state sovereignty still trumps human security.” |
| North‑South Legitimacy Gap | Bretton‑Woods voting imbalance; only 1 African on P5. | Samir Amin: existing order “perpetuates economic colonialism.” |
| Operational Fragmentation | 40+ entities in development pillar à duplication & competition for funds. | UN Quadrennial Comprehensive Review urges delivering as one approach. |
| Funding Reliance | 58 % of regular budget financed by ten donors; US share 22 %. | António Guterres calls system “morally bankrupt” without predictable financing. |
| Accountability & Abuse | Peacekeeper sexual‑exploitation scandals (DRC, Haiti); WHO harassment cases. | Independent panels recommend survivor‑centred investigation & immunity waivers. |
Responsibility to Protect (R2P) – Framework & Trajectory
| 2005 Outcome Doc. | Operational Mechanism | Case‑Study Outcome |
| 1. State’s duty to protect populations | Domestic prevention (rule‑of‑law, early‑warning). | Kenya (2008): Electoral‑violence contained via national pact. |
| 2. International assistance & capacity‑building | UN‑assessed risk, advisory missions, development aid. | CAR (2013‑14): AU‑UN MINUSCA deployment stabilised Bangui. |
| 3. Collective action when state manifestly fails | UNSC measures ‑ sanctions, ICC referral, military force (last resort). | Libya (2011): Res.1973 averted Benghazi massacre but mission‑creep eroded consensus; Russia/China now cite precedent to resist Syrian action. |
Brazil’s “Responsibility While Protection” (2011) adds post‑intervention accountability & proportionality tests; still informally referenced in Council debates.
- Appraisal
The UN is no panacea, yet compared with its League‑of‑Nations predecessor it has:
- prevented great‑power war,
- decolonised 80 territories,
- vaccinated billions & fed millions,
- codified an unprecedented body of international law.
Its legitimacy now depends up on aligning 1945 structures to 21st‑century power, financing and digital realities—“reform or risk irrelevance.”
“The Bretton Woods system and the Security Council still mirror 1945. Reform is essentially a redistribution of power in line with today’s world.” – Shashi Tharoor
Socio‑Economic Development record
| Dimension | Landmark UN Gains (1945‑2023) | Outstanding Gaps (2025) |
| Poverty & Hunger | MDG era halved extreme‑poverty; WFP reaches 80 M people/yr. | Conflict‑climate shocks push 342 M to acute food insecurity; SDG 1 off‑track. |
| Health | Smallpox eradication; 90 % child vaccination coverage vs polio. | Unequal pandemic‑preparedness; 17 % of Africans still without basic immunisation. |
| Gender | CEDAW (1979); 150 countries adopt laws against domestic violence. | Women hold 27 % parliamentary seats (2025); digital gender gap widening. |
| Education | UNESCO’s Global Education Monitoring Reports guide policy; literacy up from 55 % (1950) → 87 %. | 244 M children out of school; COVID‑learning losses may cut lifetime earnings by $17 tn. |
| Climate & Environment | UNFCCC → Paris Agreement; Montreal Protocol averted 2 °C extra warming. | Emissions still rising; adaptation finance to developing states <$25 bn vs $212 bn need. |
Practice Questions
Question 1 What is the structure and functions of International Court of Justice? [2023/10 m]
Question 2. Do you agree with the view that despite the limitations in the functioning of the UN, it has distinguished and unique achievements to its credit? [2017/15 m]
Question 3. Discuss the significance and urgency of the UN Security Council reforms. Explain the relevance of the reform proposals made by the UN Secretary General António Guterres for the developing countries. [2020/15m]
📌 Model answers available on the Telegram channel: https://t.me/psirbyamitpratap – keep notifications on.
See you tomorrow on Day 36. Keep practicing!
—Amit Pratap Singh & Team
A quick note on submissions of copies and mentorship
- 2025 Mains writers: Cohort 4 of ATS starts on 27th July. The above practice set will serve as your revision tool, just do not miss booking your mentorship sessions for personalised feedback especially for starting tests. Come with your evaluated test copies.
- 2026 Mains writers – Cohort 4 of PSIR O-AWFG & ATS starts on 24th July 2025. keep uploading through your usual dashboard. Act on the feedback and improve consistently.
- Alternate between mini-tests (O-AWFG) and full mocks (ATS) has been designed to tackle speed, content depth, and structured revision—line-by-line evaluation pinpoints your weaknesses and errors. Follow your PSIR O-AWFG & ATS schedule and use the model answers to enrich your content, as rankers recommended based on their own success.
