ASSIGNMENT ON

Organs of international organizations

Course Title:Public International Law part-01

Course Code: Law-3246

Submitted To

Prof.Md.Maimul Ahsan Khan

Dean,Faculty of Social Science

Leading University, Sylhet
Submitted By

Redwanul Haque
ID: 1934050009
Department of Law
Leading University, Sylhet

Submission Date: 04/12/2022

 Content Page No
Introduction 01
Principal Organs of the UN 01
General Assembly 01-02
Security Council0 02-03
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) 03
Trusteeship Council 03-04
International Court of Justice (ICJ) 04
Secretariat 04-05
Specialized Agencies 05
Organs and agencies authorized to request 05
advisory opinions
Types and purpose 05-07
Participation and involvement 07
International governmental organisations 07-08
Conclusion 08
Reference 09
Bibliography 10

Table of Contents

Introduction:
International organization, institution drawing membership from at least three states, having
activities in several states, and whose members are held together by a formal agreement.
The Union of International Associations, a coordinating body, differentiates between the more
than 250 international governmental organizations (IGOs), which have been established by
intergovernmental agreements and whose members are states, and the approximately
6,000 nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), whose members are associations or
individuals.The main bodies of the United Nations are the General Assembly, the Security
Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of
Justice, and the UN Secretariat. All were established under the UN Charter when the
Organization was founded in 1945.

Principal Organs of the UN

The United Nations is an international organization that strives to maintain world peace and
ensure security for all mankind. It also strives to foster friendly relations among nations. 

The UN functions through its 6 principal organs. They are:

1. General Assembly
2. Security Council
3. Secretariat
4. Economic and Social Council
5. Trusteeship Council
6. International Court of Justice

The details of each of the organs are described below.

General Assembly 

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is the chief policy-making and representative
body of the UN.

 It is the only UN body where all the UN members are represented. So, all 193 member
countries are represented here.
 The GA is headed by a President who is elected for a one-year tenure.
 The GA is headquartered in New York, USA.
 The UNGA meets once a year in September. 
 This annual GA session happens in the General Assembly Hall in New York.
 The Assembly also meets at other times of the year depending on the tasks.
 The UNGA can make recommendations to countries on matters within its competence.
 Functions of the UNGA:
  Consider and approve the UN budget and establish the financial assessments of
member countries;
 Elect the non-permanent members of the UN Security Council and the members of
other UN organs and councils and, on the recommendation of the UNSC, appoint the
Secretary-General;
 Consider and make recommendations on the general principles of cooperation for
maintaining international security and peace, including disarmament;
 Discuss any question relating to international peace and security;
 Discuss any question within the scope of the UN Charter;
 Conduct studies and make recommendations to encourage global political cooperation,
the codification and development of international law, the realization of human rights &
fundamental freedoms, and international collaboration in the social, economic, cultural,
humanitarian, health and educational fields;
 Make recommendations for the peaceful settlement of any situation that might hamper
the friendly relations between nations;
 Consider reports from the various UN organs.
 Voting in the UNGA:
1. Every member has one vote in the GA.
2. Most questions are decided by a simple majority, however, budgetary questions,
election to the UNSC, and ECOSOC require a 2/3rd majority vote.
3. In recent times, the UNGA has been striving to make decisions based on consensus
among all member countries.

Security Council

The primary responsibility of maintaining peace and security in the world lies with the United
Nations Security Council (UNSC).

1. The UNSC has 15 member states, five of whom are permanent members. 
2. The 10 non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for a term of two
years each, on a regional basis.
 Out of the 10 temporary members, five are from Asia or Africa, two are from Latin
America, one from Eastern Europe, and two from Western Europe or other regions.
 The five permanent member countries are the USA, the UK, France, Russia, and China.
 Decisions are taken by the Council by vote, that is if 9 out of the 15 members vote ‘yes’.
However, if any of the permanent members vote ‘no’, that is, use their veto power, then
the resolution is not passed.
 Each of the permanent members possesses the Veto Power to any resolution of the
UNSC.
  This is seen as the most undemocratic feature of the UN.
 But, during the formation of the UN, the USA refused to be a part of the UN unless it
was given the power to veto.
 The League of Nations was an ineffective organization partly because of the absence of
the US. Hence, this condition of the US was accepted.
 Critics of the permanent members’ veto power also opine that it is this feature that
prevents many conflicts from being resolved.
1. The members of the UNSC must carry out the decisions taken by the Council; they are
legally binding.
2. The UNSC is headquartered in New York.

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

The ECOSOC is the main body responsible for coordination, policy dialogue, policy review and
recommendations on social, economic, and environmental issues, and also the implementation
of internationally agreed development goals.

1. It serves as the central mechanism for activities of the UN system and its specialized
agencies in the economic, social, and environmental fields, supervising subsidiary and
expert bodies.
2. It is the UN’s pivotal platform for reflection, debate, and innovative thinking on
sustainable development.
3. The ECOSOC has 54 members that are elected by the General Assembly.
4. Voting is by a simple majority and each member has one vote in the ECOSOC.
5. The work of the UN’s specialized agencies like the FAO, UNESCO, UNICEF, the ILO, etc.
are coordinated by the ECOSOC.
6. The ECOSOC presidency is for one year, and it is headquartered in New York.

Trusteeship Council

The Trusteeship Council was established in 1945 under the UN Charter to administer the 11
Trust Territories after the Second World War.

1) These were former colonies or dependent territories.

2) Since the Council was created, many territories have become independent and are self-
governing.
3) The last Trust Territory to become independent was Palau in 1994.
4) Hence, the Trusteeship Council suspended operations in 1994 and decided to meet as
and when the occasion arises.

International Court of Justice (ICJ)

The ICJ is the chief judicial organ of the United Nations. 

1.The ICJ’s seat is at The Hague, the Netherlands. (It is the only UN principal organ not located
in New York, USA.)

2.All 193 UN members are automatically a party to the ICJ.

3.ICJ’s functions:

 To settle in accordance with international law the legal disputes submitted to it by

States.
 To give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized
international organs and agencies.

Secretariat

The Secretariat comprises the UN Secretary-General and the thousands of staff who work at the
UN HQ in New York.

1.The Secretary-General is the chief administrative officer of the UN.

 The Secretary-General is appointed by the GA on the recommendation by the UNSC.

 He/she has a five-year renewable tenure.
 The current and the ninth Secretary-General is a Portuguese national, António Guterres.
 The Secretary-General can bring to the attention of the UNSC any issue which can be a
threat to international peace and security.

2.The staff who work at the Secretariat are hired internationally and also locally depending
upon the job.

3.They work at stations all over the world.

4.Their work ranges from peacekeeping operations, surveying economic and social trends,
mediating in international disputes, conducting international conferences to laying the
groundwork for international agreements.

5.The Secretariat has five regional commissions:

 ECA – Economic Commission for Africa

 ECE – Economic Commission for Europe
 ECLAC – Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
 ESCAP – Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Specialized Agencies
  International Labour Organization (ILO)
 Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
 The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has requested
advisory opinions of the Court in the following case(s):

 Judgments of the Administrative Tribunal of the ILO upon Complaints Made against
Unesco
 World Health Organization (WHO)
 The World Health Organization has requested advisory opinions of the Court in the
following case(s):

 Interpretation of the Agreement of 25 March 1951 between the WHO and Egypt
 Legality of the Use by a State of Nuclear Weapons in Armed Conflict
 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)
 International Finance Corporation (IFC)

Organs and agencies authorized to request advisory opinions

In accordance with Article 96, paragraph 1, of the Charter of the United Nations “[t]he General
Assembly or the Security Council may request the International Court of Justice to give an
advisory opinion on any legal question”.

Article 96, paragraph 2, of the Charter provides that “[o]ther organs of the United Nations and
specialized agencies, which may at any time be so authorized by the General Assembly, may
also request advisory opinions of the Court on legal questions arising within the scope of their
activities”.

Types and purpose

Intergovernmental organizations differ in function, membership, and membership criteria. They

have various goals and scopes, often outlined in the treaty or charter. Some IGOs developed to
fulfill a need for a neutral forum for debate or negotiation to resolve disputes. Others
developed to carry out mutual interests with unified aims to preserve peace through conflict
resolution and better international relations, promote international cooperation on matters
such as environmental protection, to promote human rights, to promote social development
(education, health care), to render humanitarian aid, and to economic development. Some are
more general in scope (the United Nations) while others may have subject-specific missions
(such as INTERPOL or the International Telecommunication Union and other standards
organizations). Common types include:

 Worldwide or global organizations — generally open to nations worldwide as long as

certain criteria are met: This category includes the United Nations (UN) and its
specialized agencies, the World Health Organization, the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU), the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund
(IMF). It also includes globally operating intergovernmental organizations that are not
an agency of the UN, including for example: the Hague Conference on Private
International Law, a globally operating intergovernmental organization based in The
Hague that pursues the progressive unification of private international law; the
International Criminal Court that adjudicates crimes defined under the Rome Statute;
and the CGIAR (formerly the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research),
a global partnership that unites intergovernmental organizations engaged in research
for a food-secured future.
 Cultural, linguistic, ethnic, religious, or historical organizations — open to members
based on some cultural, linguistic, ethnic, religious, or historical link: Examples include
the Commonwealth of Nations, Arab League, Organisation internationale de la
Francophonie, Community of Portuguese Language Countries, Organization of Turkic
States, International Organization of Turkic Culture, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation,
and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
 Economic organizations — based on macro-economic policy goals: Some are dedicated
to free trade and reduction of trade barriers, e.g. World Trade Organization,
International Monetary Fund. Others are focused on international development.
International cartels, such as OPEC, also exist. The Organisation for Economic Co-
operation and Development (OECD) was founded as an economic-policy-focused
organization. An example of a recently formed economic IGO is the Bank of the South.
 Educational organizations — centered around tertiary-level study. EUCLID University
was chartered as a university and umbrella organization dedicated to sustainable
development in signatory countries; United Nations University researches pressing
global problems that are the concern of the United Nations, its Peoples and Member
States.
 Health and Population Organizations — based on common perceived health and
population goals. These are formed to address those challenges collectively, for example
the intergovernmental partnership for population and development Partners in
Population and Development.

Participation and involvement

There are several different reasons a state may choose membership in an intergovernmental
organization. But there are also reasons membership may be rejected.

Reasons for participation:

 Economic rewards: In the case of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA),
membership in the free trade agreement benefits the parties’ economies. For example,
Mexican companies are given better access to U.S. markets due to their membership.
 Political influence: Smaller countries, such as Portugal and Belgium, who do not carry
much political clout on the international stage, are given a substantial increase in
influence through membership in IGOs such as the European Union. Also for countries
with more influence such as France and Germany, IGOs are beneficial as the nation
increases influence in the smaller countries’ internal affairs and expanding other nations
dependence on themselves, so to preserve allegiance.
 Security: Membership in an IGO such as NATO gives security benefits to member
countries. This provides an arena where political differences can be resolved.
 Democracy: It has been noted that member countries experience a greater degree of
democracy and those democracies survive longer.

Reasons for rejecting membership:

Loss of sovereignty: Membership often comes with a loss of state sovereignty as treaties are
signed that require co-operation on the part of all member states.

Insufficient benefits: Often membership does not bring about substantial enough benefit to
warrant membership in the organization.

International governmental organisations

An international governmental organisation (IGO), also referred to as an intergovernmental

organisation, is an organisation with a membership of only states. The organisation is usually
founded upon a treaty, or a multilateral agreement, and consists of more than two states. Member
states determine the way in which the organisation is run, vote within the organisation and
provide its funding.

Established in 1945 following the end of the Second World War, the United Nations (UN) is a
prime example of an international governmental organisation with almost universal membership.
Only states can be members of the United Nations and membership is valued because it confers
upon the member state international recognition of its sovereignty. As of 2017 there are 193 UN
member states – but it is important to note that a small number of states are not members.
Taiwan, for example, has repeatedly requested membership but has had its request blocked by
China. This is because China regards Taiwan as a part of its sovereign territory and does not
recognise it as an independent nation. Taiwan, of course, wants United Nations membership
because this will mean that the international community fully accepts its sovereignty. The
Taiwan example has gone unresolved for decades due to the major role that China plays within
the United Nations as one of its most powerful members.

There are six main organs of the United Nations. Once a state is a member, it is automatically a
member of the General Assembly. This is the most democratic organ where each state gets one
vote, no matter how big or small, rich or poor the country. It is also the place where, every
September, world leaders give their address to the international community from behind a dark
green podium with the UN crest clearly visible. The other organs are the Security Council, the
Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the Trusteeship Council, the Secretariat and the
International Court of Justice. By far the most powerful organ is the Security Council, which has
15 members. Five states – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States –
are permanent members of the Security Council. The other ten are voted in by the General
Assembly for two-year tenures. The Security Council is the only organ that can impose sanctions
on states or deploy military forces on behalf of the international community to keep the peace in
a certain area, region or country. The United Nations itself does not have its own military force,
but it can muster military and police personnel through contributions by its members.

Conclusion

An international organization or international organisation (see spelling differences), also

known as an intergovernmental organization or an international institution, is a stable set of
norms and rules meant to govern the behavior of states and other actors in the international
system. Organizations may be established by a treaty or be an instrument governed by
international law and possessing its own legal personality, such as the United Nations, the
World Health Organization and NATO.International organizations are composed of primarily
member states, but may also include other entities, such as other international organizations,
firms, and nongovernmental organizations.Additionally, entities (including states) may hold
observer status.

Reference:

https://www.un.org/en/about-us/main-bodies

https://byjus.com/free-ias-prep/united-nations-principal-organs-and-its-affiliates/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_organization

https://www.icj-cij.org/en/organs-agencies-authorized

Bibliography:

Professor Dr.Md.Maimul Ahsan Khan,international institutional law,Bangladesh institute of

Islamic thought