THE
T H E UNITED
U N I T E D NATIONS
NATIONS
AND
A N D CONTEMPORARY
CONTEMPORARY
GLOBAL
G LOBAL G GOVERNANCE
OVERNANCE
LESSON 4
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this lesson, students should be able to:
1 . Define global governance;
2 . Identify the roles and functions of the United Nations;
and
3 . Determine the challenges of global governance in the
st
21 century
WHAT IS GLOBAL
GOVERNANCE?
It is also called world governance
Is a movement towards political cooperation
among transnational actors, aimed at negotiating
responses to problems that affect more than one
state or region
Global governance pertains to a way for different
countries and organizations to work together to
solve big problems that affect the whole world.
BENEFITS OF GLOBAL CHALLENGES OF
GOVERNANC E:
VISION
GLOBAL
GOVERNANCE:
Addressing Global Diverse Opinions
Challenges/Solving Big Power Imbalances/Some Have
Problems More Power
Promoting Peace and Security Complexity and Fragmentation
Facilitating Trade and Lack of Enforcement Mechanisms/
Economic Growth/Making Not Enough
Trade Easier Rules
Protecting Human Rights Sovereignty Concerns
Fostering Innovation and
Collaboration
International Governmental
IGOs Organizations (IGOs)
-set the rules and make sure
countries play fair.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) -
are groups of regular people who work on
NGOs specific problems like human rights, the
environment, or poverty. NGOs keep an eye
on everyone and make sure they're doing the
right thing
GLOBAL GOVERNANCE Transnational Corporations (TNCs) -
I N V O L V E S C O O P E R A T IO N bring money, technology, and jobs,
AMONG VARIOUS ACTORS TO TNCs but they also need to be responsible
ADDRESS CHALLENGES THAT for their impact on people and the
GO BEYOND NATIONAL planet.
BORDERS.
WHAT IS
INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATION?
IOs are formal, structured institutions
composed mainly of sovereign member-
states.
INTERNATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS They are established through treaties or
international agreements.
(IO)
Their purpose is to manage cooperation in
areas such as peace, security, economic
development, trade, and health.
IOs vs. International NGOs
Intergovernmental Non-Governmental
Feature
Organizations (IGOs) Organizations (NGOs)
Individuals or private
Members Countries (governments)
groups
Treaties or state
Legal Basis Registered nonprofits
agreements
Red Cross, Amnesty
Examples UN, IMF, WHO
International
HISTORIAL VIEWS OF
IOs
In the mid-20th century, many scholars believed The dominant belief was that IOs were weak,
IOs were “talk shops” – only used for discussion non-binding, and only acted based on powerful
and negotiation. states’ interests.
IOs were seen as extensions of national foreign
policy, not independent actors.
MODERN VIEW- IOs AS
INDEPENDENT ACTORS
From the 1980s onward, scholars began to IOs developed internal rules, bureaucracies, and
observe how IOs could act independently of their specialized staff who make decisions based on
members. professional expertise, not national interests.
POWERS OF IOs
CLASSIFYING THE WORLD
Defining terms (e.g., “developing countries”).
EXPERT AUTHORITY
Acting as credible sources of global knowledge.
FIXING MEANINGS
Setting standards and defining problems.
OPERATIONAL AUTONOMY
Making decisions independent from direct state
[Link] credible sources of global knowledge.
SPREADING NORMS
Promoting certain values
UN
U N II T
TEED
D NA
N AT
T II O
ONNS
S
What is the UN?
The United Nations is an international
organization founded in 1945.
It is mainly concerned with global issues
and has a primary objective of maintaining
peace and security, cooperation and
maintaining friendly relations among the
nations.
Currently made up of 193 Member States,
the UN and its work are guided by the
purposes and principles contained in its
founding Charter. UN Headquarters at New York City
T h e U N C H A RT E R
The Charter of the United Nations is the
founding document of United Nations.
It was signed on 26 June 1945, in San
Francisco, and came into force on 24
October 1945.
The United Nations can take action on a
wide variety of issues due to its unique
international character and the powers
vested in its Charter, which is considered
an international treaty.
The UN is divided into five active organs
The General Assembly
The Security Council
The Economic and Social Council
The International Court of Justice
The Secretariat
G E N E R A L ASS E M B LY
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) is the main policy-making organ
of the Organization.
Comprising all Member States, it provides a unique forum for
multilateral discussion of the full spectrum of international issues covered
by the Charter of the United Nations.
ANNUALLY General Assembly elects a GA President to serve a one-
year term of office
The Philippines played a prominent role in the GA's early years when
Filipino diplomat Carlos P. Romulo was elected GA president from
1949-1950.
SECURITY COUNCIL
The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance
of international peace and security. They are in charge of evaluating
whether a threat to the peace or an act of aggression exists.
Security Council has 15 members in total.
10 members are elected by the General Assembly for 2-year terms.
The other five or Permanent 5 (P5)—are China, France, Russia, the
United Kingdom, and the United States.
These countries were the major Allied Powers that won World War II.
Each of the P5 members has veto power.
International Court of Justice
(ICJ)
Main judicial branch of the United Nations.
Settles legal disputes between countries and gives advisory opinions on
legal issues.
Located in The Hague, Netherlands.
Composed of 15 judges elected for 9-year terms by the General
Assembly and Security Council.
Only states (countries) can be parties in cases—not individuals or
organizations.
Rulings are binding, but the court has no enforcement power
Economic and Social Council
(ECOSOC)
Coordinates the UN’s work on economic, social, and environmental
issues.
Acts as a platform for international dialogue and policy-making.
Has 54 member states elected by the General Assembly for 3-year terms
Works closely with specialized agencies like WHO, UNESCO, and ILO.
Engages with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other
partners
The Secretariat
Serves as the administrative and executive branch of the UN.
Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization.
Headed by the Secretary-General, the UN’s chief spokesperson and
leader.
Staffed by international civil servants who work in peacekeeping,
humanitarian aid, research, etc.
Personnel must remain neutral and independent of their home countries.
CHALLENGES OF THE
UNITED NATIONS
The UN is not a world government, and it If states refuse to cooperate, the influence of the
functions primarily because of voluntary UN can be severely restricted.
cooperation from states.
Because of the P5’s veto authority, the council
The UN Security Council is responsible for
finds it difficult to issue a formal resolution, let
sanctioning international military intervention.
alone implement it.
CHALLENGES OF THE
UNITED NATIONS
SYRIAN CIVIL WHY V ETO
POWER STILL STATIST ICS: USE OF
WAR VETO POWER
(2011- PRESENT) MATTERS?: IRAQ
WAR
Began with protests against (2003) There have been 37 vetoes by the
President Bashar al-Assad, The United States claimed that Iraq’s Permanent 5 (P5) members of the
turned into a civil war involving leader Saddam Hussein had UN Security Council.
Weapons of Mass Destruction 25 vetoes were made by Russia
multiple rebel groups, ISIS, and
(WMDs) that threatened world peace. and China
foreign powers.
The U.S. sought UN approval to
Russia, under dictator Vladimir 12 vetoes were made by the
invade Iraq.
Putin, an ally of Assad, used its United States
However, Russia, China, and France
veto power in the UN Security were not convinced there was enough Most of these vetoes were
Council to block any action evidence, so they threatened to veto related to conflicts in the Middle
against the Syrian government. the resolution. East
Over 220,000 people died and 11 As a result, the U.S. invaded Iraq
without UN authorization, forming a
million displaced.
small “coalition of the willing”
instead.
CONCLUSION
Global governance remains a challenging and evolving
system. While institutions like the UN symbolize international
cooperation, they constantly balance between state interests
and independent authority.
1. Institutional Tension
Sovereign states vs. independent agendas.
2. Symbolic Power
UN as the closest form to a world government.
3. Ongoing Evolution
Global governance continues to develop and adapt.
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