Democratization of the United Nations

Vijapur, Abdulrahim P. (2019) Democratization of the United Nations. The Indian Journal of Politics, 53 (1-2). pp. 1-14.

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Abstract

The United Nations is the only truly universal and global intergovernmental organization created to date. Established 74 years ago, it continues to be the only global international organization and actor that has an agenda encompassing the broadest range of governance issues. As the world’s only truly global organization, it has become the foremost forum to address issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone. It is a complex system that serves as the central site for multilateral diplomacy, with the UN’s General Assembly as center stage. Since the end of Cold War, the UN is not only addressing global problems like a democratic supranational body (not exactly emerging as a global government) adopting policies to reduce illiteracy, poverty, gender inequality, protecting environment. The MDGs and SDGs are aimed at the welfare of “We the Peoples of the United Nations”. While the UN is promoting democracy at global level, there are serious demands aired for democratizing the world body itself. This paper aims to discuss (i) the objectives/ purposes, principles and the principal organs of the UN, (ii) the role of the UN in democratizing international relations, and (iii) the democratization of UN System through reforms to better its future prospects.

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