Suchergebnisse

THE UN IS NOW UNDER THE GREATEST THREAT OF EXTINCTION IN ITS HISTORY. THE EROSION OF PUBLIC ALERTNESS TO DAILY DOSES OF MENDACITY MIXED WITH ECONOMIC INCOMPETENCE IS VERY SUBTLE. TWO MOVES ARE SUGGESTED FOR THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF THE UN. FIRST, A WORLDWIDE CAMPAIGN TO GET GOVERNMENTS TO ESTABLISH A UN PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY ELECTED BY THE PEOPLES. SECOND,THE SECRETARY-GENERAL SHOULD BE APPOINTED FOLLOWING A YEAR-LONG SEARCH BASED ON SUGGESTIONS CONTRIBUTED BY ALL GOVERNMENTS, THE NGO COMMUNITY, AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS.

NO AREA OF UN-SYSTEM REFORM AND REORGANIZATION IS AS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT IN THE 1990S AS THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS WHICH STILL ACCOUNT FOR THE BULK OF ITS RESOURCES AND OUTLAYS. THIS CHAPTER EXAMINES ITS PRIMORDIAL OBLIGATION AND THEN WHERE TO FORMULATE MACRO-ECONOMIC POLITCY. IT REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE CONSULTATIVE BOARD OF THE SYSTEM AND RECIPROCIAL REPRESENTATION AS WELL AS INTER-SECRETARIAT IMPROVEMENTS. THE STRENGTHENING OF THE SECRETARIAT'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CAPACITIES AND THE ILL-FATED DIRECTOR-GENERALS POST ARE EXPLORED AS WELL AS THE 1992 SECRETARIATE REORGANIZATION, THE INTER-AGENCY ADVISORY BOARD AND THE BRETTON WOODS SPECIALIZED AGENCIES.

IN 1991, THE AUTHORS OF " RENEWING THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM" PREPARED DETAILED RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING THE UN SYSTEM'S HUMANITARIAN EMERGENCY MACHINERY. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THAT YEAR ADOPTED SOME OF THE KEY IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED. THIS STUDY CONCENTRATES ON MAJOR PROBLEMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RESOLVED OR THAT HAVE SINCE ASSUMED FAR GREATER SIGNIFICANCE.

IN SETTING ABOUT THE IMPROVEMENT OF AN INSTITUTION, IT IS ALWAYS NECESSARY TO HAVE A CLEAR PICTURE NOT ONLY OF ITS CURRENT STATE AND NATURE, BUT OF HOW IT DEVELOPED AND WHY. IN THE CASE OF THE UN SYSTEM THIS EXPLAINS, AND IN WHOLLY CONTEMPORARY TERMS, WHY THE SYSTEM HAS NOT OPERATED AS WELL AS IT COULD. THIS CHAPTER EXAMINES THE LOST ARCHITECTURE OF THE UN AND THE CHARTER'S AUTHORITY. IT THEN REVIEWS THE UN'S BUDGETARY ROLE AND EXPLORES A COMMON HEADQUARTERS LOCATION.

THE CHARTER IS APPROPRIATELY STERN ABOUT THE UNITED NATIONS CIVIL SERVICE. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CANNOT AFFORD THE CURRENT DECLINE FROM ITS ORIGINAL HIGH MOTIVATION AND QUALITY. THAT DECLINE HAS BEEN UNDER WAY FOR MANY YEARS, AND MEMBER-GOVERNMENTS CANNOT ESCAPE MUCH OF THE RESPONSIBLITY FOR IT. INTERNAL AS WELL AS EXTERNAL ANALYSES GAVE WARNINGS OF WEAKNESS OVER TWENTY YEARS AGO. MEMBER-GOVERNMENTS WERE URGED BY THEIR OWN EXPERTS TO ACT IN 1975. THIS CHAPTER ARGUES THAT IF THIS TREND IS TO BE HALTED AND POSITIVELY REVERSED IT IS NECESSARY TO UNDERSTAND HOW IT WAS ALLOWED TO COME ABOUT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THE FINANCING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HAVE BEEN UNDER EVALUATION AND REFORM OF ONE KIND OR ANOTHER FOR MOST OF ITS LIFE. MOST OF THE EXERCISES HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN THE MIDST OF FINANCIAL CRISES. SOME OF THESE EXERCISES HAVE IN REALITY BEEN ATTEMPTS TO SECURE MORE POWER AT THE UN. THE EFFECT OF THIS HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY TO DEBASE THE COINAGE OF UN MANAGMENT REFORM RATHER THAN TO ADDRESS THE UN SYSTEM'S REAL PROBLEMS IN THIS AREA. THIS ARTICLE NOTES THAT THE UN REMAINS IN DEEP FINANCIAL CRISES AND EXPLORES NEEDED IMPROVED MANAGEMENT.

THIS CHAPTER NOTES THAT THE PEOPLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS INTRODUCE THE CHARTER AND THEN COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR FROM THAT DOCUMENT. THE "WE, THE PEOPLES..." WAS PROPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES AND CLEARLY OWES ITS INSPIRATION TO THE OPENING WORDS OF THE US CONSTITUTION. THERE, THE SIMILARITY ENDS. THE CHAPTER EXPLORES NGO CONSULTATIVE STATUS AND OFFERS SOME IDEAS FOR A MORE DEMOCRATIC UNITED NATIONS.

THIS CHAPTER ARGUES THAT THE NEED FOR THE REFORM, AND WHERE NECESSARY RESTRUCTURING, OF THE UN SYSTEM HAS NEVER BEEN SO URGENT. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF ALL KINDS OF SOCIAL DISLOCATION, POLITICAL UPHEAVAL AND ARMED VIOLENCE, INSIDE OR BETWEEN NEIGHBORING STATES, OR BOTH SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT BETWEEN WHOLE REGIONS, EVEN CULTURES, CANNOT BE RULED OUT. IT EXPLORES THE COSTS OF NEGLECTING ROOTS CAUSES AND THE NEED TO ADDRESS THEM.

NO GROUP OF INTELLIGENT OFFICIALS KNOWING THE NATURE OF POVERTY WOULD DREAM OF DESIGNED THE TANGLE OF MECHANISMS FOR OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES BUILT UP OVER THE LAST FORTY YEARS IN THE UN. THIS CHAPTER ARGUES THAT IT IS VITAL TO GET SERIOUS RESULTS FROM THE CURRENT ROUND OF REFORM IN ORDER TO ENHANCE THE IMPACT OF THESE ACTIVITES. THIS WOULD ALSO LIBERATE ENERGIES FOR THE GLOBAL STRATEGIES THAT WOULD PROGRESSIVELY ENABLE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO DISPENSE WITH SUCH ASSISTANCE. IT NOTES THAT THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE WHOLE ULTIMATE AIM OF THESE ACTIVITIES.

THIS ARTICLE ANALYZES THE PRESENT STATE OF THE UN SYSTEM AND SUGGESTS CHANGES AND REFORMS WHICH MIGHT ALLOW IT TO FUNCTION IN A MORE SYSTEMATIC AND EFFECTIVE MANNER. IT EXPLORES THE IMAGE AND THE REALITY OF THE UN WHICH HAS BEEN DESCRIBED AS A VAST, SPRAWLING BUREAUCRACY AND THEN, WAYS TO OVERHAUL THE UN SYSTEM WITHOUT CONSTITUTIONAL CHANGE. A REVIEW OF THE PURPOSES AND PITFALLS IN UN REFORM ROUND OUT THE DISCUSSION IN THIS ARTICLE.

THE UNITED NATIONS HAS A RECORD OF CONSIDERABLE ACHIEVEMENT IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN RIGHTS EVEN IF IT HAS TOO OFTEN BEEN MARRED BY DOUBLE STANDARDS AND THE INFLUENCE OF POWER-POLITICS. THIS CHAPTER NOTES THAT IN SO POLITICALLY AND SOCIOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE AN AREA AS HUMAN RIGHTS, INTEGRATION THAT MAY MAKE SENSE OPERATIONALLY MAY NOT BE WISE IN EVERY CASE, BUT SOME GREATER COHERENCE IS CLEARLY NEEDED. IT EXAMINES THE DUTIES OF THE HIGH COMISSIONER AND THE OMBUDSMAN FOR THE UN SYSTEM ITSELF.