What Do UN Bodies Like the General Assembly and ICJ Handle?
What Do UN Bodies Like the General Assembly and ICJ Handle?
The United Nations (UN) has six major bodies that help countries cooperate on global issues. When we refer to bodies like the General Assembly and the International Court of Justice (ICJ), we also include others such as the Security Council, ECOSOC, Secretariat, and the Trusteeship Council. Together, they help maintain peace, enforce law, reduce poverty, and support human rights worldwide.
1. General Assembly (UNGA)
- Members: All 193 member states
- Role: Main platform for global debate and cooperation
- Handles:
- UN budget and operations
- Resolutions on international issues
- Electing members to other UN organs
- Global policies like the SDGs
- Examples:
- Adopted Universal Declaration of Human Rights
- Passed climate and humanitarian resolutions
- Launched the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
2. International Court of Justice (ICJ)
- Location: The Hague, Netherlands
- Role: Main judicial organ that applies international law
- Handles:
- Legal disputes between countries
- Border, maritime, and treaty issues
- Advisory opinions to UN agencies
- Examples:
- Myanmar genocide case
- Kenya–Somalia maritime dispute
- Colombia–Nicaragua territorial case
3. Security Council (UNSC)
- Members: 15 total (5 permanent with veto power)
- Role: Maintains peace and security
- Handles:
- Peacekeeping missions
- Sanctions and embargoes
- Authorising military force
- Examples:
- Peacekeepers in South Sudan, DR Congo
- Sanctions on North Korea and Iran
- Action during Gulf War (1991)
4. Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)
- Members: 54 elected countries
- Role: Promotes global development, education, and health
- Handles:
- Coordinates work of agencies like WHO, UNESCO, UNICEF
- Monitors progress on the SDGs
- Engages with NGOs and development forums
- Examples:
- Organised High-Level Political Forum (HLPF)
- Focused on ending poverty and promoting equality
- Global forums on education, digital access, sustainability
5. Secretariat
- Leader: Secretary-General (currently António Guterres)
- Role: Runs day-to-day UN operations and coordinates global action
- Handles:
- Publishes UN reports and research
- Organises meetings, missions, and communications
- Coordinates emergency responses, peace talks, climate actions
- Examples:
- Led global COVID-19 response coordination
- Launched climate diplomacy campaigns
- Supported Syria peace process and Ukraine diplomacy
6. Trusteeship Council
- Status: Inactive since 1994 (after all trust territories gained independence)
- Role: Oversaw transition of colonies to independent nations
- Examples:
- Helped Palau, Nauru, Western Samoa become sovereign countries
- Supported constitutional development and elections in trust territories
Summary Table
| UN Body |
Main Function |
Examples |
| General Assembly |
Debates, passes resolutions, sets global goals |
SDGs, Universal Declaration of Human Rights |
| International Court of Justice |
Settles legal disputes and issues legal opinions |
Myanmar case, border and maritime rulings |
| Security Council |
Maintains international peace and security |
Peacekeeping missions, sanctions, authorising military force |
| ECOSOC |
Coordinates economic, social, and development programmes |
High-Level Forums, SDG progress tracking, NGO partnerships |
| Secretariat |
Manages daily UN work and leads diplomatic efforts |
Climate reports, emergency coordination, peace negotiations |
| Trusteeship Council |
Helped former colonies gain independence |
Palau, Nauru, Western Samoa transitions |
Conclusion
The United Nations has many important bodies. While the General Assembly and ICJ handle world debates and legal disputes, other organs like the Security Council, ECOSOC, and the Secretariat play critical roles in maintaining peace, guiding development, and running daily operations. Together, they keep global cooperation running fairly and effectively.
