What the United Nations Is
The United Nations (UN) is an organization of countries. Its members are states that agree to work together on peace, human rights, and cooperation. It is not a world government. It cannot pass laws that override a country's own laws.
The UN was founded in 1945, right after World War II. That war killed tens of millions of people. Its leaders wanted a standing place where countries could talk and settle disputes before they turned into war. An earlier group, the League of Nations, had failed to prevent the war.
The UN rests on its Charter. A charter is a founding document. It sets out the organization's rules, its goals, and its structure. Countries joined by agreeing to it.
The Charter states the main purposes:
- Maintain international peace and security.
- Develop friendly relations among nations.
- Cooperate on economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian problems.
- Promote respect for human rights.
Membership is open to peace-loving states that accept the Charter's obligations and are judged able and willing to carry them out. A state applies. The Security Council recommends it, and the General Assembly votes to admit it. The Council is the UN body most responsible for peace and security.
Think of a neighborhood association. Households join voluntarily and follow shared rules. The association can meet, discuss, and press for action. It cannot force a household to obey unless the rules give it that power.
The UN is an organization of countries, created in 1945 to help prevent another world war. Its Charter defines its purposes and who can join. Its authority comes from member agreement, not from ruling over countries.
