ABSTRACT
For over 75 years, the United Nations has played a key role in shaping the world as we know it. It is consistently called upon to respond to both human and natural disasters as well as conflicts, to coordinate global efforts on and face the challenges of poverty, health and food security, women’s empowerment, and climate change. As the UN marked its 75th anniversary in 2020, it was hard to imagine the world without it despite its many ups and downs over the years. It has embodied humankind’s hopes for a better world through the prevention of conflict. It has promoted a culture of legality and rule of law. It has raised awareness of the plight of the world’s poor and it has boosted development by providing technical assistance. It has promoted concern for human rights, including the status of women, the rights of the child, and the unique needs of indigenous peoples. It has been the source of numerous concepts and ideas over its history, including peacekeeping, human development, human security, gender equality, and sustainable development. It contributed immensely to making multilateral diplomacy the primary way in which international norms, public policies, and law are established. It has served as a catalyst for global policy networks and partnerships with other actors. It plays a central role in global governance. Along the way, the UN has earned several Nobel Peace Prizes, including the 2020 award to the World Food Programme (WFP); the 2013 award to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) “for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons”; the 2005 award to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); the 2001 prize to the UN and Secretary-General Kofi Annan; the 1988 award to UN peacekeepers; and the 1969 honor to the International Labour Organization (ILO).
