A United Nations renaissance : what the UN is, and what it could be / John Trent, Laura Schnurr.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Print version record.

Machine generated contents note: Achieving the unthinkable -- The global governance deficit -- The United Nations' balance sheet -- Empowering youth -- Objectives of the primer -- ch. 1 Evolving International Organizations: the UN Past and Present -- Early international cooperation efforts -- The Concert of Europe -- A note on the creation of the League of Nations -- The League of Nations as an institution -- From the League of Nations to the United Nations -- Introducing the United Nations -- The principal organs of the United Nations -- The Security Council -- The General Assembly -- The Economic and Social Council -- Trusteeship Council -- The International Court of Justice -- The Secretariat -- Beyond the organs -- The Secretary-General -- UN budgets -- The UN System -- International financial institutions and other international actors -- ch. 2 Peace and Security: Fixing the Security Council -- The Security Council's functions and activities -- Security Council strengths

Note continued: Security Council weaknesses -- The UN's peace operations -- The Security Council and the future -- ch. 3 Social and Economic Development -- Understanding `development' -- The first 50 years -- Development in the early years -- Expanding development efforts -- The North-South divide -- Millennium Development Goals -- Tallying up the results -- Sustainable Development Goals -- A changed world -- More voices at the table -- Financing the goals -- Looking ahead -- Partnering in a new era of development cooperation -- Role for private sector -- Role for civil society -- Innovation and technology -- What role for the UN? -- Is the UN prepared? -- Streamlining the UN development system and `Delivering as One' -- Improving business practices -- Focusing on strengths and priorities -- ECOSOC reform -- Is reform possible? -- ch. 4 Promoting and Protecting Human Rights -- Human rights: one of the UN's great ideas that too many countries fail to respect

Note continued: The fundamental paradox -- International human rights law -- Contradictory interpretations -- The tremendous cost of violations -- The United Nations' Record in Upholding Human Rights -- From the Commission on Human Rights to the Human Rights Council -- The Secretary-General and the High Commissioner for Human Rights -- Dealing with the worst violations: the International Criminal Court and ad hoc tribunals -- Responsibility to Protect and human security -- Migration, refugees and the humanitarian response -- What next? -- Reforms: big and small -- Can change happen? -- ch. 5 Workable Global Institutions: How to Get from Here to There? -- What we have learnt about understanding world institutions -- Reviewing the literature on revamping the UN -- Nine popular proposals to transform the UN -- 1.A more legitimate Security Council -- 2.A more balanced and focused General Assembly -- 3. An Economic, Social and Environmental Council

Note continued: 4.A reconfigured Human Rights Council -- 5. Improved staffing and management practices -- 6. Autonomous emergency services for the UN -- 7. Financing the UN -- 8. Principles and criteria for the Responsibility to Protect -- 9. The dispersion and control of global power -- Sequencing reform proposals: where to start -- Four steps for how can we help bring about workable global institutions.

This short introduction to the United Nations analyzes the organization as itis today, and how it can be transformed to respond to its critics. Combiningessential information about its history and workings with practical proposalsof how it can be strengthened, Trent and Schnurr examine what needs to bedone, and also how we can actually move toward the required reforms. Thisbook is written for a new generation of change-makers ó a generation seekingbetter institutions that reflect the realities of the 21st century and that can actcollectively in the interest of all.

English.

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