Question

Suggest any four measures to make the United Nations Organisation more relevant in the current scenario.

Hint:

UN relevance hinges on transitioning from a 1945 Winner's Club to a 21st-Century Representative Body. The most vital areas of reform are expanding the UNSC seats, curbing the Veto, and securing Independent Funding.

Answer 1

Step 1: The Need for Structural and Functional Transformation:
The United Nations was designed in the aftermath of World War II in 1945, reflecting the global power equations of that era. To remain effective and legitimate in the 21st-century multipolar world, the organization requires deep structural reforms to make it more representative, democratic, and agile.

Step 2: Proposing Four Critical Measures for UN Reform:
[label=\arabic*.]
• Expansion of the UN Security Council (UNSC): The membership of the UNSC must be expanded in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. To reflect contemporary geopolitical realities, emerging global powers and underrepresented regions from the Global South (such as India, Brazil, Japan, Germany, and representatives from Africa) must be granted permanent seats.
• Reform and Rationalization of the Veto Power: The arbitrary use of the veto power by the five permanent members (P5) frequently paralyzes the UN during severe humanitarian crises. Measures must be introduced to restrict the use of the veto in cases of mass atrocities, genocide, and systemic human rights violations, or to allow a supermajority of the General Assembly to override a single veto.
• Enhancing Financial Independence and Contributions: The UN frequently struggles with budgetary crises because it depends on voluntary and skewed contributions from wealthy member states, leaving it vulnerable to political leverage. Implementing a mandatory, timely contribution model based on economic capacity, and establishing independent revenue channels, would ensure functional autonomy.
• Creating a Robust Enforcement Mechanism for Non-traditional Security: The UN must reorient its operational focus to address 21st-century existential threats such as cyberwarfare, climate change, pandemics, and artificial intelligence regulation. This requires creating specialized, empowered tribunals with the mandate to enforce global standards on sovereign states.