Introduction

The United Nations (UN) has played a crucial role in maintaining global peace and cooperation for over 80 years. However, the challenges of today's world and shifting international dynamics show that the UN needs to become more effective and inclusive. Its inability to respond adequately to crises like those in Gaza and Ukraine has raised questions about its capacity to resolve global conflicts.

One major issue is the frequent use of veto power by the five permanent members (P5) of the UN Security Council. This often blocks decision-making and prevents quick responses to urgent crises. Additionally, the UN has faced increasing criticism for its shortcomings in maintaining international peace and security. Financial problems also add to its struggles, especially as the United States has not fully met its financial commitments, weakening the organization's resources. Moreover, global development policies remain unbalanced, with many arguing that the UN has not distributed development funds effectively, further deepening the divide between the Global North and South.

These challenges have intensified calls for UN reform. However, there is no global agreement on how to implement these changes and what they should include. The UN’s reform agenda covers a wide range of areas, including peacekeeping, development, and human rights, highlighting the need for structural improvements to make the organization more effective in addressing today’s global issues.

Why Do We Need Reforms?

The United Nations (UN) has played a key role in maintaining global peace and security since its founding in 1945. However, the world has changed significantly, with new political actors and complex crises emerging. The current UN structure struggles to keep up with today’s multipolar world. The Security Council’s veto power often prevents solutions to global conflicts, peacekeeping missions lack the necessary resources, and there is not enough financial support for the UN’s development goals. For these reasons, reforms are becoming increasingly necessary to make the UN more effective, inclusive, and suited to today’s global challenges.

Over the years, the UN has introduced some reforms to improve its response to crises. For example, the 1950 “Uniting for Peace” resolution and the 2022 “Veto Initiative” have given the General Assembly more power to act when the Security Council is blocked by a veto. However, these changes have not fully addressed the UN’s structural weaknesses, and deeper reforms are still needed.

Changing the UN Charter is extremely difficult because it requires the unanimous approval of the five permanent members (P5) of the Security Council. As a result, the Charter has only been amended three times, and many argue that the current structure no longer reflects today’s global realities. While there is growing support for expanding the Security Council, it is unlikely that the P5 will give up or limit their veto power. Additionally, UN peacekeeping missions suffer from a lack of resources and trained personnel, making it harder to respond effectively to conflicts.

The need for UN reform goes beyond security issues. Reducing global poverty and achieving sustainable development goals require more resources and stronger international cooperation. In particular, environmental sustainability and development policies must be improved. The UN’s budget is insufficient, and wealthier nations need to contribute more.

Another major issue is the imbalance in the UN’s decision-making structure. Western European countries have strong representation in the Security Council, while Africa and Latin America have no permanent seats. To address this inequality, proposals have been made to grant India a permanent seat and allow Japan and South Korea to share a rotating seat.

The UN plays a vital role in global peace, security, and development, but its current structure makes it harder to fulfill these responsibilities. To strengthen the organization and make it more representative, reforms are essential. Without political will, structural changes, and increased resources, the UN’s ability to address global crises will continue to decline.

Previous Reform Efforts

United Nations (UN) reforms focus on improving the organization’s effectiveness in areas like peace support, development, and human rights. These reforms have become a continuous process of improvement. Over time, the UN’s reform agenda has evolved and gained momentum in different periods, although sometimes it has slowed down. In the 1950s and 1960s, discussions about reforming the UN Security Council were active, but due to deep differences among members, progress was limited. However, in the 1990s, institutional reforms gained speed and today, they have broad support.

To increase the UN's effectiveness, significant institutional reforms have been made. In 1950, the "Uniting for Peace" resolution allowed the UN General Assembly to act during international crises, even if the Security Council was blocked by vetoes. In 1965, a reform expanded the number of non-permanent members in the Security Council, making the decision-making process more democratic. The 1992 "Agenda for Peace" proposal made peacekeeping missions more comprehensive.

The 1997 Ottawa Treaty, also known as the Mine Ban Treaty, bans the use, production, and trade of landmines. This treaty is part of the UN’s effort to fight dangerous weapons and make war less harmful to civilians, ensuring that places affected by war can heal and become safer.

In 1997, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) addressed global environmental issues and developed a more focused approach to sustainable development through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The UN’s peacekeeping and operations have been shaped by three key reports: the 1992 "Agenda for Peace," the 2000 "Brahimi Report," and the 2005 "In Larger Freedom" report. The "Agenda for Peace" emphasized the need for the UN to strengthen its peace operations, while the "Brahimi Report" pointed out that a lack of support from member states was a major obstacle. The 2005 "In Larger Freedom" report suggested reviewing the authority of UN peace missions in the face of global threats.

The UN has made efforts to improve its ability to respond to humanitarian crises, especially after tragedies like the Rwanda genocide in 1994 and the Srebrenica massacre in 1995. In 2005, during the World Summit, the UN adopted the "Responsibility to Protect" (R2P) principle. This principle aims to set clear rules for when and how the international community should intervene in cases of severe human rights violations. However, while the principle is in place, it has not always been carried out consistently in practice.

Reforms in 2005 also aimed to reduce UN bureaucracy and speed up decision-making processes. In 2013, Security Council reform was discussed again, with calls to limit the veto power of permanent members. In 2022, the Veto Initiative was accepted, aiming to bring vetoed decisions to the UN General Assembly.

Reforming the UN: Addressing Key Issues in Peacekeeping, Human Rights, and Development

One of the biggest challenges in UN peacekeeping missions is that member states do not provide enough support for peacekeeping efforts. Critical resources like military and civilian personnel, as well as infrastructure such as transportation and communication systems, are often lacking. Additionally, there are difficulties in coordinating peacekeeping operations, and there is an imbalance between the countries that provide funding and those that contribute troops. This imbalance affects the effectiveness of UN peace missions.

The UN Security Council’s Resolution 1325 aims to increase women’s participation in peace processes. Initially, there were very few women in peacekeeping forces, but by 2014, women made up 29% of the international civilian personnel. To improve in this area, the UN set up a coordination mechanism between agencies and began monitoring the implementation of the resolution.

The UN has shifted its focus from traditional peacekeeping activities to preventing conflicts before they happen and promoting mediation. Through the Mediation Support Unit (MSU), the UN provides training in mediation and deploys peace and development advisors to the field. Additionally, the UN aims to address both the political and developmental aspects of conflicts, using early warning and mediation techniques to intervene.

The UN has struggled to effectively intervene in human rights violations during crises in places like Rwanda, Srebrenica, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Syria. Reasons for this failure include a lack of political will and coordination issues. Critics argue that the UN's response to human rights violations is inconsistent and ineffective. Reforms have focused on strengthening the Human Rights Commission and Council, with a focus on the concept of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P), which aims to set international standards for protection.

The principle of “Responsibility to Protect” (R2P), which emphasizes the strengthening of the international community against acts of violence and the elimination of human rights, determines the UN’s humanitarian intervention policies. R2P asserts that every state has a responsibility to protect its people from human rights abuses, and the international community has an obligation to help when a country fails to do so. However, the application of R2P has been criticized due to double standards and inconsistent interventions, as seen in Libya and Syria. After NATO's intervention in Libya, concerns were raised about the potential misuse of R2P. Brazil proposed the concept of ‘responsibility while protecting,’ arguing that military intervention should only be a last resort and carried out with great care.

The UN continues to transform its institutional structure to address global threats more effectively. The 'Delivering as One' initiative was introduced to help UN agencies work together in a more coordinated and efficient way. Additionally, there is a need for budget reforms to make the UN’s financial resources more transparent, accountable, and effective. However, there is significant resistance to reforms within the UN Security Council. Proposals to expand the council, change membership criteria, and reform the veto system have not yet been implemented due to political obstacles.

ECOSOC is the central body within the UN for sustainable development issues, but it has been criticized for its inefficiency. Although decisions were made at the 2005 World Summit to strengthen ECOSOC, most development discussions still take place on platforms outside of ECOSOC. These reforms are expected to help the UN have a greater impact on development policies.

Do We Need Any Organization Like The UN?

The United Nations, despite its challenges like the influence of powerful nations, inefficiencies, and difficulty in carrying out decisions, is still a crucial institution for promoting peace, protecting human rights, supporting development, and encouraging cooperation between countries. It plays a unique role in addressing global issues and provides a platform for nations to work together to find solutions. Instead of creating a whole new global organization, we should focus on making meaningful reforms within the UN to improve its effectiveness and help it adapt to today's challenges.

Building a new organization to replace the UN would be incredibly difficult. Reorganizing the international system, creating a new institution that fits with today's global politics, and ensuring it works under international law would be a huge challenge. Plus, the new organization would struggle to gain the same level of legitimacy, coordination, and impact that the UN already has. As Winston Churchill once said, the UN is the worst system, except for all the others. Politically, it remains the most viable and acceptable way to manage international relations, despite its flaws. So rather than creating a new organization, it's more practical and realistic to focus on reforming the UN to make it more effective, inclusive, and able to respond to the challenges of the modern world.

The Future Of The UN

United Nations (UN) reforms have been a long and challenging journey. Of the five major reform cycles so far, only a few have led to significant changes. One of the biggest obstacles to these reforms is the conflicts of interest among member states and the influence of powerful lobbies. For the UN to succeed in the future, it needs to overcome these barriers in the reform process.

It is essential to highlight that the UN needs strong leadership and effective management. Strengthening the role of the UN Secretary-General and ensuring independent leadership are key aspects of necessary reforms. However, powerful states are reluctant to accept such leadership. Therefore, the UN’s leadership structure should be reviewed and made more effective. However, it still seems unlikely that these states will allow the UN to play a leading role in the future.

The UN’s financial structure is also an area in need of major reform. Governments’ reluctance to take financial responsibility is a significant factor limiting the UN’s effectiveness. Although there are ongoing discussions about alternative funding methods, these are often met with concerns about losing control. To ensure the UN’s financial independence, member states need to make stronger commitments. This could also pave the way for establishing a permanent, trained volunteer force that can respond quickly to emergencies. However, hegemonic countries, like the US, only provide financial support when the UN acts in their interests and are unlikely to change this in the future.

To increase the UN’s humanitarian intervention capacity, the idea of strengthening local military capabilities should be reconsidered. Governments’ rejection of this idea limits the UN’s effectiveness in emergencies. Additionally, reforms in the UN’s economic and social institutions would help achieve goals such as social development and accountability. However, achieving these goals requires more than just rhetorical reforms; a strong organizational structure that works alongside local authorities is needed. Governments must become more willing to grant the UN such powers.

National interests often take precedence on the international stage, and states fail to give the UN the support and authority it needs. Meanwhile, they place the blame for international issues solely on the UN.

In conclusion, the proposed reforms for the future of the UN should go beyond just administrative improvements. Real transformation requires comprehensive changes in the Security Council, financial structure, Secretariat, and humanitarian intervention mechanisms. However, for these changes to succeed, member states must overcome their conflicts of interest and increase their support for the UN. Strong leadership, effective management, and government backing are essential for the UN to work more efficiently and effectively. Without overcoming these issues, inclusive reforms cannot be achieved. For a positive future for the UN, it must strengthen its sanctioning functions and gain military, political, and economic independence. While these conditions are not fully in place today, achieving them in the future is not impossible. The UN’s efforts toward this goal should not be overlooked.

Conclusion

The United Nations (UN) remains an important player in global politics. However, its ability to handle global challenges is often questioned due to inefficiencies in decision-making, the excessive influence of the five permanent members of the Security Council, financial limitations, and political disagreements. Despite these issues, completely eliminating the UN or replacing it with a new organization is neither practical nor realistic. Instead, comprehensive reforms are needed to make the UN more legitimate, effective, and inclusive.

One key step is to expand the Security Council to include a more diverse global representation. Reforming the veto system, strengthening peacekeeping missions, and ensuring greater financial independence are also crucial for a more effective UN. In addition, creating a more democratic structure within the UN, giving developing countries a stronger voice, and adopting innovative financing models could improve its overall function.

Further reforms could include major structural changes, such as abolishing ECOSOC, democratizing the selection process for the Secretary-General, and establishing rapid response forces. Human resources management also needs improvement—ensuring greater gender representation, fighting corruption, and providing job stability for UN personnel would help increase efficiency.

However, these reforms often face obstacles due to conflicts of interest among major powers and bureaucratic challenges. Even so, given the complexity of global crises, strong leadership and structural changes could help the UN play a crucial role in maintaining international stability and promoting global peace.

Yasir GÜNEŞ 

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