The World Needs a Responsive and Better United Nations (UN)

Has the UN lived up to the mandates of its Charter since its birth in 1945?

Among the mandates of the UN are to prevent wars, ensure fundamental human rights, respect treaties and international law, promote social progress and improve the quality of life, establish international cooperation and dispute settlements, maintain international peace and security, refrain from using armed force except in the common interest, and promote the economic and social advancement of all. These may seem lofty ideals, but they are legitimate mandates of the UN.

After 65 years in existence, the UN has been through failures and successes on the exercise and performance of its mandates set in the Charter. One of the most remembered failures of the UN which drew a great deal of criticisms happened in the Democratic Republic of Congo or at that time simply "Congo" in early 1960s. From all sides of the conflict in Congo, the UN was the recipient of harsh and valid criticisms. Another event that elicited criticisms worldwide was the inability of the UN to halt the invasion of Iraq, a sovereign member-state, by the allied-forces led by the US.