UN System Master | Organs · Family · Groups

UN system — family tree

Top → bottom = Charter hierarchy. Tap an organ for detail. Six organs tab ↗

🇺🇳 United Nations Charter 1945 · HQ New York · ~193 member states

Principal organs — only these six (Charter)

🗳️UNGAGeneral Assembly

🛡️UNSCSecurity Council · P5 veto

📊ECOSOCEconomic & Social Council

📋TrusteeshipInactive · Palau 1994

⚖️ICJThe Hague · states’ disputes

✍️SecretariatSG + civil service

UN family — hangs off organs (especially ECOSOC & GA)

💼 Funds & programmes

Created by UNGA — part of “UN proper”

UNDPUNICEFUNHCR WFPUNFPAUN Women UNEPUN-Habitat…

🏛️ 15 specialized agencies

Separate treaties · coordinated via ECOSOC

WHOFAOUNESCO ILOIMFWorld Bank ICAOIMOITU +6 → Agencies tab

🔗 Subsidiary bodies

Under GA / SC / ECOSOC — many committees

UNSC sanctions Human rights treaty bodies Regional commissions

Linked — not UN organs

🌿 MEAs (treaties) UNFCCC · CBD · CITES… — COP = Parties’ meeting, not a Charter organ. UN Environment Architecture →

IAEAWTOICC special relationship

Charter body Inactive / committee bucket Treaty / outside organ

International track — five layers

Layer 4 · IR clubs & regional IO (expand index)

Forums (G20) ≠ treaty organisations (ASEAN) ≠ military alliances (NATO). Full cards on International Organisations.

forum vs treaty org vs alliance

Economic / political forum

Treaty-based organisation

Military alliance

G20 · G7 · BRICS summits
No Charter · rotating host

ASEAN · AU · EU · SAARC
Secretariat · member states

NATO · CSTO
Art. 5 style collective defence

QUAD — strategic dialogue
Not NATO; informal

SCO — charter + RATS
Security + cooperation

Trap: QUAD ≠ military alliance

Groups tab

G20 — economic forum; rotating presidency; no UN-style secretariat
G7 — advanced economies (+ EU)
BRICS — NDB, CRA; member list = live CA
SCO — Beijing; RATS Tashkent; India/Pakistan 2017
QUAD — India, US, Japan, Australia; not NATO
NATO — Art. 5; Brussels

Regional IO — South & West Asia

SAARC · BIMSTEC · IORA · GCC · OIC

Asia–Pacific

ASEAN (10) · APEC · Pacific Islands Forum

Europe & Eurasia

EU · Council of Europe (≠ EU) · CIS · EAEU · CSTO · Arctic Council

Africa & Americas

AU · ECOWAS · SADC · OAS · MERCOSUR · CARICOM · Arab League

Cross-cutting

Commonwealth · Francophonie

Monthly CA MCQs

Which layer to open?

UN घर है → पर्यावरण संधियाँ अलमारी → Bretton Woods/WTO दुकान → SCO/BRICS मेला

UNGA/veto/peacekeeping → this sheet · COP/UNEP/Rio → Layer 2 · IMF/WTO/SDR → Layer 3 · G20/SCO/SAARC → Layer 4 · Practice → Env MCQs

keyword → layer

What keyword in the question?

L1 · UN CharterUNGA, veto, ICJ, PKO L2 · EnvironmentCOP, UNEP, Rio treaties L3 · Money & tradeIMF, WB, WTO L4 · IR clubsG20, BRICS, SCO, ASEAN

L5 practice → Env MCQs

From war to Charter — the full birth story

लीग फेल → डम्बारटन ओक्स खाका → सैन फ्रांसिस्को में संविधान → 24 अक्टूबर 1945 से UN “जीवित”

Sources: UN history, San Francisco Conference, Charter full text.

Timeline — how the UN was made

Aug 1941 Atlantic Charter (US & UK) — ideas of collective security & cooperation after WWII.

1 Jan 1942 Declaration by United Nations — 26 states at war with Axis pledge to fight together; name “United Nations” enters diplomacy.

1943 Moscow Declaration & Tehran — Allies commit to a general international organization.

Aug–Oct 1944 Dumbarton Oaks (Washington) — US, UK, USSR, China draft Proposals for a General International Organization (working text for San Francisco).

Feb 1945 Yalta — agreement on calling the San Francisco conference & formula for Security Council voting (P5 + non-permanent members).

25 Apr – 26 Jun 1945 UN Conference on International Organization, San Francisco — 50 delegations; adopt & sign UN Charter + ICJ Statute (26 June).

15 Oct 1945 Poland signs (no govt at conference date) → 51 founding members.

24 Oct 1945 Charter enters into force after ratification by P5 + majority of signatories → UN Day.

milestones to living organization

1942
Declaration

1944Dumbarton Oaks draft

1945San Francisco sign

RatifyP5 + majority

UN Day
24 Oct

Who wrote the Charter?

Four sponsors at San Francisco: China, Soviet Union, United Kingdom, United States.
Delegates worked from Dumbarton Oaks proposals, Yalta understandings, and hundreds of amendments proposed by governments.
Charter has a Preamble + 111 Articles in 19 Chapters + ICJ Statute annexed.
India participated as a founding member (Indian delegation under British India at the conference — high-yield static + polity link).

Charter — purposes, principles, membership

Article	What it says (exam core)
Art. 1	Purposes: peace & security; friendly relations; cooperation; harmonize state action.
Art. 2	Principles: sovereign equality; good faith; peaceful settlement; no threat of force; assist UN; non-intervention in domestic jurisdiction (SC enforcement exception).
Art. 3	Original members = states at San Francisco + signatories of 1942 Declaration (as specified).
Art. 4	New members: peace-loving states accepting obligations → SC recommendation + GA decision (see How it runs tab).
Art. 5–6	Suspension / expulsion of members (rare; SC central).
Art. 108–109	Charter amendment: 2/3 GA + ratification including all P5.
Art. 111	Official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish.

League of Nations → UN (why the redesign?)

League (1919) lacked universal membership, had weak enforcement, and the US never joined. WWII proved the need for a stronger body with a Security Council able to act on threats, a General Assembly for universal voice, and a permanent Secretariat. The UN is not a world government — it is a member-state organization bound by the Charter.

Recognition vs membership: The UN does not “recognize” new states like a government does. It admits members or accepts credentials of representatives. (UN membership FAQ)

Elections, votes, money — how the machine works

सदस्यता = SC सिफारिश + GA दो-तिहाई · SG = SC नाम + GA नियुक्ति · UNSC गैर-स्थायी = हर साल GA चुनाव

Charter + GA Rules of Procedure. Not every post is “elected by all countries equally” — regional groups matter.

1. Admitting a new member state

State sends application to the Secretary-General with formal acceptance of Charter obligations (GA Rule 134).
SG circulates application to GA members / SC.
Security Council considers whether the state is peace-loving and able/willing to meet obligations; usually via a committee of the whole (35+ days before GA session per SC rules).
SC recommendation needs 9 affirmative votes among 15 members; no P5 veto against the applicant.
General Assembly decides by two-thirds majority of members present and voting (Rule 136).
Membership effective the date GA adopts the admission resolution.

Art. 4 · About UN membership

start → steps → end

State applies
to SG

SC committeePeace-loving capacity

SC vote9 yes · no P5 veto

GA vote2/3 present & voting

Member
effective

2. Secretary-General — selection & role

Art. 97: Appointed by GA on recommendation of SC; chief administrative officer.
Process: Member states may nominate candidates → SC private meetings & straw polls (modern practice) → SC resolution recommending one name → GA private meeting, secret ballot (since 1946, res. 11(I)).
Term: Five years, renewable (custom). Regional rotation is strong informal norm (e.g. Western Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America).
Art. 99: May bring to SC attention any matter threatening international peace.
Art. 100: Staff independent — no instructions from any government.
GA resolutions 73/341, 79/327 — more transparency in selection; next appointment cycle follows joint PGA–SC letters (e.g. 2026 process).
Current SG: António Guterres (Portugal); appointed 2016, re-appointed 2021.

UN — Appointment of SG

who acts at each step

Member states

Security Council

General Assembly

Nominate candidates · lobby · regional rotation politics

Private meetings · straw polls · recommend one name (Art. 97)

Private session · secret ballot appoints SG

Transparency hearings (modern GA practice)

SC resolution transmits recommendation

Oath of office · 5-year term

SG spots a threat → SC acts

Secretary-GeneralThreat to peace (Art. 99)

Security CouncilDebate · Ch. VI / VII

OutcomeResolution, PKO, sanctions, or deadlock

3. President of the General Assembly (PGA)

Elected for one session (about a year, Sept–Sept rhythm) in personal capacity, represents whole membership.
Elected at least three months before session opens (often mid-June) — GA Rule 30.
Rotates among five regional groups (equitable geographical rotation — GA res. 33/138 pattern).
Regional group usually agrees on one candidate (“clean slate”) → election by acclamation or simple majority.
Also elects 21 Vice-Presidents and coordinates with chairs of six Main Committees.
Convention: Permanent SC members do not field candidates for PGA.
Example (CA): PGA for 81st session (2026–27) from Asia-Pacific — elected June 2026.

4. Security Council — non-permanent members

Rule	Detail
Size	15 total = 5 permanent + 10 non-permanent (since 1965, GA res. 1991 A (XVIII)).
Term	2 years; not immediately eligible for re-election to next term.
Election	GA elects 5 each year at regular session (Rule 142).
Regional seats (10)	3 Africa · 2 Asia-Pacific · 2 Latin America & Caribbean · 2 WEOG · 1 Eastern Europe.
Voting in SC	9 yes needed; on substantive matters P5 concurring votes required (veto). Abstention by P5 ≠ veto.
ICJ election in SC	No veto — 8/15 absolute majority; same for other SC elections.

5. ICJ judges — parallel election

15 judges, 9-year terms; one-third elected every 3 years (triennial election, autumn NY).
GA and SC vote separately but simultaneously — must win absolute majority in both (e.g. 97/193 in GA, 8/15 in SC).
Nomination route includes national groups in Permanent Court of Arbitration lists.
No two judges of same nationality; informal regional balance.
Court elects its President & Vice-President for 3 years; seat: Peace Palace, The Hague.
India: Dalveer Bhandari re-elected 2017 after GA–SC deadlock with UK candidate (classic IR case study).

same person must win GA and SC

Step 1 · NomineesPCA national groups submit candidate lists

Step 2 · Parallel ballotsGA and SC vote separately on the same day

GA

Absolute majoritye.g. 97 of 193

Same name wins both

SC

8 of 15No P5 veto

Judge elected · 9-year term (from 6 Feb)

6. ECOSOC & Human Rights Council

ECOSOC: 54 members, elected by GA for 3-year terms; regional distribution; coordinates agencies & commissions.
HRC: 47 members, elected by absolute majority of GA (secret ballot); regional groups; 3-year terms (not immediately re-eligible); meets Geneva; Universal Periodic Review.

7. How the General Assembly votes

Type	Majority	Examples
Important questions (Art. 18)	Two-thirds present & voting	Peace/security, membership, budget, trusteeship, serious Charter questions
Other matters	Simple majority	Most resolutions
Admission of members	Two-thirds	After SC recommendation

Art. 18 important question?

Is it an Art. 18
important question?

Yes

Two-thirdsPresent & voting

Membership, budget, peace & security, trusteeship

No

Simple majorityOrdinary matters

Most GA resolutions

8. Budget & assessments

Regular budget approved by GA (Fifth Committee prepares; Committee on Contributions sets scales).
Peacekeeping — separate scale; SC authorizes missions; GA approves resources.
Assessed contributions based on capacity to pay; P5 pay largest shares on regular budget (with ceilings/discounts — know concept).
Art. 17: expenses borne by members as apportioned by GA.

draft → review → GA decision

SG proposesProgramme budget outline

Fifth CommitteeLine-by-line negotiation

ACABQAdvisory review

GA resolutionApproves budget

ContributionsAssessment letters to states

9. How a GA session runs (sketch)

Main session opens annually (September); General Debate — heads of state/government speak.
Work split into six Main Committees + plenary; PGA chairs plenary; bureau of VPs.
Special sessions or emergency special sessions (Uniting for Peace procedure — GA action when SC deadlocked) — know for IR.

10. UNSC reform — PERT-style timeline

milestones · dependencies · stall points

1945Charter · P5 veto

1965SC → 15 members

2005World Summit reform talk

G4India · Brazil · Germany · Japan

BlockCoffee Club · Ezulwini

Art. 1082/3 GA + all P5 ratify

No Charter amendment without P5 consent → reform stays political negotiation, not yet achieved.

Reform camps (mains one-pager)

G4 — permanent seats for four; mutual support.
Uniting for Consensus — more elected seats, not G4 permanents.
African Union (Ezulwini) — two permanent African seats with veto.
India — troop contributor, nuclear state outside NPT; links reform to credibility of SC.

Where the UN lives — offices you must map

न्यूयॉर्क = दिल · जिनेवा = मानवाधिकार/स्वास्थ्य · नैरोबी = UNEP · हेग = ICJ

Main UN offices (“duty stations”)

City	UN presence	What to remember
New York	UN Headquarters — GA, SC, Secretariat	Host: USA; HQ Agreement 1947; “international” character of HQ area.
Geneva	UN Office at Geneva (UNOG)	HRC, UNHCR, WHO, WIPO, WMO, ILO, UNCTAD; many conferences.
Vienna	UN Office at Vienna (UNOV)	IAEA, UNODC, OOSA; “UN City”.
Nairobi	UNON — only major HQ in Global South	UNEP, UN-Habitat (prelims favourite).
The Hague	Not a “UN HQ” but judicial hub	ICJ Peace Palace; ICC (not UN); OPCW.

one mission’s UN week

CredentialsGA admit

DebatePlenary

Committee1st–6th

NegotiateBlocs

VoteGA / SC

ReportCapital

Specialized agencies & programmes — usual seats

HQ	Entities (sample)
Rome	FAO, WFP, IFAD
Paris	UNESCO, OECD (not UN)
London	IMO, Commonwealth Secretariat (not UN)
Washington DC	IMF, World Bank, OAS HQ
Montreal	ICAO
Madrid	UN Tourism (UNWTO)
Bern	UPU
Addis Ababa	AU HQ; UNECA (regional commission)
Bangkok	ESCAP
Santiago	ECLAC
Beirut	ESCWA
Bonn	UNFCCC secretariat (treaty body, not UN HQ)
Copenhagen	UN City — UNDP Nordic hub

Regional commissions (under ECOSOC)

UNECE (Geneva) · ESCAP (Bangkok) · ECA (Addis Ababa) · ECLAC (Santiago) · ESCWA (Beirut) — five regional economic commissions under ECOSOC.

Six principal organs — exam must-know

GA · SC · ECOSOC · Trusteeship(मृत) · ICJ · Secretariat — छह, सात नहीं!

Interactive organ poster (SVG). Optional: export your own diagram to assets/un-six-organs.svg.

General Assembly (UNGA)

Charter Ch. IV · All member states · one country, one vote

Members193

BindingBudget

VetoNo

Deliberative, policy-making body — universal membership.
Art. 10: discusses Charter scope; recommends on most issues.
Elects UNSC (non-perm), ECOSOC, ICJ judges; admits members on SC nod.
Art. 18: important questions 2/3; others simple majority.

Mostly recommendNew York

Security Council (UNSC)

Ch. V · Peace & security (Art. 24)

Members15

BindingCh. VII

VetoP5

P5 veto on substantive resolutions (not procedural).
Ch. VI peaceful settlement · Ch. VII sanctions & force.
PKO mandates, sanctions committees, rotating presidency.
India: non-permanent terms; G4 for permanent seat.

Binding Ch. VIINew York

ECOSOC

Economic and Social Council

Members54

BindingLow

Link15

Coordinates econ, social, env work; bridges to specialized agencies.
Regional commissions (UNECE, ESCAP…) sit here.
UNFCCC/COP = treaty — not “ECOSOC runs climate law”.

CoordinateNew York

Trusteeship Council

Inactive — still one of the six

StatusOff

Last1994

Count?Yes

Supervised trust territories until self-government.
Last territory Palau (1994); operations suspended.
Exam trap: still among the six — not abolished.

SuspendedPalau 1994

ICJ

International Court of Justice · The Hague

Judges15

Term9 yr

PartiesStates

State vs state disputes where jurisdiction accepted.
Advisory opinions for UN organs and agencies.
Not ICC — criminal liability of individuals.

Binding if jurisdictionThe Hague

Secretariat

International civil service

HeadSG

BindingAdmin

Art. 99Alert SC

Secretary-General — chief administrative officer.
UNSC recommendation + UNGA appointment.
Staff carry out GA/SC decisions globally.

AdministrativeNew York

peace & security vs everything else

What kind of issue?

Peace & securityThreat or breach

→ UNSCCh. VI or VII

Budget · membersMost policy

→ UNGARecommend or decide

Econ · socialAgencies link

→ ECOSOCCoordinate

Organ	Binding power?	Veto?	HQ / seat
UNGA	Mostly recommendations	No	New York
UNSC	Yes (Charter Ch. VII)	P5 yes	New York
ECOSOC	Coordination	No	New York
ICJ	Judgments binding if parties accepted jurisdiction	No	The Hague
Trusteeship	— (inactive)	No	—
Secretariat	Administrative	No	New York

"How many groups in the UN?" — four meanings

क्षेत्रीय समूह · G77 जैसे ब्लॉक · UN परिवार · उपसमितियाँ — एक शब्द, चार मतलब!

A. Five UN regional groups (for elections)

Not separate organizations — caucuses for rotating seats (UNSC non-permanent, ECOSOC, etc.). India = Asia-Pacific Group.

Group	Typical role
African Group	54 states — large bloc in GA
Asia-Pacific Group (APG)	Includes India, China, Japan, etc.
Eastern European Group	Smallest group; UNSC seat often reserved here
Latin American & Caribbean (GRULAC)	Regional candidacies
Western European & Others (WEOG)	Includes US, Canada, Australia, NZ, Israel (arrangement)

rotating seat — sequence of events

Regional groupAgrees candidate

SC electionGA secret ballot

2/3 majorityOf members present

2-year termStarts 1 Jan

RotateNo immediate re-election

B. Political blocs at the UN (not Charter organs)

G77 + China — developing countries' coalition in UN economic negotiations (not 77 members today).
NAM — Non-Aligned Movement; Cold War legacy; consultative, not a UN body.
G4 — India, Brazil, Germany, Japan — mutual support for UNSC permanent seats.
P5 — permanent UNSC members with veto (not a "group" in Charter, but exam shorthand).
EU — coordinates voting at UN on many issues (27 states).

C. Subsidiary & functional bodies (examples)

Dozens exist — learn categories, not every name.

Under UNSC: sanctions committees, peacekeeping mandates.
Under GA: Sixth Committee (legal), Fifth Committee (budget), human rights bodies.
Under ECOSOC: functional commissions (statistics, population, etc.).

UN "family" = three legal buckets

Organs (6) → Funds/Programmes (UNGA) → Specialized Agencies (अलग संधि)

Bucket	Created how	Examples	UPSC trap
Principal organs	Charter	UNGA, UNSC, …	WHO is not an organ
Funds & programmes	UNGA resolution	UNDP, UNICEF, UNEP	UNEP ≠ UNFCCC
Specialized agencies	Separate treaty; ECOSOC link	WHO, FAO, IMF	IMF is agency, not "WB department"
Related orgs	Varies	IAEA, WTO	Not counted in the 15

Chief Executives Board (CEB)

Heads of UN entities meet to coordinate — shows "system" unity, but doesn't erase legal differences between programme vs agency vs treaty secretariat.

inputs → process → outputs → exam outcome

Inputs

Charter 1945
Member states
Assessed + voluntary funds

Process

6 organs decide / coordinate
ECOSOC links agencies
GA creates programmes

Outputs

Resolutions · mandates
PKO · aid delivery
Treaty secretariats (MEAs)

Remember

WHO ≠ organ
COP ≠ UNGA
IMF = agency

Funds & programmes (high-yield)

Name	Job	HQ (memory)
UNDP	Development network; HDI / Human Development Report tradition	New York
UNICEF	Children; emergencies; child rights	New York
UNHCR	Refugees, stateless, displacement	Geneva
WFP	Food assistance (Nobel 2020 — CA)	Rome
UNFPA	Population, reproductive health	New York
UN Women	Gender equality	New York
UNEP	Environmental coordination; born Stockholm 1972	Nairobi (Africa — classic Q)
UN-Habitat	Sustainable cities	Nairobi

Read UN Environment Architecture for UNEP → UNFCCC/CBD/COP. UNEP coordinates; treaties bind Parties.

money → programme → impact

GA approves
funds

UNDPCountry programme

DeliveryProjects · HDI data

Development
outcomes

15 UN specialized agencies (official count)

Each has its own founding treaty & membership. Coordinated through ECOSOC. Memorize HQ in round 2 on IO page → Agencies tab.

#	Agency	Domain	HQ (usual)
1	FAO	Food & agriculture	Rome
2	ICAO	Civil aviation	Montreal
3	IFAD	Agricultural development finance	Rome
4	ILO	Labour (tripartite: gov + employers + workers)	Geneva
5	IMF	Monetary stability, BOP (see IO money tab)	Washington DC
6	IMO	Shipping	London
7	ITU	Telecom / ICT	Geneva
8	UNESCO	Education, science, culture, heritage	Paris
9	UNIDO	Industrial development	Vienna
10	UN Tourism (UNWTO)	Tourism	Madrid
11	UPU	Postal services	Bern
12	World Bank Group	Development finance (IBRD, IDA, IFC…)	Washington DC
13	WHO	International public health	Geneva
14	WIPO	Intellectual property	Geneva
15	WMO	Weather & climate services	Geneva

Linked to "UN" in news — but different legal animal

COP = संधि की बैठक · IAEA = परमाणु · WTO = व्यापार · ICC = अपराध अदालत

Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs)

UNFCCC, CBD, CITES, Montreal Protocol, Ramsar…

States are Parties. Supreme body often called COP (Conference of the Parties). Secretariats may be hosted in UN system (e.g. climate secretariat linked to UNEP history) but the treaty is boss. Full ladder → UN Environment Architecture.

IAEA

International Atomic Energy Agency — Vienna

Autonomous; reports to UNGA & UNSC. Safeguards, nuclear verification. Not one of 15 specialized agencies in the classic list sense — "related organization".

WTO

World Trade Organization — Geneva

Trade rules; successor to GATT 1947. Cooperates with UN system but not a UN specialized agency. Details → IO trade tab.

ICC

International Criminal Court — The Hague

Rome Statute 1998 — tries individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes. Not a UN organ (often confused with ICJ).

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Scientific assessments for policymakers; supports UNFCCC negotiations. Does not set law or run COP.

Peace, force & the Secretariat in action

शांति अभियान = SC आदेश · सैनिक देश देते हैं · SG प्रशासन चलाता है

Elections & budget detail → How it runs tab.

Peacekeeping — how a mission is born

UNSC resolution defines mandate (observe, protect civilians, support peace agreements, etc.).
Member states volunteer military, police, experts — UN has no standing army.
Department of Peace Operations (field missions) & political missions under Secretariat management.
Financed by peacekeeping budget (GA-approved; separate assessment scale from regular budget).
Mission ends when SC ends mandate or situation stabilizes.

mandate to mission

1 · UNSCThreat to peace → resolution defines mandate

2 · BudgetGA approves peacekeeping assessment scale

3 · Troop contributorsMember states volunteer forces (no UN army)

4 · DPODeploy blue helmets · political missions

Mandate ends
SC closes mission

Three principles (classic doctrine): consent of parties; impartiality; minimum use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate.

India: among the largest troop & police contributors for decades — pairs with UNSC reform debates.

When peace fails — Chapter VII toolkit

Art. 41: measures not involving armed force (sanctions, embargoes, breaking relations).
Art. 42: armed action by member states or UN as SC decides.
Sanctions committees under SC monitor compliance (country-specific lists — track CA).
Uniting for Peace (1950): if SC deadlocked, GA can recommend collective action on peace & security (emergency special sessions).

Art. 41 toolkit (simplified)

SC resolutionCh. VII basis

SanctionsAssets · travel · arms

CommitteeLists · exemptions

StatesNational enforcement

ReviewLift or tighten

SC deadlock → GA

UNSCVeto deadlock

UNGAEmergency special session

OutcomeRecommend collective action (1950)

peaceful or enforcement?

SC response
level?

Ch. VI

Peaceful meansMediation, ICJ (consent), good offices

Ch. VII

EnforcementSanctions or force — binding

Trusteeship Council — what it did

Supervised trust territories (former mandates/colonies) until self-government or independence.
Last territory: Palau (1994); Council suspended operations but remains a sixth principal organ in the Charter.

Secretariat — day-to-day UN

International civil service under SG; prepares studies, runs field offices, implements GA/SC decisions.
Art. 100: staff must not seek/receive instructions from any government.
SG selection, oath, five-year term → see How it runs.

Subsidiary bodies — not principal organs

मुख्य 6 अंग के नीचे कमेटियाँ — UNSC संकेत, GA छह समितियाँ, ECOSOC कमीशन

Prelims: know categories + famous names, not every committee roster.

SC resolution → sanctions list

SC resolutionCreates / extends regime

CommitteeDesignations · exemptions

Panel of ExpertsReports (if mandated)

Member statesImplement nationally

subsidiary sits under…

Who created
this body?

UNSC

PKO · sanctionsCh. VII mandates

UNGA

6 Main CommitteesHRC · budget · legal

ECOSOC

CommissionsESCAP · CSW · drugs

draft → committee → plenary

Draft resolutionMember / Secretariat text

Main Committee1st–6th (e.g. 5th = budget)

Plenary GADebate · vote

AdoptedRecommendation or decision

Under Security Council

Body	Role	UPSC note
Peacekeeping operations (PKOs)	SC mandates; blue helmets; troops from member states	India among largest contributors
Sanctions committees	Targeted sanctions (assets, travel, arms) per country/theme	Many active lists — know concept
Counter-Terrorism Committee (CTC)	After UNSC res. 1373 (2001); monitor states’ counter-terror laws	Post-9/11
1540 Committee	Non-proliferation of WMD to non-state actors	Resolution 1540
Military Staff Committee	Advise SC on military; rarely fully constituted	Charter Art. 47 — static fact
International tribunals (ad hoc)	ICTY, ICTR (closed); residual mechanisms	Not ICC (Rome Statute)

General Assembly — six main committees

#	Committee	Subject cluster
1st	Disarmament & International Security	Arms control, disarmament, regional security
2nd	Economic & Financial	Macro, development finance, trade links
3rd	Social, Humanitarian & Cultural	Human rights, refugees, drugs, crime, women, children
4th	Special Political & Decolonization	Peaceful uses of outer space, UNRWA, peacekeeping politics
5th	Administrative & Budgetary	UN budget, scales of assessment, HR policies
6th	Legal	Treaty law, ICC relationship, international law codification

Other high-profile GA creations

Human Rights Council (HRC) — Geneva; replaced Commission on Human Rights (2006); Universal Periodic Review.
UNRWA — Palestine refugees (distinct from UNHCR mandate).
Peacebuilding Commission — post-conflict recovery coordination.
Emergency special sessions — rare; e.g. Ukraine-related sessions in news cycles.

Under ECOSOC

Type	Examples	Function
Regional commissions	ESCAP (Asia-Pacific), ECE, ECLAC, ECA, ESCWA	Regional economic/social analysis & cooperation
Functional commissions	CSW (women), CND (narcotic drugs), CCPCJ (crime), CSocD (social dev), StatCom, STI Commission	Specialised policy forums → GA/ECOSOC
UN Forum on Forests	UNFF	Global forest policy (non-binding)
Expert bodies	Committee on NGOs (consultative status)	Civil society access to UN

Human rights treaty bodies (linked to conventions)

Not SC committees — monitor core human rights treaties (e.g. ICCPR, ICESCR, CEDAW, CRC, CAT). Distinct from HRC political body.

ICCPR · Human Rights Committee ICESCR · CESCR CEDAW committee CRC committee CAT committee

1. How many principal organs does the UN have under the Charter?

a) Six

b) Seven

c) Fifteen

d) Same as specialized agencies

a) GA, SC, ECOSOC, Trusteeship, ICJ, Secretariat. WHO is an agency, not an organ.

2. Which principal organ is inactive but still in the Charter?

a) ECOSOC

b) Trusteeship Council

c) ICJ

d) UNGA

b) No trust territories remain.

3. India sits in which UN regional group for electoral purposes?

a) Asia-Pacific Group

b) WEOG

c) African Group

d) GRULAC

a) APG.

4. UNEP headquarters is in:

a) Geneva

b) New York

c) Nairobi

d) Paris

c) Programme born from Stockholm 1972 conference.

5. COP (Conference of the Parties) usually refers to:

a) UN General Assembly annual session

b) Supreme body of a multilateral treaty such as UNFCCC

c) UNSC meeting

d) WTO ministerial

b) Treaty parties, not UN organ.

6. ICJ is located in:

a) New York

b) The Hague

c) Geneva

d) Vienna

b) ICC is also Hague but different court (individuals).

7. How many UN specialized agencies are in the standard UN list?

a) 6

b) 15

c) 193

d) 77

b) See Agencies tab table.

8. UN Charter entered into force on:

a) 26 June 1945

b) 24 October 1945

c) 1 January 1942

d) 15 October 1945

b) UN Day. Charter signed 26 June; Poland signed 15 Oct.

9. Secretary-General is appointed under:

a) GA alone

b) GA on recommendation of Security Council

c) ICJ nomination

d) ECOSOC vote

b) Art. 97.

10. Peacekeeping forces are authorized by:

a) UNGA alone always

b) UNSC (primary)

c) ICJ

d) WHO

b) SC mandates; GA role in some financing/policy debates.

11. How many official UN languages under the Charter?

a) 4

b) 6

c) 5

d) 2

b) Art. 111 — Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish.

12. New UN membership requires GA vote of:

a) Simple majority

b) Two-thirds of members present and voting

c) Unanimity

d) SC only

b) After SC recommendation (Art. 4, GA Rule 136).

13. ICJ judges serve for:

a) 5 years

b) 9 years

c) Life

d) 6 years

b) One-third elected every 3 years.