Why the United Nations needs restructuring |
THE first tribe that survived on Earth was most afraid of wild animals and beasts, which continually threatened them.
The world’s population expanded as technology and innovation improved safety. But the world’s development was accompanied by a propensity for mutual destruction. This was demonstrated by the world’s failure to avoid the First and Second World Wars. Because of these wars, the world built a system to maintain peace and prevent conflict escalation.
The world looked to the UN for a better tomorrow. The world today is more interconnected than at any point in history. Conflicts, climate shocks, pandemics and economic crisis travel across borders with ease, demanding collective responses. The United Nations was created in the aftermath of World War-II precisely to manage such interdependence and prevent future global catastrophes. Yet, despite notable successes, the organisation increasingly appears misaligned with contemporary global realities.
The UN’s contributions to development and human welfare are substantial. Through agencies such as the UNDP, it has supported poverty reduction strategies in more than 170 countries. By introducing the Human Development Index, the UN redefined progress beyond economic output, emphasizing health, education and living standards. As a result, global extreme poverty declined significantly between 1990 and 2019.
In global health, the UN’s role has been transformative. The eradication of smallpox stands as a landmark achievement in human history. Coordinated international efforts against polio, HIV/AIDS, malaria and........