Is United Nations in need of reforms to maintain its efficacy?

Is United Nations in need of reforms to maintain its efficacy?

Introduction:

Indian President Pranab Mukherjee met United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and he utilized the opportunity to emphasize that United Nations is in urgent need of reforms to maintain its efficacy and proficient functioning. The meet was designated towards encouraging India's aspirations for a permanent seat in the security council but shifted more towards introducing reforms to fast track the proceedings of United Nations. This brings us to ponder whether United Nations is efficient in its functioning or are there spaces for reforms to boost its 'credibility' and 'legitimacy' of its decision.

Yes, UN needs reforms:

1. The biggest of all the problems that the world at large is facing is terrorism - ruthless and barbaric that sees no borders and no mercy. United Nations being the head council of the member nations should do something effective to bring the countries together to fight against the evil brewing somewhere in every nation. Fast track decisions have to be taken for providing security to the nations from the terror attacks. Be it the Peshawar school attack or the Charlie Hebdo press attack, United Nations is yet to prove its efficiency at restoring world peace and security from such attacks.

2. The composition needs to be reformed too just as the functioning of the council has been reformed from time to time. Improving the legitimacy of the security council is absolutely necessary and since its initiation, there have been changes in its composition calling for adding the nations that have long been aspiring to become a permanent member. India had always been a good contributor at the UN and the second largest donors to the Democracy Fund, next only to the United States. India completely deserve a permanent at the security council.

3. Israel and Palestine war has never been at ease even after the intervention of United Nations. Since decades Israel has been taking unilateral actions in its geographical vicinity and no substantial action with a proper outcome has been seen in this front. United Nations has to get stricter in imposing rules and in taking charge of these kind of war states. United Nations has always been partial in taking a stand against terrorism. They did condemn the terrorists involved in attacks but at the same time no actions were taken against the government funded terror groups.

4. When United Nations was created, United States was the only country that owned nuclear test weapons and along with 190 other member nations, they signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Despite this treaty signed and agreed upon by all the member nation, many of them continued with the development and testing of nuclear weapons from time to time. United Nation seemed neither offended nor did it try to restrain the member nations from continuing with the testing and development of deadly weapons. Was is ugly and lethal weapons make it even more uglier.

5. United Nations inefficiency at war fronts has been seen during many crisis including the Cuban missile crisis, Vietnam crisis, Yugoslavia bombed by NATO, unilateral actions in Iraq, America's anarchy in Iraq and Afghanistan in the name of search for weapons and terrorists. United nations was created to stand as a common platform that could help in restoring world peace and security. If United Nations is not reformed to make it more legislative, it's meaning would be lost soon.

No, UN needs no reform:

1. United Nations has been doing its part in maintaining peace and security between member nations. It has prevented any further world wars since its creation. It has been making genuine efforts to solve issues between India and Pakistan. Terrorism is not within the reach of member nations or the United Nations. They have been making efforts to curb terrorism and have been successful at various fronts.

2. UN has played a very important role in curbing colonialism and imperialism. They have also been protective in suppressing apartheid to a great extent. Protection of human rights had also been a successful venture supported by UN. These achievements of United Nations cannot be ignored and it would be wrong to say that UN is inefficient in any way.

3. United Nation's agencies like WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, any many more have been truly efficient in making lives better especially in rural areas of member nations. Spreading awareness and extending helping hands to the needy has been a very successful venture organised by the United.

4. United Nation's contribution towards peacekeeping operations, settling disputes and conflicts has been successful to great extent. Peaceful settlement of dispute has been very effective in preventing wars and attacks.

5. United Nations had done more than its part in imparting education, food, healthy living to poor regions of the member nations. It's health and population management strategies have proven it's efficacy from time to time. From protecting children to protection of refugees, United Nations has been the best support that the member nations could expect.

Conclusion:

It is true that United Nations has seen many successes since its establishment, but alongside it can also not be denied that with changing time, the priorities need to change and to tackle bigger challenges such as terrorism and fundamentalism, changes and reforms are necessary. To change with time is the need of situation and United Nation has to upgrade it's current status to provide effective help to member nations in establishing world peace and security from terrorism.