Legal Definitions - United Nations Charter

The United Nations Charter (often referred to as the UN Charter) is the foundational legal document that established the United Nations. It functions as a comprehensive international treaty, agreed upon and signed by nearly every country in the world. This pivotal document outlines the purposes, principles, and organizational structure of the UN, defining the rights and obligations of member states. It also codifies many fundamental principles of international law, guiding global cooperation on issues ranging from peace and security to human rights and economic development.

• Responding to International Conflict

  When a severe armed conflict erupts between two neighboring nations, threatening regional stability, the UN Security Council convenes an emergency meeting. Citing its authority under the UN Charter, the Council passes a resolution demanding an immediate ceasefire, imposing sanctions on the aggressor, and authorizing the deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force to monitor the truce. This action directly reflects the Charter's primary purpose of maintaining international peace and security and its framework for collective action.

• Promoting Global Human Rights

  A United Nations agency, such as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), launches a worldwide campaign to combat discrimination against minority groups. This initiative involves monitoring human rights abuses, providing technical assistance to governments to improve their legal frameworks, and advocating for the universal application of human rights standards. The basis for this agency's mandate and the principles guiding its work are firmly rooted in the UN Charter, which explicitly calls for promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.

• Facilitating International Legal Disputes

  Two countries are engaged in a complex dispute over fishing rights in a shared maritime zone. Unable to resolve the issue through bilateral negotiations, they mutually agree to submit their case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial organ of the UN. The ICJ, established by the UN Charter, then adjudicates the dispute based on international law, providing a binding resolution. This demonstrates how the Charter provides the institutional framework for the peaceful settlement of international disputes and upholds the rule of law among nations.