A CRITIQUE OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL (1945-2020)

Abstract

The United Nations was established after the Second World War in 1945 to maintain peace and security because of the threats posed by global poverty, disease, and the breakdown of the environment. To help actualize these objectives, the United Nations Security Council was an absolute necessity in order to make world peace a priority for all nations. However, studies show that a number of institutional issues visible in the UN system have hampered the mandate of the Security Council towards achieving world peace. This study, therefore, intends to critique the United Nations Security Council's efforts to promote international law-based global peace on this basis. The study employed the use of the in-depth interview to elicit data from respondents while content analysis was used to identify data gotten from the field. Findings from the study revealed that the United Nations Security Council has succeeded in the maintenance of global peace and security. This study concluded that the United Nations Security Council’s roles are to prevent nuclear proliferation, clear landmines, and promote disarmament. The study also reveals that the body is able to ensure security by constituting peacekeeping and special political missions.