Purposes of the United Nations

The purposes of the United Nations are the common goals that the organisation and its members seek to achieve through international cooperation. Article 1 of the UN Charter states four purposes: maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations, achieving international cooperation, and harmonising nations’ actions towards these common ends.

Maintaining international peace and security

The first purpose is to maintain international peace and security through collective action and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

• The UN is to take effective collective measures to prevent and remove threats to peace and to suppress acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace.
• It is to bring about the adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations that might lead to a breach of the peace, using peaceful means and acting in conformity with justice and international law.

Developing friendly relations among nations

The second purpose is to develop friendly relations among nations, based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of peoples.

• Article 1 also calls for other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace.
• This purpose extends beyond responding to conflict: it seeks relations among nations that support a lasting peace.

Achieving international cooperation

The third purpose is to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems and advancing human rights and fundamental freedoms.

• The problems identified in Article 1 are economic, social, cultural or humanitarian in character.
• The UN is to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion.

Harmonising the actions of nations

The fourth purpose is for the UN to serve as a centre for harmonising the actions of nations in attaining these common ends. This gives it a coordinating role, connecting national efforts with the shared objectives of peace, friendly relations and international cooperation.