Major Agencies of the United Nations

ICSE Class 10 · History & Civics · Chapter 20

What this chapter covers

Principal organs and specialised agencies
The General Assembly: composition
The General Assembly: functions
The Security Council: composition
The Security Council: functions
The International Court of Justice: composition
The International Court of Justice: functions
UNICEF: headquarters and functions
WHO: headquarters and functions
UNESCO: headquarters and functions

Key definitions

Sovereign equality is the principle that every independent state, large or small, rich or poor, has the same legal rights and standing in international affairs.

Economic sanctions are measures such as stopping trade, cutting off communications or freezing financial dealings, taken against a state to force it to change its conduct without the use of armed force.

Peacekeeping is the deployment of military and civilian personnel from many countries, under the United Nations flag, to supervise a ceasefire, separate warring sides and help a country move towards lasting peace.

Jurisdiction is the authority of a court to hear a case and give a decision on it.

UNICEF is the agency of the United Nations that works for the survival, protection, health, education and development of children all over the world.

Key points

The Charter created six principal organs; the General Assembly, the Security Council and the International Court of Justice are studied here, along with UNICEF, WHO and UNESCO.
General Assembly: all 193 members, up to five representatives each but one vote; regular session from September; important questions by two-thirds majority.
General Assembly functions: deliberative, elective, financial, admission and expulsion of members (on the Council's recommendation), supervisory, and amending the Charter; Uniting for Peace Resolution, 1950.
Security Council: fifteen members, five permanent (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, the United States) and ten non-permanent elected for two years; presidency rotates monthly.
Substantive decisions of the Security Council need nine votes including those of all five permanent members; a negative vote by any one of them is a veto.
Security Council functions: peaceful settlement of disputes, sanctions and military action against aggression, peacekeeping, regulation of armaments, recommending members and the Secretary-General, electing ICJ judges with the Assembly.
International Court of Justice: seat at The Hague; fifteen judges of different nationalities, elected by the Assembly and the Council for nine years; quorum of nine.
ICJ functions: decides contentious cases between states with their consent, gives advisory opinions, and its judgments are final and binding.
UNICEF (headquarters New York, 1946): child health, immunisation, nutrition, clean water, education, protection of children and emergency relief.
WHO (headquarters Geneva, 1948): fights diseases, sets health standards, watches for epidemics and helps national health systems; smallpox eradicated, India polio-free in 2014.
UNESCO (headquarters Paris, 1945): education for all, science, protection of World Heritage Sites and living traditions, cultural exchange and free flow of ideas.

Questions answered

Name the three principal organs of the United Nations prescribed for study, and give the seat of each.

The General Assembly (New York), the Security Council (New York) and the International Court of Justice (The Hague, the Netherlands).

How many votes does each member have in the General Assembly, and how many representatives may it send?

Each member has one vote, though it may send up to five representatives.

Which questions in the General Assembly need a two-thirds majority?

Important questions, such as recommendations on peace and security, the admission, suspension and expulsion of members, the election of non-permanent members of the Security Council, and budgetary matters.

Who was the first woman President of the General Assembly?

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit of India, President of the eighth session in 1953.

Why is the Uniting for Peace Resolution of 1950 important?

It allows the General Assembly to consider a threat to peace and recommend collective action when the Security Council cannot act because a permanent member uses its veto, which strengthened the Assembly's role in peace and security.

Name the permanent members of the Security Council. For how long are the non-permanent members elected?

China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are the permanent members. The ten non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly for two years, five each year.

Explain why the Security Council is regarded as the most powerful organ of the United Nations.

It has the main responsibility for international peace and security, its decisions are binding on all members, and it alone can impose sanctions and authorise military action against an aggressor.

Why is an abstention by a permanent member not a veto? What does this tell you about how a veto is cast?

The Charter requires the "concurring votes" of the permanent members, but by long practice the Council has treated an abstention as not blocking a decision. A veto therefore has to be cast as an actual vote against the proposal.

Past board exam questions

ICSE 2027 sample paper · 1 mark

Which of the following organisations is connected to the given picture? (The picture shows an old, damaged historical building, partly in ruins, with the caption: THE IMPORTANCE OF “RESTORING HISTORICAL MONUMENTS”.)

UNESCO
UNICEF
WHO
UNDP

Show answer

UNESCO

ICSE 2026 board paper · 1 mark

Which organ of the United Nations Organisation gives this special power to its permanent members? Cartoon: a delegate in a tall striped 'Uncle Sam' top hat, seated at a desk with a name plate reading UNITED STATES, says "I VETO" as he flings away a sheet of paper.

The General Assembly
The International Court of Justice
The Security Council
The Trusteeship Council

Show answer

The Security Council

ICSE 2026 board paper · 1 mark

The International Court of Justice has _________ judges.

Show answer

ICSE 2026 board paper · 2 marks

UNESCO provides protection for great cultural institutions. Mention any two ways in which it works towards the preservation of cultural heritage.

Show answer

1. It identifies and declares monuments and sites of outstanding value as World Heritage Sites and helps protect them. 2. It provides funds and experts to restore and preserve monuments, museums and libraries (e.g., the Abu Simbel temples in Egypt, Mohenjo-daro). (Also: it promotes international co-operation and conventions for protecting cultural property.)

ICSE 2026 sample paper · 4 marks

The United Nations Organisation aims to maintain international peace. With reference to its organs and agencies, answer the following: Kolkata’s famous Durga Puja received the intangible heritage tag. Which agency of the United Nations is authorised to give this tag? Mention any three other contributions of that agency in the preservation of culture.

Show answer

1. UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). 2. Any three contributions: - It prepares the World Heritage List and identifies monuments and sites to be protected. - It provides funds, technical advice and assistance to preserve monuments and works of art. - It protects rare manuscripts and old documents. - It encourages artistic creation in literature and the fine arts, and cultural development through films and exchanges.

ICSE 2026 board paper · 3 marks

The United Nations Organisation and the Non-Aligned Movement emerged after the Second World War. With reference to these, answer the following questions: The General Assembly is the deliberative organ of the United Nations. Mention any three functions of the General Assembly to analyse this statement.

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1. It discusses any question within the scope of the Charter, including international peace and security, and makes recommendations to members and the Security Council. 2. It considers and approves the budget of the UN and fixes the contributions of members. 3. It elects the non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of ECOSOC, and with the Security Council elects the judges of the International Court of Justice and appoints the Secretary-General. (Also: admits new members on the recommendation of the Security Council.)

ICSE 2025 board paper · 1 mark

Which agency of the United Nations Organisation is associated with this picture? Picture (collage of photographs of Indian monuments): the Qutub Minar, the Taj Mahal, the Red Fort, a gateway of the Sanchi Stupa, the stone chariot at Hampi, Humayun's Tomb and the Buland Darwaza.

UNESCO
UNICEF
WHO
ILO

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UNESCO

ICSE 2025 compartment paper · 1 mark

Which of the following statements about the composition of the General Assembly is NOT true?

All countries are members.
Decisions are made by the voting of the majority members.
Each State has five representatives but has one vote.
Permanent members have the Veto Power.

Show answer

Permanent members have the Veto Power.