United Nations ICSE Class 10: Organs, Agencies and Human Rights

What United Nations is about

Weightage: CISCE publishes no chapter weightage. History is tested in Part I (compulsory 1- and 2-mark items) and in Part II Section B, where you answer three of five 10-mark History questions, each split 3 + 3 + 4.Source: CISCE ICSE 2027 Specimen Question Paper 501, History & Civics (H.C.G. Paper 1)

Key concepts

Objectives of the United Nations

The UN Charter sets out these purposes:
1. To maintain international peace and security, and to save future generations from the scourge of war.
2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on equal rights and the self-determination of peoples.
3. To achieve international cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems.
4. To promote respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion.
5. To be a centre for harmonising the actions of nations in achieving these common ends.

These are often summarised in board questions by words such as disarmament, decolonisation and development, all of which the UN works towards. 'Disengage' (withdrawing from world affairs) is not a UN objective.

Worked example

(3 marks) State any three objectives of the United Nations.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. To maintain international peace and security - 1 mark.
2. To develop friendly relations among nations based on equal rights and self-determination - 1 mark.
3. To achieve international cooperation in solving economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems and promote human rights - 1 mark.

Answer: The UN aims (1) to maintain international peace and security, (2) to develop friendly relations among nations on the basis of equal rights and self-determination, and (3) to achieve international cooperation on economic, social and humanitarian problems and promote human rights.

General Assembly: composition and functions

Composition: all member states of the UN (193 at present). Each member may send up to five representatives, but each member has only one vote. It elects a President for each session. It meets in a regular annual session beginning in September, and in special or emergency sessions when needed. Decisions on important questions (such as peace and security, admission of members, the budget) need a two-thirds majority of members present and voting; other matters, a simple majority.

Functions:
1. Deliberative: discusses any question within the scope of the Charter, including peace and security, and makes recommendations.
2. Elective: elects the ten non-permanent members of the Security Council and the members of the Economic and Social Council; with the Security Council, elects the judges of the International Court of Justice; on the Security Council's recommendation, appoints the Secretary-General.
3. Admission and expulsion: admits new members on the Security Council's recommendation.
4. Financial: considers and approves the UN budget and fixes members' contributions.
5. Amendment of the Charter (with ratification by members, including all permanent members of the Security Council).
6. Under the 'Uniting for Peace' resolution (1950), it can consider a threat to peace if the Security Council is blocked by a veto.

Worked example

(3 marks) What is the composition of the General Assembly?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. All member states of the UN are members of the General Assembly - 1 mark.
2. Each member can send up to five representatives - 1 mark.
3. Each member has only one vote; a President is elected for each session - 1 mark.

Answer: The General Assembly consists of all UN member states. Each may send up to five representatives but has only one vote. The Assembly elects its own President for each session.

Security Council: composition

The Security Council has 15 members:

• 5 permanent members: the USA, the United Kingdom, France, Russia and China.
• 10 non-permanent members elected by the General Assembly for two-year terms; five retire each year, and a retiring member is not eligible for immediate re-election.

The presidency rotates every month among members in alphabetical order.

Voting: each member has one vote. Procedural matters need 9 votes. Substantive matters need 9 votes including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. A negative vote by any permanent member blocks the decision; this is the veto power.

Worked example

(2 marks) What is meant by the veto power? Who has it?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. On substantive matters a decision needs 9 votes including the concurring votes of all five permanent members; one permanent member's negative vote blocks it - 1 mark.
2. The five permanent members: the USA, the UK, France, Russia and China - 1 mark.

Answer: The veto is the power of a permanent member to block any substantive decision of the Security Council by voting against it. It belongs to the five permanent members: the USA, the UK, France, Russia and China.

Security Council: functions

1. Maintains international peace and security; it has primary responsibility for this.
2. Investigates any dispute or situation that may lead to international friction.
3. Recommends methods of peaceful settlement of disputes.
4. Determines whether a threat to peace or act of aggression exists, and recommends what action should be taken.
5. Calls on members to apply economic sanctions or to cut communications with an aggressor.
6. Takes military action against an aggressor, using forces made available by members (peacekeeping forces may also be sent).
7. Recommends the admission of new members and the appointment of the Secretary-General to the General Assembly.
8. With the General Assembly, elects the judges of the International Court of Justice.
9. Formulates plans for regulating armaments.

Worked example

(3 marks) Mention any three functions of the Security Council.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Maintains international peace and security, investigating disputes that may endanger them - 1 mark.
2. Recommends methods of settling disputes and determines the existence of a threat to peace or aggression - 1 mark.
3. Can impose economic sanctions or take military action against an aggressor (also: recommends admission of members, elects ICJ judges with the GA) - 1 mark.

Answer: The Security Council (1) maintains international peace by investigating disputes, (2) recommends methods of peaceful settlement and decides whether aggression has occurred, and (3) can apply economic sanctions or take military action against an aggressor.

International Court of Justice

The ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the UN. Its seat is at The Hague in the Netherlands.

Composition: 15 judges elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council voting separately (an absolute majority is needed in both). They serve nine-year terms and may be re-elected; one-third retire every three years. No two judges may be of the same nationality, and they are chosen to represent the main legal systems of the world. The Court elects its President and Vice-President for three years.

Functions:
1. Contentious (voluntary) jurisdiction: it decides legal disputes between states that agree to refer them to it. Only states can be parties to such cases.
2. Compulsory jurisdiction: states that have accepted the 'optional clause' agree in advance that the Court can decide certain legal disputes with other states that accept it, such as those about the interpretation of a treaty or a breach of an international obligation.
3. Advisory jurisdiction: it gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred by the General Assembly, the Security Council or other authorised UN bodies.
4. It interprets treaties and international law, and its decisions are final and binding on the parties.

Worked example

(3 marks) Mention any three functions of the International Court of Justice.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Decides disputes between states that voluntarily refer their cases to it (contentious jurisdiction) - 1 mark.
2. Has compulsory jurisdiction over legal disputes, such as treaty interpretation, between states that have accepted the optional clause - 1 mark.
3. Gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred by the General Assembly, Security Council or other authorised bodies - 1 mark.

Answer: The ICJ (1) settles legal disputes that states voluntarily bring before it, (2) has compulsory jurisdiction over certain legal disputes between states that accept the optional clause, and (3) gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred by the General Assembly, the Security Council or other authorised bodies.

UNICEF

Full form: United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (since 1953 officially the United Nations Children's Fund, keeping the letters UNICEF). Founded in December 1946 to help children in war-torn Europe. Headquarters: New York.

Functions:
1. Child health: immunisation against diseases such as polio and measles; oral rehydration; health care for mothers and children.
2. Nutrition: programmes against malnutrition, including vitamin and iodine supplements.
3. Safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.
4. Education, especially of girls.
5. Emergency relief for children in wars and natural disasters.
6. Protection of children against abuse, exploitation, trafficking and child labour, and support for children's rights.

Worked example

(4 marks) Give the full form of UNICEF. Mention three of its functions.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund - 1 mark.
2. Child health: immunisation and care of mothers and children - 1 mark.
3. Nutrition, safe drinking water and sanitation - 1 mark.
4. Emergency relief for children in disasters (or education of girls, protection from exploitation) - 1 mark.

Answer: UNICEF stands for United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (headquarters New York). It (1) immunises children and promotes the health of mothers and children, (2) fights malnutrition and provides safe water and sanitation, and (3) gives emergency relief to children in wars and disasters.

WHO and UNESCO

WHO (World Health Organisation): founded on 7 April 1948 (World Health Day). Headquarters: Geneva.
Functions:
1. Controls and eradicates communicable diseases (smallpox was eradicated with its help; it leads the fight against polio, malaria and tuberculosis).
2. Sets international standards for medicines, vaccines and food, and issues international health regulations.
3. Helps countries strengthen their health services and train medical and health workers.
4. Promotes research and spreads health information and statistics.
5. Gives emergency help during epidemics and disasters.
6. Promotes nutrition, sanitation, maternal and child health.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation): founded in November 1945. Headquarters: Paris.
Functions:
1. Promotes education: literacy, universal primary education and adult education; teacher training.
2. Encourages scientific research and cooperation among scientists.
3. Protects the world's cultural and natural heritage, listing World Heritage Sites.
4. Promotes the free flow of ideas, press freedom and mass communication.
5. Preserves cultures and languages and promotes understanding among peoples.

Worked example

(3 marks) Mention any three functions of the World Health Organisation.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Controls and eradicates communicable diseases such as smallpox and polio - 1 mark.
2. Sets international health standards for medicines and vaccines - 1 mark.
3. Helps countries build health services and train health workers, and gives help in epidemics - 1 mark.

Answer: WHO (Geneva) (1) controls and eradicates communicable diseases, as with smallpox and polio, (2) sets international standards for medicines, vaccines and food, and (3) helps countries build health services and train health workers, giving emergency help in epidemics.

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (meaning only)

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) was adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948, which is observed as Human Rights Day.

Meaning: it is a document that sets out the basic rights and freedoms to which every human being is entitled, without distinction of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political opinion, nationality or birth. These include civil and political rights (such as the right to life, liberty, equality before the law, freedom of thought and expression) and economic, social and cultural rights (such as the right to work, education and an adequate standard of living).

It is not a treaty and is not legally binding by itself, but it is a common standard of achievement for all nations and has inspired many national constitutions and international laws.

Worked example

(2 marks) What is meant by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. It is a declaration adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948 - 1 mark.
2. It lists the basic rights and freedoms of all human beings, such as life, liberty, equality and education, without any discrimination - 1 mark.

Answer: The UDHR, adopted by the General Assembly on 10 December 1948, sets out the basic rights and freedoms, such as life, liberty, equality and education, that belong to every human being without discrimination of race, sex, religion or nationality.

United Nations in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• United Nations: Objectives, Organs, Agencies and Human Rights

United Nations: key facts

UN

Charter signed 26 June 1945 (San Francisco); came into existence 24 October 1945

Headquarters New York; 193 members.

General Assembly

All members; up to 5 representatives, 1 vote each

Important decisions by two-thirds.

Security Council

15 = 5 permanent (USA, UK, France, Russia, China) + 10 non-permanent (2-year terms)

Substantive decisions: 9 votes incl. all 5 permanent.

ICJ

15 judges; 9-year terms; The Hague

Elected by GA and SC.

UNICEF

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund; 1946; New York

WHO

World Health Organisation; 7 April 1948; Geneva

UNESCO

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; 1945; Paris

UDHR

Adopted 10 December 1948

Human Rights Day.

How the board asks United Nations

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember United Nations

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• P5 = Big Five

  USA, UK, France, Russia, China: 'U-U-F-R-C, You Use Five Real Chairs.'

  Use it when: Permanent members.

• Cities of the UN family

  UN New York, UNICEF New York, WHO Geneva, UNESCO Paris, ICJ The Hague.

  Use it when: Headquarters questions.

• ICJ 15-9-3

  15 judges, 9-year terms, one-third retire every 3 years.

  Use it when: ICJ composition.

• Rights Day 10-12-48

  10 December 1948: the UDHR.

  Use it when: UDHR date.

United Nations: board-level solved questions

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section B style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In the board paper this is a 10-mark question split into 3 + 3 + 4 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in United Nations

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Giving the Security Council's composition for the General Assembly

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2025: candidates confused the composition of the Security Council with that of the General Assembly.

  ✓Do this: GA = all members, 5 representatives, 1 vote; SC = 15 members.

  Usually costs: Up to 3 marks.

• ✗Mistake: Bare headings for ICJ functions

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2025: candidates could not mention three functions or wrote incomplete headings like 'Voluntary Jurisdiction' without specifics.

  Wrong working

  Functions: voluntary jurisdiction, advisory jurisdiction.

  Right working

  It decides disputes that states voluntarily refer to it; it gives advisory opinions on legal questions referred by the GA or SC.

  ✓Do this: Every heading needs a sentence explaining what the Court does.

  Usually costs: 1 mark per function.

• ✗Mistake: Wrong full form of UNICEF

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2025: candidates could not write the full form correctly.

  ✓Do this: United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Missing 'NOT'

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2025: candidates missed the word 'not' and chose 'decolonise'.

  ✓Do this: Circle negative words before reading options.

  Usually costs: The full mark.

• ✗Mistake: Choosing Security Council functions as Panchsheel principles

  CISCE examiners' comments, 2024: in a Panchsheel item candidates chose 'act against the aggressor' or 'recommend admission of members', which are Security Council functions.

  ✓Do this: Keep a clear list of Security Council functions.

  Usually costs: The full mark.

Practice questions on United Nations

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   The headquarters of UNESCO is in:
   (a) Geneva
   (b) New York
   (c) Paris
   (d) The Hague

   Hint

   French capital.

   Answer

   (c) Paris.

2. Q2 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

   The judges of the ICJ are elected for a term of:
   (a) 3 years
   (b) 5 years
   (c) 6 years
   (d) 9 years

   Hint

   One-third retire every three years.

   Answer

   (d) 9 years.

3. Q3 · 1 mark · Very short answerHarder board level

   Analogy: WHO : Geneva :: UNICEF : ________

   Hint

   Same city as the UN.

   Answer

   New York.

4. Q4 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

   Who elects the non-permanent members of the Security Council, and for how long?

   Hint

   Two-year terms.

   Answer

   The General Assembly elects them for two-year terms; five retire each year and cannot be immediately re-elected.

5. Q5 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

   Mention three functions of UNESCO.

   Hint

   Education, science, culture.

   Answer

   (1) Promotes education, especially literacy and primary education. (2) Encourages scientific research and cooperation. (3) Protects world cultural and natural heritage by listing and preserving World Heritage Sites (also: promotes press freedom).

6. Q6 · 2 marks · Very short answerHarder board level

   Explain any two kinds of jurisdiction of the ICJ, with the meaning of each.

   Hint

   Do not write bare headings.

   Answer

   Contentious (voluntary) jurisdiction: the Court decides legal disputes that states agree to bring before it, and the judgment binds them. Advisory jurisdiction: the Court gives an opinion on a legal question referred by the General Assembly, the Security Council or an authorised body.

7. Q7 · 4 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

   'The veto power both protects and weakens the UN.' Discuss.

   Hint

   Great power participation versus paralysis.

   Answer

   Protects: it kept the great powers inside the UN by assuring them no action would be taken against their vital interests, avoiding the League's problem of absent powers; it prevents the UN from acting against a great power and risking a world war. Weakens: a single permanent member can block action even when most members want it, so the Council has sometimes failed to act in crises; it is criticised as undemocratic.

8. Q8 · 1 mark · Very short answerBoard level

   Why is 10 December observed as Human Rights Day?

   Hint

   1948.

   Answer

   Because the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948.

9. Q9 · 2 marks · Very short answerHOTS / competency

   A country wants to become a member of the UN. Trace the procedure.

   Hint

   Two organs.

   Answer

   The Security Council must first recommend its admission (a substantive decision, subject to veto); the General Assembly then admits it by a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.When is UN Day?Show answer

   24 October.

2. 2.How many members does the Security Council have?Show answer

   15.

3. 3.Where is the ICJ?Show answer

   The Hague, Netherlands.

4. 4.When was WHO founded?Show answer

   7 April 1948.

5. 5.How many representatives can a member send to the GA?Show answer

   Up to five, with one vote.

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐UN: 24 October 1945; New York; peace, friendly relations, cooperation, human rights.
• ☐GA: all members, 5 representatives, 1 vote; discusses, elects, admits, budget.
• ☐SC: 15 (P5 + 10 for 2 years); veto; peace, disputes, sanctions, military action.
• ☐ICJ: 15 judges, 9 years, The Hague; contentious, compulsory, advisory.
• ☐UNICEF (New York): child health, nutrition, water, education, emergencies.
• ☐WHO (Geneva): diseases, standards, health services, epidemics.
• ☐UNESCO (Paris): education, science, culture, heritage.
• ☐UDHR 10 December 1948: rights of all humans without discrimination.

United Nations: frequently asked questions