Which one among the following statements about the United Nations (UN)

Which one among the following statements about the United Nations (UN) is not correct ?

All the main bodies of the United Nations, such as the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Trusteeship Council, etc. were established with the founding of the UN in 1945.

The United Nations System comprises not only the main bodies, but also many funds, programmes and specialized agencies.

Specialized agencies of the UN System are funded by both voluntary and assessed contributions.

The programmes and funds of the UN System are financed only through assessed contributions.

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Answer is Wrong!

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UPSC Geoscientist – 2024

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Statement D is not correct. The programmes and funds of the UN System (such as UNDP, UNICEF, WFP, etc.) are primarily financed through *voluntary* contributions from member states, intergovernmental organizations, foundations, and the private sector, not assessed contributions. Assessed contributions are mandatory payments from member states that fund the core budget of the United Nations itself and some peacekeeping operations.

– Statement A is correct: The six principal organs of the UN (General Assembly, Security Council, ECOSOC, Trusteeship Council, ICJ, Secretariat) were established in 1945.
– Statement B is correct: The UN System encompasses the principal organs, funds, programmes, and specialized agencies.
– Statement C is correct: Specialized agencies (like WHO, FAO, ILO) receive funding from both assessed contributions (for regular budgets) and voluntary contributions (for specific projects and programmes).
– Statement D is incorrect: UN Funds and Programmes rely mainly on voluntary contributions.

The distinction between assessed and voluntary contributions is key to understanding UN financing. Assessed contributions are based on a scale determined by the General Assembly, reflecting a country’s capacity to pay. Voluntary contributions are discretionary and often tied to specific projects or themes.

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