UN SECRETARIAT

ABSTRACT
It is the administrative and executive organ of the United Nations that functions throughout the
year. It consists of the secretary-general of the UN and the staff necessary for the execution of
the organ’s duties. The Secretariat is a principal organ of the UN, along with the General
Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, and
International Court of Justice (UN Charter, art. 7). It has relatively less autonomy than the other
principal organs and works under the supervision of the General Assembly and, in some cases,
the Security Council.

The Secretariat mainly performs administrative and technical functions for the various UN
agencies, committees, and conferences. These functions include writing up the correspondence
and documents of the United Nations, keeping archives, registering and publishing international
treaties and agreements, and disseminating information on UN activities through the press, radio,
and television. The Secretariat is also responsible for drawing up and implementing the budget of
the UN, collecting contributions from member states, and coordinating the public and economic
activities of the UN and its specialized agencies.

The executive functions of the Secretariat are directly related to the official duties of the
secretary-general, principally the implementation of the decisions of the principal organs of the
UN. According to the UN Charter, the executive functions of the Secretariat must be exercised
under the strict control of these organs and must not challenge their authority.

SYNOPSIS

BACKGROUND

The Secretariat services the other organs of the UN and administers the programs and policies
laid down by them. As the scope and range of UN activities have widened, the staff of the
Secretariat has increased in number and its organizational pattern has increased in complexity.
The major elements of the Secretariat, variously designated as offices, departments, programs,
conferences, and the like, are headed by officials of the rank, but not necessarily the title, of
under secretary-general or assistant secretary-general. In 1987 there were 48 officials at those
two levels in the Secretariat. As the United Nations grew from its original 51 members in 1945 to
191 members in 2002, the Secretariat necessarily changed and evolved. Between 1945 and 1994
major reform of the Secretariat's structure was undertaken five times: 1953–56; 1964–66; 1974–
77; 1985–86; and 1992–94. The latest round of restructuring was requested by the General
Assembly in numerous resolutions beginning in 1988 (41/213; 44/200; 45/254; 46/232, and
47/212A). Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali began the restructuring process upon his
entry into office in January 1992. In 1991 there were 48 high-level posts (1 director general, 26
undersecretary-generals, 20 assistant secretary-generals) reporting directly to the Secretary-
General, by the 1996–1997 biennium that number had been reduced to 21 under secretary-
generals and 15 assistant secretary-generals for a total of 36.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Ironies of UN Secretariat Reform [article]

Global Governance, Vol. 13, Issue 2 (April-June 2007), pp. 151-160
Frohlich, Manuel

Secretariat [notes]
League of Nations Official Journal, Vol. 2, Issue 7 (September 1921), pp. 720-722
2 League of Nations O. J. 720 (1921)

Strengthening UN Human Rights Capacity [article]

Mennesker og Rettigheter, Vol. 4, Issue 4 (1986), pp. 30-32
Van Boven, Theo
http://heinonline.org/HOL/Page?handle=hein.journals/nyuilp24&div=11&g_sent=1&casa_token
=&collection=journals

Definition , Object & Scope

The objective of the project is to analyze the purpose of the United Nations Secretariat, its role in
setting the agenda for the UN's deliberative and decision making bodies of the UN(the General
Assembly, Economic and Social Council, and Security Council), and the implementation of the
decision of these bodies.)

The researcher would be analyzing the functions, purposes, agendas and techniques of the UNIted
Nations Secretariat in the current modern world.

Research Questions

What is the role of UN Secretariat?

What is its importance in global issues and development of human rights?

What is its role in peace keeping operations and mediate international problems?

HYPOTHESIS

The Secretary-General as "chief administrative officer" of the Organization, who shall act in that capacity
and perform "such other functions as are entrusted" to him or her by the Security Council, General
Assembly, Economic and Social Council and other United Nations organs. The Charter also empowers
the Secretary-General to "bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion
may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security".

Research methodology

The Research methodology followed in this project is doctrinal in nature and sources are mainly primary
sources but secondary sources could be use as well.

Tentative Chapters

Chapter I Historical background

Chapter II Aims and functions

Chapter IIIOrganizational structure

Chapter IV Modern world and international policies

Bibliography

Books, journals and article:

1. Arnold pronto, Michael Wood, The International Law Commission [Journal], Oxford
University Press, Vol. 4.
2. Gotlieb, A. E., The International Law Commission [article] , Canadian Yearbook of
International Law, Vol. 4, pp. 64-80

Websites:

1. http://legal.un.org/ilc/work.shtml (official website of the UN)

2. Hein Online