Class Notes 4 You

The UN Educational, Scientific, Cultural Organisation was founded in 1945 and is a catalyst for far-reaching and important environmental and sustainable development initiatives. Too much Politics in UNESCO: ● The US has long used UNESCO as a stage for political gestures. However, the recent major issue which made the US leave the UNESCO was when UNESCO designated the old city of Hebron in the West Bank, with its Tomb of the Patriarchs, a Palestinian World Heritage site. ● According to the US when UNESCO voted to recognize the Palestinians as full members, it undermined an important U.S. policy goal.  ● Israel has regularly complained over resolutions about cultural sites in the West Bank and Jerusalem, arguing that they are worded to delegitimize Israel. US announcement to withdraw from this cultural body has once again highlighted the politicisation of its activities and limitation of funds: ● The absence of U.S. funding makes it increasingly difficult to meet the challenges that...

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is an intergovernmental organisation founded in Shanghai, with the objective of political, economic and security cooperation between the member nations. India became a permanent member of the SCO in 2017 along with Pakistan. Iran was officially admitted recently as a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Objective of SCO: 1. To strengthen the relations between member states, by deepening political, security and economic cooperation. 2. To strive for joint cooperation between the members to confront threats emanating from terrorism, extremism and separatism. 3. SCO aims to move towards developing a democratic and equitable international political order. 4. To ensure joint efforts in maintaining peace, security and stability in the region. 5. To deepen engagements in the field of trade/commerce, transport, tourism, environment, cultural linkages, education, research and technology. Critical examination of aims and objectives of SC...

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines Global public health security as “the activities required to minimise the danger and impact of acute public health events that endanger the collective health of populations living across geographical regions and international boundaries. The WHO’s weak response to China’s mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak has questioned the WHO’s credibility. 1. The USA alleged the objections by WHO ‘to travel bans from China and termed it ‘a horrible, tragic mistake.’ 2. Since China acceded to the UN in 1971, it has periodically blocked Taiwan’s WHO membership on the grounds that the democratically governed island is part of China. 3. It struggles to set its own priorities because many of its donors give it money earmarked for specificnprojects. 4. The organisation’s Lyon-based International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued confusing warnings on everything from the air we breathe to the meat we eat to the phones we use. 5. Too Many Chiefs: The ...