to save succeeding generations from the scourge
of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind, and to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights,
in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large
and small, and to establish conditions under which justice
and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be
maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards
of life in larger freedom,
AND FOR THESE ENDS
to practice tolerance and live together in
peace with one another as good neighbors, and to unite our strength to maintain international
peace and security, and to ensure by the acceptance of principles
and the institution of methods, that armed force shall not be used, save in the common interest, and to employ international machinery for the
promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples,
HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH
THESE AIMS
Accordingly, our respective Governments, through
representatives assembled in the city of San Francisco, who have exhibited their full powers found to
be in good and due form, have agreed to the present Charter of the United Nations and do hereby establish an
international organization to be known as the United Nations. return to top
CHAPTER I PURPOSES
AND PRINCIPLES Article 1
The Purposes of the United Nations are: 1. To maintain international peace and security,
and to that end: to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace,
and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by peaceful
means, and in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement
of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace; 2. To develop friendly relations among nations
based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self- determination of peoples, and to take other
appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace; 3. To achieve international cooperation in
solving international problems of an economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character, and in promoting and
encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex,
language, or religion; and 4. To be a center for harmonizing the actions
of nations in the attainment of these common ends. Return to Top
Article 2
The Organization and its Members,
in pursuit of the Purposes stated in Article 1,
shall act in accordance with the following Principles. 1. The Organization is based on the principle
of the sovereign equality of all its Members. 2. All
Members, in order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits
resulting from membership, shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed
by them in accordance with the present Charter. 3. All Members
shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner
that international peace and security, and justice, are not endangered. 4. All Members
shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of
force against the territorial integrity or political independence
of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes
of the United Nations. 5. All Members
shall give the United Nations every assistance in any action it takes
in accordance with the present Charter, and shall refrain from giving
assistance to any state against which the United Nations is taking preventive or enforcement action. 6. The Organization shall ensure that states
which are not Members
of the United Nations act in accordance with these Principles
so far as may be necessary for the maintenance of international peace and
security. 7. Nothing contained in the present Charter
shall authorize the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction
of any state or shall require the Members
to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter; but
this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter
VII. Return to Top
CHAPTER II MEMBERSHIP Article 3
The original Members
of the United Nations shall be the states which, having participated
in the United Nations Conference on International Organization at
San Francisco, or having previously signed the Declaration by United Nations of January 1, 1942, sign the present
Charter and ratify it in accordance with Article
110.
Article 4
1. Membership in the United Nations is open to
all other peace-loving states which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the
judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations. 2. The admission of any such state to membership
in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General
Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security
Council.
Article 5
A member of the United Nations against which preventive
or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council
may
be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership
by the General
Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security
Council. The exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored
by the Security
Council.
The United Nations shall place no restrictions
on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity and under conditions of equality
in its principal and subsidiary organs. Return to Top
Functions and Powers The General
Assembly may discuss any questions or any matters within the scope
of the present Charter or relating to the powers and functions of any
organs provided for in the present Charter, and, except as provided in Article 12, may
make recommendations to the Members
of the United Nations or to the Security
Council or to both on any such questions or matters. Return to Top
Article 11
1. The General
Assembly may consider the general principles of cooperation in the
maintenance of international peace and security, including the principles
governing disarmament and the regulation of armaments, and may makerecommendations
with regard to such principles to the Members
or to the Security
Council or to both. 2. The General
Assembly may discuss any questions relating to the maintenance of international
peace and security brought before it by any Member
of the United Nations, or by the Security
Council, or by a state which is not a Member
of the United Nations in accordance with
Article 35, paragraph 2, and, except as provided in Article 12, may
make recommendations with regard to any such questions to the state or
states concerned or to the Security
Council or to both. Any such question on which action is necessary
shall be referred to the Security
Council by the General
Assembly either before or after discussion. 3. The General
Assembly may call the attention of the Security
Council to situations which are likely to endanger international peace and security. 4. The powers of the General
Assembly set forth in this Article shall not limit the general scope
of Article 10.
Article 12
1. While the Security
Council is exercising in respect of any dispute or situation the functions
assigned to it in the present Charter, the General
Assembly shall not make any recommendation with regard to that dispute
or situation unless the Security
Council so requests. 2. The Secretary-General, with the consent
of the Security
Council, shall notify the General
Assembly at each session of any matters relative to the maintenance
of international peace and security which are being dealt with by the Security
Council and shall similarly notify the General
Assembly, or the Members
of the United Nations
if the General Assembly is not in session, immediately the Security
Council ceases to deal with such matters. Return to Top
Article 13
1. The General
Assembly shall initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose
of: a. promoting international cooperation
in the political field and encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification; b. promoting international cooperation
in the economic, social, cultural, educational, and health fields, and assisting in the realization of human rights
and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. 2. The further responsibilities, functions
and powers of the General
Assembly with respect to matters mentioned in paragraph 1(b) above are set forth in Chapters
IX
and X.
Article 14
Subject to the provisions of Article
12, the General
Assembly may recommend measures for the peaceful adjustmentof any situation,
regardless of origin, which it deems likely to impair the general welfare
or friendly relations among nations, including situations
resulting from a violation of the provisions of the present Charter setting forth the Purposes
and Principles of the United Nations.
Article 15
1. The General
Assembly shall receive and consider annual and special reports from
the Security
Council; these reports shall include an account of the measures
that the Security
Council has decided upon or taken to maintain international peace and security. 2. The General
Assembly shall receive and consider reports from the other organs of
the United Nations.
1. The General
Assembly shall consider and approve the budget
of
the Organization. 2. The expenses of the Organization shall
be borne by the Members
as apportioned by the
General
Assembly. 3. The General
Assembly shall consider and approve any financial and budgetary arrangements
with specialized agencies referred to in Article
57 and shall examine the administrative budgets of such specialized
agencies with a view to making recommendations to the
agencies concerned. Return to Top Voting
Article 18
1. Each member of the General
Assembly shall have one vote. 2. Decisions of the General
Assembly on important questions shall be made by a two-thirds majority
of the members present and voting. These questions
shall include: recommendations with respect to the maintenance of international peace and security, the election
of the non-permanent members of the Security
Council, the election of the members of the Economic
and Social Council, the election of members of the Trusteeship
Council in accordance with paragraph
1(c) of Article 86, the admission of new
Members
to the United Nations, the suspension of the rights and privileges of
membership, the expulsion of Members,
questions relating to the operation of the trusteeship
system, and budgetary questions. 3. Decisions on other questions, Composition
including the determination of additional categories of questions to be decided by a two-thirds majority, shall
be made by a majority of the members present and voting.
Article 19
A Member of the United Nations which is in arrears
in the payment of its financial contributions to the Organization shall have no vote in the General
Assembly if the amount of its arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for
the preceding two full years. The General
Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a Member
to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the Member. Return to Top Procedure
The General
Assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedure. It shall elect its
President for each session.
Article 22
The General
Assembly may establish such subsidiary organs as it deems necessary
for the performance of its functions.
CHAPTER V THE SECURITY
COUNCIL Article 23
1. The Security
Council shall consist of fifteen Members
of the United Nations. The Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America shall be permanent
members of the Security
Council. The General
Assembly shall elect ten other
Members of the United Nations to be non-permanent members of the Security
Council, due regard being specially paid, in the first instance to the
contribution of Members
of the United Nations to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the
other purposes of the Organization, and also to equitable geographical distribution. 2. The non-permanent members of the Security
Council shall be elected for a term of two years. In the first election of the non-permanent members after
the increase of the membership of the Security
Council from eleven to fifteen, two of the four additional members
shall be chosen for a term of one year. A retiring member shall not be eligible for immediate re-election. 3. Each member of the Security
Council shall have one representative. Return to Top Functions and Powers
Article 24
1. In order to ensure prompt and effective action
by the United Nations, its Members
confer on the Security Council
primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,
and agree that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility
the Security
Council acts on their behalf. 2. In discharging these duties the Security
Council shall act in accordance with the Purposes
and Principles of the United Nations. The specific powers granted
to the Security
Council for the discharge of these duties are laid down in Chapters VI,
VII,
VIII, and XII. 3. The Security
Council shall submit annual and, when necessary, special reports to
the General
Assembly for its consideration.
In order to promote the establishment and maintenance
of international peace and security with the least diversion for armaments of the world's human
and economic resources, the Security
Council shall be responsible for formulating, with the assistance of the
Military Staff Committee referred to in Article 47,
plans to be submitted to the Members
of the United Nations for the establishment of a system for the regulation
of armaments. Return to Top Voting
Article 27
1. Each member of the Security
Council shall have one vote. 2. Decisions of the Security
Council on procedural matters shall be made by an affirmative vote
of nine members. 3. Decisions of the Security
Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of
nine members including the concurring votes of the permanent
members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter
VI, and under paragraph
3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall
abstain from voting. Procedure
Article 28
1. The Security
Council shall be so organized as to be able to function continuously.
Each member of the Security
Council shall for this purpose be represented at all times at the seat
of the Organization. 2. The Security
Council shall hold periodic meetings at which each of its members may,
if it so desires, be represented by a member of the government
or by some other specially designated representative. 3. The Security
Council may hold meetings at such places other than the seat of the
Organization as in its judgment will best facilitate its work.
Article 29
The Security
Council may establish such subsidiary organs as it deems necessary
for the performance of its functions.
Article 30
The Security
Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method
of selecting its President. Return to Top
Article 31
Any Member
of the United Nations which is not a member of the Security
Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought before
the Security
Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of that Member
are specially affected.
CHAPTER VI PACIFIC
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES Article 33
1. The parties to any dispute, the continuance
of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security, shall, first of all, seek
a solution by negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to
regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice. 2. The Security
Council shall, when it deems necessary, call upon the parties to settle
their dispute by such means. Return to Top
Article 34
The Security
Council may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead
to international friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine
whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of international
peace and security.
Article 35
1. Any Member
of the United Nations may bring any dispute, or any situation of the
nature referred to in Article 34, to the attention
of the Security
Council or of the General
Assembly. 2. A
state which is not a Member
of the United Nations may bring to the attention of the Security
Council or of the General
Assembly any dispute to which it is a party if it accepts in advance,
for the purposes of the dispute, the obligations of pacific settlement
provided in the present Charter. 3. The proceedings of the General
Assembly in respect of matters brought to its attention under this
Article will be subject to the provisions of Articles
11
and 12.
Article 36
1. The Security
Council may, at any stage of a dispute of the nature referred to in
Article
33 or of a situation of like nature, recommend appropriate procedures
or methods of adjustment. 2. The Security
Council should take into consideration any procedures for the settlement
of the dispute which have already been adopted by the parties. 3. In making recommendations under this Article
the Security
Council should also take into consideration that legal disputes should as a general rule be
referred by the parties to the International Court of Justice in accordance with the provisions of the Statute
of the Court. Return to Top
Article 37
1. Should the parties to a dispute of the nature
referred to in Article 33 fail to settle it by
the means indicated in that Article, they shall refer
it to the Security
Council. 2. If the Security
Council deems that the continuance of the dispute is in fact likely
to endanger the maintenance of international peace and security,
it shall decide whether to take action under Article 36 or to recommend such terms of settlement as it may
consider appropriate.
Article 38
Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles
33 to 37, the Security
Council may, if all the parties to any dispute so request, make recommendations to
the parties with a view to a pacific settlement of the dispute.
CHAPTER VII ACTION
WITH RESPECT TO THREATS TO THE PEACE, BREACHES OF THE PEACE, AND ACTS OF AGGRESSION Article 39
The Security
Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach
of the peace, or act of aggression and shall make recommendations,
or decide what measures shall be taken in accordance with Articles 41and
42, to maintain or restore international peace
and security. Return to Top
Article 40
In order to prevent an aggravation of the situation,
the Security
Council may, before making the recommendations or deciding upon the measures provided for
in Article 39, call upon the parties concerned
to comply with such provisional measures as it deems necessary
or desirable. Such provisional measures shall be without prejudice to the rights, claims, or position of the parties
concerned. The Security
Council
shall duly take account of failure to comply with such provisional measures.
Article 41
The Security
Council may decide what measures not involving the use of armed force
are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and it may call upon
the Members
of the United Nations to apply such measures. These may include complete or partial interruption
of economic relations and of rail, sea, air, postal, telegraphic, radio, and other means of communication, and
the severance of diplomatic relations.
Article 42
Should the Security
Council consider that measures provided for in Article
41 would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate, it may take such action
by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security. Such action
may include demonstrations, blockade, and other operations by air, sea, or land forces of Members
of the United Nations. Return to Top
Article 43
1. All Members
of the United Nations, in order to contribute to the maintenance of
international peace and security, undertake to make available to the
Security
Council, on its call and in accordance with a special agreement or agreements, armed forces, assistance,
and facilities, including rights of passage, necessary for the purpose of maintaining international peace
and security. 2. Such agreement or agreements shall govern
the numbers and types of forces. their degree of readiness and general location, and the nature of the facilities
and assistance to be provided. 3. The agreement or agreements shall be negotiated
as soon as possible on the initiative of the Security Council.
They shall be concluded between the Security
Council and Members
or between the Security
Council and groups of Members
and shall be subject to ratification by the signatory states in accordance
with their respective constitutional processes.
Article 44
When the Security
Council has decided to use force it shall, before calling upon a Member
not represented on it to provide armed forces in fulfillment of
the obligations assumed under Article 43, invite
that Member,
if the Member so desires, to participate in the decisions
of the Security
Council concerning the employment of contingents of that Member's
armed forces.
Article 45
In order to enable the United Nations to take
urgent military measures Members
shall hold immediately available national air-force contingents for combined
international enforcement action. The strength and degree of readiness of these contingents and plans for
their combined action shall be determined, within the limits laid down in the special agreement or agreements
referred to in Article 43, by the Security
Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee.
Article 46
Plans for the application of armed force shall
be made by the Security
Council with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee. Return to Top
Article 47
1. There shall be established a Military Staff
Committee to advise and assist the Security
Council on all questions relating to the Security
Council's military requirements for the maintenance of international
peace and security, the employment and command of
forces placed at its disposal, the regulation of armaments, and possible disarmament. 2. The Military Staff Committee shall consist
of the Chiefs of Staff of the permanent members of the Security Council
or their representatives. Any Member
of the United Nations not permanently represented on the Committeeshall
be invited by the Committee to be associated with it when the efficient
discharge of the Committee'sresponsibilities
requires the participation of that Member
in its work. 3. The Military Staff Committee shall be responsible
under the Security
Council for the strategic direction of any armed forces placed at the disposal of
the Security
Council. Questions relating to the command of such forces shall be worked out subsequently. 4. The Military Staff Committee, with the
authorization of the Security
Council and after consultation with appropriate regional agencies, may establish
regional subcommittees.
Article 48
1. The action required to carry out the decisions
of the Security
Council for the maintenance of international peace and security shall be taken by all the
Members
of the United Nations or by some of them, as the Security Council
may determine. 2. Such decisions shall be carried out by
the Members
of the United Nations directly and through their action in the appropriate international agencies of
which they are members.
If preventive or enforcement measures against
any state are taken by the Security
Council, any other state, whether a Member
of the United Nations or not, which finds itself confronted with special
economic problems arising from the carrying out of those measures
shall have the right to consult the Security
Council with regard to a solution of those problems.
Article 51
Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the
inherent right of individual or collective self-defense if an armed attack occurs against a Member
of the United Nations, until the Security
Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace
and security. Measures taken by Members
in the exercise of this right of self-defense shall be immediately
reported to the Security
Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security
Council under the present Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain
or restore international peace and security. Return to Top
CHAPTER VIII REGIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS Article 52
1. Nothing in the present Charter precludes the
existence of regional arrangements or agencies for dealing with such matters relating to the maintenance of
international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action, provided that such arrangements or
agencies and their activities are consistent with the Purposes
and Principles
of the United Nations. 2. The member entering into such arrangements
or constituting such agencies shall make every effort to achieve pacific settlement
of local disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional agencies before referring them to
the Security
Council. 3. The
Security
Council shall encourage the development of pacific settlement of local
disputes through such regional arrangements or by such regional
agencies either on the initiative of the states concerned or by reference from the Security
Council. 4. This Article in no way impairs the application
of Articles 34 and 35.
Article 53
1. The Security
Council shall, where appropriate, utilize such regional arrangements
or agencies for enforcement action under its authority. But no enforcement
action shall be taken under regional arrangements or by regional agencies without the authorization of the
Security
Council, with the exception of measures against any enemy state, as defined in paragraph
2 of this Article, provided for pursuant to Article
107 or in regional arrangements directed against renewal of aggressive
policy on the part of any such state, until such time as the Organization may, on request of the Governments
concerned, be charged with the responsibility for preventing further aggression by such a state. 2. The term
enemy state as used in paragraph 1 of this Article applies to any state
which during the Second World War has been an enemy of any signatory
of the present Charter.
Article 54
The Security
Council shall at all times be kept fully informed of activities undertaken
or in contemplation under regional arrangements or by regional
agencies for the maintenance of international peace and security. Return to Top
CHAPTER IX INTERNATIONAL
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CO-OPERATION Article 55
With a view to the creation of conditions of stability
and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations based on
respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, the United Nations shall promote: a. higher standards of living, full
employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development; b. solutions of international economic,
social, health, and related problems; and international cultural and educational co-operation; and c. universal respect for, and observance
of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion.
Article 56
All Members
pledge themselves to take joint and separate action in cooperation with
the Organization for the achievement of the purposes set forth in Article
55.
Article 57
1. The various specialized agencies, established
by intergovernmental agreement and having wide international responsibilities, as defined in their basic
instruments, in economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related fields, shall be brought into relationship
with the United Nations in accordance with the provisions of Article 63. 2. Such agencies thus brought into relationship
with the United Nations are hereinafter referred to as specialized agencies. Return to Top
Article 58
The Organization shall make recommendations for
the coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies.
Article 59
The Organization shall, where appropriate, initiate
negotiations among the states concerned for the creation of any new specialized agencies required for
the accomplishment of the purposes set forth in Article
55.
1. The Economic
and Social Council shall consist of fifty-four Members
of the United Nations elected by the General
Assembly. 2. Subject to the provisions of paragraph
3, eighteen members of the Economic
and Social Council shall be elected each year for a term of three years.
A retiring member shall be eligible for immediate re-election. 3. At the first election after the increase
in the membership of the Economic
and Social Council from twenty- seven to fifty-four members, in addition to
the members elected in place of the nine members whose term of office expires at the end of that year, twenty-seven
additional members shall be elected. Of these twenty-seven additional members, the term of office of
nine members so elected shall expire at the end of one year, and of nine other members at the end of two years,
in accordance with arrangements made by the General
Assembly. 4. Each member of the Economic
and Social Council shall have one representative. Functions and Powers
Article 62
1. The Economic
and Social Council may make or initiate studies and reports with respect
to international economic, social, cultural, educational, health,
and related matters and may make recommendations with respect to any such matters to the General
Assembly, to the Members
of the United Nations, and to the specialized agencies concerned. 2. It may make recommendations for the purpose
of promoting respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all. 3. It may prepare draft conventions for submission
to the General
Assembly, with respect to matters falling within its competence. 4. It may call, in accordance with the rules
prescribed by the United Nations, international conferences on matters falling within its competence. Return to Top
Article 63
1. The Economic
and Social Council may enter into agreements with any of the agencies
referred to in Article 57, defining the terms on which the agency concerned
shall be brought into relationship with the United Nations. Such agreements shall be subject to approval
by the General
Assembly. 2. It may coordinate the activities of the
specialized agencies through consultation with and recommendations to such agencies and through recommendations
to the General
Assembly and to the Members
of the United Nations.
Article 64
1. The Economic
and Social Council may take appropriate steps to obtain regular reports
from the specialized agencies. It may make arrangements with the
Members
of the United Nations and with the specialized agencies to obtain reports on the steps taken to give
effect to its own recommendations and to recommendations on matters falling within its competence made by the
General
Assembly. 2. It may communicate its observations on
these reports to the General
Assembly .
1. The Economic
and Social Council shall perform such functions as fall within its
competence in connection with the carrying out of the recommendations of
the General
Assembly. 2. It may, with the approval of the General
Assembly, perform services at the request of Members
of the United Nations
and at the request of specialized agencies. 3. It shall perform such other functions as
are specified elsewhere in the present Charter or as may be assigned to it by the General
Assembly. Return to Top
The Economic
and Social Council shall set up commissions in economic and social
fields and for the promotion of human rights, and such other commissions as
may be required for the performance of its functions.
The Economic
and Social Council may make arrangements for representatives of the
specialized agencies to participate, without vote, in its deliberations
and in those of the commissions established by it, and for its representatives to participate in the deliberations
of the specialized agencies.
Article 71
The Economic
and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation
with non-governmental organizations which are concerned with matters
within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with international organizations and, where appropriate,
with national organizations after consultation with the Member
of the United Nations concerned. Return to Top
Article 72
1. The Economic
and Social Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including
the method of selecting its President. 2. The Economic
and Social Council shall meet as required in accordance with its rules,
which shall include provision for the convening of meetings on
the request of a majority of its members. Return to Top
CHAPTER XI DECLARATION
REGARDING NON-SELF-GOVERNING TERRITORIES Article 73
Members
of the United Nations which have or assume responsibilities for the
administration of territories whose peoples have not yet attained a full measure
of self-government recognize the principle that the interests of the inhabitants of these territories are paramount,
and accept as a sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost, within the system of international
peace and security established by the present Charter, the well-being of the inhabitants of these territories,
and, to this end:
a. to ensure, with due respect for the
culture of the peoples concerned, their political, economic, social, and educational advancement, their just treatment,
and their protection against abuses; b. to develop self-government, to take
due account of the political aspirations of the peoples, and to assist them in the progressive development of their
free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each territory and its peoples
and their varying stages of advancement; c. to further international peace and
security; d. to promote constructive measures
of development, to encourage research, and to cooperate with one another and, when and where appropriate, with specialized
international bodies with a view to the practical achievement of the social, economic, and scientific purposes
set forth in this Article; and e. to transmit regularly to the Secretary-General
for
information purposes, subject to such limitation as security and constitutional considerations
may require, statistical and other information of a technical nature relating to economic, social, and educational
conditions in the territories for which they are respectively responsible other than those territories to
which Chapter XII and XIII
apply.
Article 74
Members
of the United Nations also agree that their policy in respect of the
territories to which this Chapter applies, no less than in respect of their
metropolitan areas, must be based on the general principle of good- neighborliness, due account being taken of
the interests and well-being of the rest of the world, in social, economic, and commercial matters.
CHAPTER XII INTERNATIONAL
TRUSTEESHIP SYSTEM Article 75
The United Nations shall establish under its authority
an international trusteeship
system for the adminis- tration and supervision of such territories
as may be placed thereunder by subsequent individual agreements. These territories are hereinafter referred
to as trust territories. Return to Top
Article 76
The basic objectives of the trusteeship
system, in accordance with the Purposes of the United Nations laid
down in Article 1 of the
present Charter, shall be: a. to further international peace and
security; b. to promote the political, economic,
social, and educational advancement of the inhabitants of the trust territories, and their progressive development
towards self-government or independence as may be appropriate to the particular circumstances of each territory
and its peoples and the freely expressed wishes of the peoples concerned, and as may be provided by the terms
of each trusteeship agreement; c. to encourage respect for human rights
and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion, and to encourage
recognition of the interdependence of the peoples of the world; and d. to ensure equal treatment in social,
economic, and commercial matters for all Members
of the United Nations and their nationals and also equal treatment
for the latter in the administration of justice without prejudice to the attainment of the foregoing objectives
and subject to the provisions of Article 80.
Article 77
1. The trusteeship system shall apply to such
territories in the following categories as may be placed thereunder by means of trusteeship
agreements: a. territories now held under mandate; b. territories which may be detached
from enemy states as a result of the Second World War, and c. territories voluntarily placed under
the system by states responsible for their administration. 2. It will be a matter for subsequent agreement
as to which territories in the foregoing categories will be brought under the trusteeship
system
and upon what terms.
The terms of trusteeship for each territory to
be placed under the trusteeship
system, including any alteration or amendment, shall be agreed upon by the
states directly concerned, including the mandatory power in the case of territories held under mandate by a Member
of the United Nations, and shall be approved as provided for in Articles 83 and
85.
Article 80
1. Except as may be agreed upon in individual
trusteeship
agreements, made under Articles 77, 79,
and 81, placing each territory under the trusteeship
system, and until such agreements have been concluded, nothing in this Chapter shall be construed in or of itself
to alter in any manner the rights whatsoever of any states or any peoples or the terms of existing international
instruments to which Members
of the United Nations may respectively be parties. 2. Paragraph 1 of this Article shall not be
interpreted as giving grounds for delay or postponement of the negotiation and conclusion of agreements for
placing mandated and other territories under the trusteeship
system as provided for in Article
77.
Article 81
The trusteeship
agreement shall in each case include the terms under which the trust
territory will be administered and designate the authority which
will exercise the administration of the trust territory. Such authority, hereinafter called the administering
authority, may be one or more states or the Organization itself.
Article 82
There may be designated, in any trusteeship
agreement, a strategic area or areas which may include part or all of the trust territory to which the agreement
applies, without prejudice to any special agreement or agreements made under Article 43. Return to Top
Article 83
1. All functions of the United Nations relating
to strategic areas, including the approval of the terms of the trusteeship
agreements and of their alteration or amendment, shall be exercised
by the Security
Council. 2. The basic objectives set forth in Article
76 shall be applicable to the people of each strategic area. 3. The Security
Council shall, subject to the provisions of the trusteeship
agreements and without prejudice to security considerations, avail itself of the
assistance of the Trusteeship
Council to perform those functions of the United Nations under the trusteeship
system relating to political. economic, social, and educational matters in the strategic areas.
Article 84
It shall be the duty of the administering authority
to ensure that the trust territory shall play its part in the maintenance of international peace and
security. To this end the administering authority may make use of volunteer forces, facilities, and assistance
from the trust territory in carrying out the obligations towards the Security
Council undertaken in this regard by the administering authority, as
well as for local defense and the maintenance of law and order within the
trust territory.
1. The Trusteeship
Council shall consist of the following Members
of the United Nations: a. those Members
administering trust territories; b. such of those Members
mentioned by name in Article 23 as are not administering
trust territories; and c. as many
other Members
elected for three-year terms by the General
Assembly as may be necessary to ensurethat the total number of members of the Trusteeship
Council is equally divided between those Members
of theUnited Nations which administer trust territories and those
which do not. 2. Each member of the Trusteeship
Council shall designate one specially qualified person to represent
it therein. Functions and Powers
Article 87
The General
Assembly and, under its authority, the Trusteeship
Council, in carrying out their functions, may: a. consider reports submitted by the
administering authority; b. accept petitions and examine them
in consultation with the administering authority; c. provide for periodic visits to the
respective trust territories at times agreed upon with the administering authority; and d. take these and other actions in
conformity with the terms of the trusteeship
agreements. Return to Top
Article 88
The Trusteeship
Council shall formulate a questionnaire on the political, economic,
social, and educational advancement of the inhabitants of each trust
territory, and the administering authority for each trust territory within the competence of the General
Assembly shall make an annual report to the General
Assembly upon the basis of such questionnaire. Voting
Article 89
1. Each member of the Trusteeship
Council shall have one vote. 2. Decisions of the Trusteeship
Council shall be made by a majority of the members present and voting. Procedure
Article 90
1. The Trusteeship
Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method
of selecting its President. 2. The Trusteeship
Council shall meet as required in accordance with its rules, which
shall include provision for the convening of meetings on the request
of a majority of its members.
Article 91
The Trusteeship
Council shall, when appropriate, avail itself of the assistance of
the Economic and Social Council and of the specialized agencies in
regard to matters with which they are respectively concerned. Return to Top
CHAPTER XIV THE
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE Article 92
The International
Court of Justice shall be the principal judicial organ of the United
Nations. It shall function in accordance with the annexed Statute
which is based upon the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice and forms an integral
part of the present Charter.
Article 93
1. All Members
of the United Nations are ipso facto parties to the Statute of the
International Court of Justice. 2. A state which is not a Member
of the United Nations may become a party to the Statute of the International Court of Justice on conditions to be determined
in each case by the General
Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.
Article 94
1. Each Member
of the United Nations undertakes to comply with the decision of the
International
Court of Justice
in any case to which it is a party. 2. If any party to a case fails to perform
the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment rendered by the Court, the other party may have recourse to
the Security
Council, which may, if it deems necessary, make recommendations or decide upon measures to
be taken to give effect to the judgment. Return to Top
Article 95
Nothing in the present Charter shall prevent Members
of the United Nations from entrusting the solution of their differences to other tribunals by virtue of
agreements already in existence or which may be concluded in the future.
Article 96
1. The General
Assembly or the Security
Council may request the International
Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal question. 2. Other organs of the United Nations and
specialized agencies, which may at any time be so authorized by the General
Assembly, may also request advisory opinions of the Court on legal
questions arising within the scope of their activities.
CHAPTER XV THE SECRETARIAT Article 97
The Secretariat shall comprise a Secretary-General
and such staff as the Organization may require. The Secretary-General
shall be appointed by the General
Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security
Council. He shall be the chief administrative officer of the Organization.
The Secretary-General
may bring to the attention of the Security
Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international
peace and security.
Article 100
1. In the performance of their duties the Secretary-General
and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority
external to the Organization. They shall refrain from any action which might reflect on their position as international
officials responsible only to the Organization. 2. Each Member
of the United Nations undertakes to respect the exclusively international
character of the responsibilities of the Secretary-General
and the staff and not to seek to influence them in the discharge of their responsibilities .
Article 101
1. The staff shall be appointed by the Secretary-General
under regulations established by the General
Assembly. 2. Appropriate staffs shall be permanently
assigned to the Economic
and Social Council, the Trusteeship
Council, and, as required, to other organs of the United
Nations. These staffs shall form a part of the Secretariat. 3. The paramount consideration in the employment
of the staff and in the determination of the conditions of service shall be the necessity of securing
the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the importance of
recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible. Return to Top
CHAPTER XVI MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS Article 102
1. Every treaty and every international agreement
entered into by any Member
of the United Nations after the present Charter comes into force shall as
soon as possible be registered with the Secretariat
and published byit. 2. No party to any such treaty or international
agreement which has not been registered in accordance with the provisions of paragraph I of this Article
may invoke that treaty or agreement before any organ of the United Nations.
Article 103
In the event of a conflict between the obligations
of the Members
of the United Nations under the present Charter and their obligations under any other
international agreement, their obligations under the present Charter shall prevail.
Article 104
The Organization shall enjoy in the territory
of each of its Members
such legal capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfillment
of its purposes.
Article 105
1. The Organization shall enjoy in the territory
of each of its Members
such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the fulfillment of its purposes. 2. Representatives of the Members
of the United Nations and officials of the Organization shall similarly
enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary
for the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the Organization. 3. The General
Assembly may make recommendations with a view to determining the details
of the application of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article or may
propose conventions to the Members
of the United Nations for thispurpose. Return to Top
CHAPTER XVII TRANSITIONAL
SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS Article 106
Pending the coming into force of such special
agreements referred to in Article 43 as in the
opinion of the Security
Council enable it to begin the exercise of its responsibilities under
Article
42, the parties to the Four-Nation Declaration, signed at Moscow
October 30, 1943, and France, shall, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 5 of that Declaration, consult
with one another and as occasion requires with other Members
of the United
Nations with a view to such joint action on behalf of the Organization
as may be necessary for the purpose of maintaining international peace
and security.
Article 107
Nothing in the present Charter shall invalidate
or preclude action, in relation to any state which during the Second World War has been an enemy of any
signatory to the present Charter, taken or authorized as a result of that war by the Governments having responsibility
for such action.
1. A General Conference of the Members
of the United Nations for the purpose of reviewing the present Charter may be held at a date and place to be fixed
by a two-thirds vote of the members of the General
Assembly and by a vote of any seven members of the Security
Council. Each Member
of the United Nations shall have one vote in the conference. 2. Any alteration of the present Charter recommended
by a two-thirds vote of the conference shall take effect when ratified in accordance with their respective
constitutional processes by two thirds of the Members
of the United
Nations including all the permanent members of the Security
Council. 3. If such a conference has not been held
before the tenth annual session of the General
Assembly following the coming into force of the present Charter,
the proposal to call such a conference shall be placed on the agenda of that session of the General
Assembly, and the conference shall be held if so decided by a majority
vote of the members of the General
Assembly and by a vote of any seven members of the Security
Council. Return to Top
CHAPTER XIX RATIFICATION
AND SIGNATURE Article 110
1. The present Charter shall be ratified by the
signatory states in accordance with their respective constitutional processes. 2. The ratification's shall be deposited with
the Government of the United States of America, which shall notify all the signatory states of each deposit as
well as the Secretary-General of the Organization when he has been appointed. 3. The present Charter shall come into force
upon the deposit of ratification's by the Republic of China, France, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America, and by a majority
of the other signatory states. A protocol of the ratification's deposited shall thereupon be drawn up by the
Government of the United States of America which shall communicate copies
thereof to all the signatory states. 4. The states signatory to the present Charter
which ratify it after it has come into force will become original Members
of the United Nations on the date of the deposit of their respective
ratification's.
Article 111
The present Charter, of which the Chinese, French,
Russian, English, and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall remain deposited in the archives of
the Government of the United States of America. Duly certified copies thereof shall be transmitted by that Government
to the Governments of the other signatory states.
IN FAITH WHEREOF the representatives of the
Governments of the United Nations have signed the present Charter.
DONE at the city of San Francisco the twenty-sixth
day of June, one thousand nine hundred and forty-five.
