The UN was established after World War 11 to solve international disputes that threaten world peace and security. The UN also works to protect human rights; promote the protection of the environment; help the advancement of women and the rights of children; fight epidemics, famine, poverty. It assists refugees, delivers food aid, combats disease and helps expand food production; makes loans to developing countries and helps stabilize financial markets. The UN has six main organs, all based in New York, except the International Court of Justice, which is located at The Hague, Netherlands. The General Assembly is the main deliberative body. All 185 member states are represented in it, and each has one vote. Decisions are usually taken by simple majority. Important questions require a two-thirds majority. The 15-member Security Council has primary responsibility for maintaining peace and security. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States are permanent members. The other 10 are elected by the Assembly for two-year terms. Other UN organs include the Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice (also known as the World Court) and the Secretariat. In addition, there are 14 specialized agencies. The UN is playing an increasing role as peacekeeper in conflicts around the globe. Since 1948, it has carried out more than 40 peacekeeping operations - 30 of them since 1988. In 1995, there were 70,000 UN peacekeepers around the world. In 1997, UN peacekeepers were present in many troubled areas: at the ceasefire line between India and Pakistan in the State of Jammu and Kashmir; in Cyprus; at the Iraq-Kuwait border; in Georgia, Liberia and Tajikistan. However, the UN has not always been as effective as it would have wished. In 1995, when several UN-designated "safe areas" in Bosnia were overrun by Serb forces, UN credibility was undermined. However, other missions have been more successful. These include the supervision of an election in Cambodia that restored democracy in 1993, the monitoring of a ceasefire that the UN brokered in Angola in 1994, and a UN-assisted 1996 peace accord in Guatemala, ending a 35-year conflict.

This definition is in context to Political. See more contextual defintions for United Nations (UN).