How influential is the United Nation to protect and implement the Dissertation

How influential is the United Nation to protect and implement the death penalty in regards to human rights - Dissertation Example Moreover, the nations aimed to achieve better standards of living, human rights and social progress. The UN has a unique international nature and it can intervene in a wide range of issues. It also provides a forum for its Member States to voice their opinion. This is facilitated by the General Assembly, the Security Council, and the other committees and bodies.1 Moreover, the influence of the UN is felt all over the world. The UN performs humanitarian assistance, conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peacebuilding. In addition, the UN and its system affect the world and tend to improve it. A large number of issues are dealt with by the UN. Some of these include, environment and refugee protection, sustainable development, disaster relief, counter terrorism, gender equality, human rights, governance, improving food production and the promotion of democracy. 2 In addition, the international human rights and humanitarian law clearly prohibit torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading trea tment or punishment. This prohibition applies to all the states and is independent of their treaty obligations. Several of the international and regional treaties have clearly included this prohibition. The regional systems and the UN have declared that some features of the death penalty cannot be permitted. These aspects have been considered to be cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. 3 Some examples are the manner in which death row inmates are kept in their cells; the torment of being under the never ending threat of execution; and the confidential nature of the imposition of the death penalty. These factors have a tremendous effect upon the condemned person and his family. As a result, the UN Human Rights Committee addressed the states with the death penalty. It asked them to improve the conditions of detention of the individuals on death row.4 Such improvements had to comply with the requirements specified in the International Convention on Civil and Political R ights (ICCPR). Furthermore, the UN Human Rights Committee had declared unwarranted delay in informing a convicted person of a stay in execution, as an instance of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment. Moreover, the UN Human Rights Committee has made a recommendation. This suggests that the condemned and their families are to be informed reasonably and sufficiently in advance regarding the date and time of the execution.5 Such advance notice, would provide them with sufficient time to prepare for the occurrence. In this regard, the important organs of the United Nations and their functions are described below. Functioning of the UN The principal bodies of the UN are the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice and Secretariat. Among these the Security Council is responsible for international peace and security. Consequently, the Security Council may conduct a meeting, whenever a threat to international peac e and security is perceived.6 These six bodies do not have the same