On October 24, 2026, the world marks ‘United Nations Day’ at a moment when international cooperation faces a profound test. Wars endanger civilians, geopolitical rivalries paralyze collective action, human rights are protected unevenly, and the climate crisis weighs most heavily on vulnerable communities. Economic inequality and mounting financial pressure are slowing sustainable development.
Established after the Second World War, the United Nations (UN) embodied a historic ambition: to prevent future wars and let nations settle disputes through dialogue rather than destruction. Eighty-one years after the UN Charter entered into force in 1945, that ambition remains indispensable. Yet the gap between the organization’s founding ideals and the realities millions experience raises a difficult question: can the UN still deliver on its promise?
A Universal Institution, Yet an Unequal Voice
Today, the UN has 193 member states, while the Vatican and the State of Palestine hold non-member observer status. Founded by 51 countries when its Charter came into force on October 24, 1945, it has become a near-universal platform for collective action. Bangladesh joined on September 17, 1974; South Sudan, admitted on July 14, 2011, is the newest member as on today.
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Although every member has an equal vote in the General Assembly, influence over global decisions remains unequal, especially in the Security Council. The central challenge is therefore not whether the world needs the UN, but whether it can become more effective, representative and accountable in tackling problems that no country can solve alone.
Peace Cannot Remain a Distant Promise
The UN was founded to spare succeeding generations the devastation of war, yet the Security Council’s ability to act decisively is often constrained by geopolitical competition and the veto power of its five permanent members. When strategic interests override collective responsibility, the credibility of the multilateral system suffers, and civilians pay the price: families lose their homes, children lose their schooling and millions are forced to flee.
Peace must mean more than the absence of fighting. For someone displaced by conflict, it means returning home voluntarily and safely, living without fear and rebuilding with dignity.
The UN must strengthen preventive diplomacy, early warning and mediation before tensions turn violent. Security Council reform is equally important. Fuller representation for underrepresented regions and meaningful restraint on the veto in cases of mass atrocities would make the system more credible, but only if the most influential states show the political will to act.
Rebuilding Trust in Multilateralism
Nationalism, polarization and declining confidence in global institutions strain international cooperation. Some governments see international agreements as limits on sovereignty; others doubt that multilateral bodies apply their principles consistently. Trust depends on fairness, transparency and demonstrable results, and powerful countries must accept the accountability they expect of others.
This debate was on full display at the 81st session of the General Assembly. On September 23, 2026, Argentina’s President Javier Milei called the UN an “ineffective organization” and its officials “arrogant parasites,” according to The Times of Israel. He accused it of failing to ensure collective security. Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez took the opposite line. According to Anadolu Agency, he urged Security Council reform to represent all regions fairly and called for the veto to be abolished.
Abrupt cuts or politically motivated restrictions undermine humanitarian aid, development work and essential services. The answer is not weaker cooperation but more reliable cooperation: predictable funding, honored commitments and greater institutional transparency.
Pandemics, climate change and cyber threats show why countries must cooperate even when their interests differ. Responsible multilateralism does not reject national interest; it protects it.
Human Rights Must Be Universal
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights set a common standard of dignity, freedom and equality, yet its implementation remains uneven. Governments sometimes invoke sovereignty to dismiss criticism, while surveillance, online censorship and digital repression create new threats to freedom.
The UN’s credibility depends on defending rights without political selectivity. Civilian protection, freedom of expression and equality before the law must not become bargaining chips in geopolitical alliances. Stronger monitoring, credible investigations and accountability for serious violations are essential, and the Human Rights Council and other mechanisms must be supported in fulfilling their mandates. Governments must also protect civic space and privacy.
Sustainable Development Requires Global Solidarity
The 2030 Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a shared framework for tackling poverty, inequality, health, education, environmental protection and inclusive growth. Yet economic shocks, debt distress, inadequate financing and climate change have slowed progress. Communities that contributed least to environmental pressures often have the fewest means to respond.
For countries such as Bangladesh, international cooperation is closely tied to development priorities: affordable and predictable climate finance, accessible technology, capacity-building and fairer economic arrangements. Reforming the global financial architecture, expanding concessional financing and easing unsustainable debt should be part of this agenda, and wealthier nations must match climate commitments.
Still, aid alone cannot guarantee development; national leadership, sound governance and accountability matter equally. The UN’s role is to facilitate partnerships and support national priorities so that development reaches those most at risk of being left behind.
From Declarations to Delivery
The priority theme of the 81st session, “Restoring trust, managing transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all,” captures the challenge. Trust requires visible progress in ordinary lives. The UN must improve coordination across its agencies, strengthen accountability for results and make better use of evidence and technology. Artificial intelligence can improve early warning and public services, but must be guided by human rights, transparency and safeguards.
Responsibility is shared. An organization created and sustained by governments cannot overcome geopolitical divisions without their cooperation. Civil society, young people, researchers and journalists also help hold institutions accountable and turn global commitments into local action. Bangladesh and other developing countries should go beyond attending meetings: they should build coalitions, advance fairer global rules and ensure that vulnerable communities influence international decisions.
A Renewed Commitment to Humanity
‘United Nations Day’ should be more than an annual anniversary. It should be an occasion to measure the distance between the world we have promised to build and the world people actually experience. The UN is neither a substitute for national leadership nor a perfect institution, but the need for a platform where nations can negotiate is real. Abandoning multilateralism would not eliminate global problems; it would only make collective responses harder. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Barham Salih, truly stated: ‘Peace must be measured not only by agreements signed, but by lives changed.’
At 81, the United Nations needs a renewed commitment to its founding principles, supported by meaningful institutional reforms and a willingness among member states to place humanity above narrow political interests. Its success will be measured not by the resolutions it adopts, but by its ability to alleviate human suffering caused by war, ensure meaningful protection of human rights, create fair opportunities for developing countries to prosper, and safeguard a safer planet for future generations.
The world needs a United Nations that does more than speak on behalf of all; it needs one that delivers for all. To achieve this, global leaders must work collectively to restore international trust, strengthen multilateral cooperation, and translate commitments into concrete, meaningful action.
Disclaimer: The opinions and views expressed in this article/column are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of South Asian Herald.
