A Black Seat at the High-Table: A Continent's Quest for Justice and Equality within the United Nations System
2023
Loading...
Persistent link to this item
Statistics
View StatisticsJournal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Title
A Black Seat at the High-Table: A Continent's Quest for Justice and Equality within the United Nations System
Authors
Published Date
2023
Publisher
Type
Thesis or Dissertation
Abstract
This paper contends with the paradoxes in the realization of the principle of ‘equality of nations’ in a multilateral political system. Established primarily as a collective security framework to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war” (UN Charter, 1945), the United Nations is premised on the “principle of the sovereign equality of all its members” and the “equal rights…of nations large and small” (UN Charter, 1945). Nearly 80 years since the UN was formed, the entire African continent-the largest regional grouping in the organizationremains at the periphery of the UN’s most powerful organ. Yet, the Security Council engages directly and indirectly in the affairs of many African countries through peacekeeping missions and other political engagement. Anchored on a largely unchanged (but challenged) structure, the Security Council centers five permanent powers that were most relevant in the post-World War II era. The Council has been widely criticized by reform proponents for its lack of “equitable representation” as it does not reflect the current geopolitical landscape. Shaped by colonial legacies and nationalistic self-interests of a few elite states, the UN’s historical foundations and present institutional composition has been marred by exclusionary and exploitative politics. Focusing on the prevalent UN’s political, economic, and military influence in Africa, this paper examines how the inequalities in the permanent membership of the Security Council continues to shape international, regional, and domestic politics and conflicts in the continent and beyond. It concludes by arguing that the normative ideals of the UN can only be achieved by addressing this injustice through comprehensive reform.
Description
Professional paper for the fulfillment of the Master of Human Rights degree.
Related to
Replaces
License
Series/Report Number
Funding information
Isbn identifier
Doi identifier
Previously Published Citation
Suggested citation
Minishi, Hortense. (2023). A Black Seat at the High-Table: A Continent's Quest for Justice and Equality within the United Nations System. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/254725.
Content distributed via the University Digital Conservancy may be subject to additional license and use restrictions applied by the depositor. By using these files, users agree to the Terms of Use. Materials in the UDC may contain content that is disturbing and/or harmful. For more information, please see our statement on harmful content in digital repositories.