History & Civics
The United Nations Organisation aims to maintain international peace. With reference to its organs and agencies, answer the following:
(i) What is the composition of the International Court of Justice?
(ii) Mention any three functions of the General Assembly.
(iii) Gujarat's famed garba dance received the intangible heritage tag. Which agency of the United Nations is authorized to give this tag? Mention any three other contributions of that agency in the preservation of culture.
Answer
(i) Composition of the International Court of Justice —
The Court is composed of 15 judges, each of different nationality elected to nine-year terms of office by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council sitting independently of each other. Elections are held every three years for one-third of the seats, and retiring judges may be re-elected.
The Members of the Court do not represent their governments but are independent magistrates. The judges must possess the qualifications required in their respective countries for appointment to the highest judicial offices, or be jurists of recognised competence in international law. The composition of the Court has also to reflect the main forms of civilisation and the principal legal systems of the world.
The Court elects its President and Vice-President for a three-year term. They may, when their term expires, be re-elected. The Court has the power to appoint its Registrar.
(ii) Three functions of the General Assembly are:
- To consider and make recommendations on the principles of cooperation, in the maintenance of international peace and security.
- To consider and approve the budget of the United Nations and to apportion the contributions among members.
- To elect the non-permanent members of the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council and the Trusteeship Council, and to elect the judges of the International Court of Justice.
(iii) The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is the agency authorized to designate intangible cultural heritage tag.
Three contributions of UNESCO in the preservation of culture are:
- UNESCO provides technical advice and assistance, equipment and funds for the preservation of monuments and other works of art. It has prepared a World Heritage List to identify the monuments and sites which are to be protected.
- It aims to protect the world inheritance of books, works of art and rare manuscripts.
- It gives encouragement to artistic creations in literature and fine arts.
Related Questions
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. With reference to this, answer the following questions:
(i) The British used many policies of expansion. Mention any three such policies.
(ii) How did the failure of this Revolt impact the Mughals and the Peshwas?
(iii) The India army was reorganised after 1858, to prevent the reoccurrence of another uprising. Analyse this statement by stating any four changes made in the army after the Revolt.
Nationalism refers to the feeling of oneness that emerges when people consider themselves as one nation. With reference to the growth of nationalism, answer the following:
(i) Name the first President of the Congress. Mention any two of its objectives.
(ii) The press played an important role in the growth of Indian Nationalism. Thus, the British saw the need for curbs on the press. Mention any three points to analyse the role of the press in the growth of nationalism.
(iii) Lord Lytton's repressive policies led to the growth of Nationalism. Mention any four policies enforced by him.
Read the excerpt given below and answer the questions that follow-
The March, which took place in India, was led by Mohandas Gandhi to protest British rule in India. During the march, thousands of Indians followed Gandhi from his religious retreat near Ahmedabad to the Arabian Sea coast, a distance of some 240 miles. The march resulted in the arrest of nearly 60,000 people, including Gandhi himself."
— The Marion (Ohio) Star [Edited]
(i) Name the march being discussed above. Which movement did this march lead to? In which year was that movement launched?
(ii) The movement which began with this march made a considerable impact on the social and political surroundings of the country. Analyse this statement by mentioning any three impacts.
(iii) Mention any four clauses of the Gandhi Irwin Pact.
Look at the picture given and answer the following questions:
(i) Describe the incident depicted in the cartoon.
(ii) Mention any three points to analyse how Europe was rearranged as a consequence of the war caused by this incident.
(iii) The Germans described the Treaty of Versailles as harsh and humiliating. Give any four reasons that justify this statement.