How the General Assembly Works

General Assembly's Six Main Committees:
First Committee: Disarmament and International Security
Second Committee: Economic and Financial
Third Committee: Social, Humanitarian and Cultural
Fourth Committee: Special Political and Decolonization
Fifth Committee: Administrative and Budgetary
Sixth Committee: Legal

At the heart of the United Nations system is the General Assembly (GA). It is composed of representatives from all 191 member nations of the UN. The GA has its regular meetings each year from September to December in New York. It can, however, reconvene at any time. At the beginning of each session (the September to December meeting), the GA elects a new President, twenty-one Vice-presidents, and the Chairpersons of the Assembly's six Main Committees. To ensure geographical diversity in leadership, the presidency of the Assembly rotates each year amongst five different geographical groupings of states.

The members of the GA deal with issues ranging from the UN budget to the codification of international law. The GA may discuss any subject of international security and the scope of the UN Charter, but it may not make any recommendations for action on those matters if a given issue within that realm is under consideration in the Security Council. The GA is responsible for initiating studies and plans of action that enhance political cooperation, human rights, and international cooperation on economic, social, cultural, educational and health issues. It must approve the UN budget and apportion contribution responsibilities among the member states. The GA is also responsible for admitting new member states and for electing the non-permanent members of the Security Council.

In the GA, all members have an equal vote. Matters of procedure are decided by a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) and most matters of substance require a 2/3 majority to pass. In recent years however, the GA has tried to move toward a consensus system in which more agreement is reached and fewer formal votes are taken. Though all nations are treated as equals within the General Assembly structure, the body can, with the advice of the credentials committee, agree to suspend the voting rights of a member nation's representative. Such was the case with the South African delegation from 1974 until the end of apartheid in 1994. In the eyes of the GA, the South African representatives sent to the United Nations were sent by a white minority regime and did not represent the will of the majority of the South African people. Though South Africa's voting privileges in the GA were suspended, it still remained a member of the United Nations and participated in the functions of the other bodies. The GA has, in conjunction with the Security Council, the ability to expel members from the organization, though such as action has never been taken.

Early in each session of the GA, its members participate in a general debate during which representatives discuss their opinions on a wide range of issues. After the debate, most of those issues are slated for discussion in one of the GA's six Main Committees: First Committee - Disarmament and International Security; Second Committee - Economic and Financial; Third Committee- Social, Humanitarian and Cultural; Fourth Committee - Special Political and Decolonization; Fifth Committee - Administrative and Budgetary; and Sixth Committee - Legal. These committees can present reports and suggestions for resolutions to the GA to provide it with detailed information about any subject falling within the realm of the committees.

Though no resolution or decision passed by the GA can be enforced against unwilling member states, they do carry the weight of the support of the international community and can be referred to in conflict settlements in the International Court of Justice. In addition to its formal meetings and committees, the GA, in conjunction with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) is responsible for a number of UN programs and subsidiaries including INSTRAW (the International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement of Women), OHCHR (the Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights), UNIFEM (the United Nations Fund for Women) and UNICEF (the United Nations Children's Fund).
For a more complete listing of the organizations sponsored by the General Assembly, click here.