Editorial: 80 years on, the UN needs to reform

The need for organisational reforms is more relevant today than ever before as the global body grapples with complex realities of the 21st century

Whether it is the journey of an individual or an institution, reaching 80 years is a significant milestone, a time for reflection and reform. The United Nations, established on October 24, 1945, as a collective hope of a war-torn world, now faces multiple crises in an increasingly uncertain global landscape. The organisation is facing widespread criticism for its inefficacy in resolving conflicts, as its calls for peace often seem like cries in the wilderness. It has remained a mute spectator to the public suffering in several conflict zones and failed to stop wars and military invasions. More importantly, there is a criticism, justifiably so, that the global body has been insensitive to the problems of the Third World. The need for organisational reforms is more relevant today than ever before as the global body grapples with the complex realities of the 21st century. India has been at the forefront, calling for structural changes in the organisation to retain its relevance in addressing current and future global challenges. Despite its best efforts to live up to the expectations of the original 50 founding members who solemnly resolved to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” the United Nations faces an uphill task in this increasingly difficult world, wherein 2 billion people live in conflict zones. Besides, the organisation is facing a financial crisis because of the dwindling contributions from key nations. By September this year, only 136 of the 193 member states had paid their assessments in full.

Several contributors, including the United States, China, Russia, and Mexico, had yet to complete their payments. As a result, the UN has been forced to slash its regular budget for 2026 by 15.1 per cent — from USD 3.715 billion to USD 3.238 billion. Since the UN Charter is the cornerstone of international law, the global body must be robust and well-represented for the maintenance of international peace and security. The structure of the UN must be reformed in such a way that it accommodates the concerns of the Global South. As UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres succinctly put it, we can’t create a future fit for our grandchildren with systems built for our grandparents. No institution worth its name can remain relevant if it fails to address the emerging realities. The time is ripe for undertaking drastic reforms to make the UN more representative, inclusive, less bureaucratic, more transparent, decentralised, and accountable. India has repeatedly made a strong pitch for reforming the UN Security Council by increasing permanent membership and addressing the under-representation of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Structural reforms, coupled with a collective, renewed commitment to the UN Charter, would help strengthen the Council so that it can continue to rise to emerging challenges. The reforms should focus on highlighting the concerns of the developing world and reflect the realities of the 21st century.